San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-11-04
Enrmnr., Alliance.

To THE Pre- PREss;-lhe word monopo'
IN Is getting old. Tho oppression Of mon
opoly In in the hands Of every school boy.
TAX from the public stand reforming the
people on that subject, is waste OF time
We know that strong combinations in any
branch OF commerce have bad effect on oil
classes Of labor. What We want is the rem
edy. We want 10 hear men talk about the
remedy. Wo want 10 see them organize in
view OF the remedy. We want to soc them
work till it Is in the reach Of every laboring
mau.
Tho trouble 10 not all in combined CAPT
tal-its oppression to the contrary notwith-
standing. Industry. frugality, economy,
prudence, all have much to do with one
mans success aud another's failure.
Going in debt Is not the sole cause of all
misfortunes, In fact it is the basis Of oper-
alton from the national government down
TO the poorest laborer. We viii admit that
it is greatly abused. We must also admit
that many men grow rich by its advantages.
To stop the credit system is thoroughly
impossible, but 10 stop the abuse of it is a
thoroughly practical question. Each man Is
bound to be his own judge ms to how far he
can stop the abuse of this system.
Organizations can never work out his
private financial problems. They can only
be an indirect benefit.
Profits made by dealers on various art-
cles of commerce is not all. This, as Job
server" said in former paper, can be regu-
lated and divided out SO as 10 benefit in
some degree the producer.
Now, Mr. Workingman, sit down and
let's have cominon-sense talk. In the
first place, you must adapt your methods
and organizations for mutual good to the
peculiar section in which you live. 1t is
impossible for the laws governing the pro-
ducts of Kansas to be equal to those gov
erning the products Of Texas.
Now, let us como to Southwest Texas,
The iaboring class here is the renting class.
aud il is mainly to them VIC direct our re-
marks, They 90 to the landlord and they
borrow 80 much laud each year, represent
ing SO much money value, ON which they
are going to make crop. They say to the
landlord, How much is this land WORTH
Answer, Twenty dollars per acre. But II
YOU will give ME five for the loan of it this
year will let you have it. Now, Mr. Lab
orer, watch moment: Five dollars per
acre is % per cent on the gross value at
the landlords own figures. Then you pay
~ per cent. of your entire cotton crop to
gin it. Now, all you can't pick yon pay in
addition 80 per cent for picking. SO when
you wind up your crop according to com
mercial discount you have paid out 20, IL
and 30 per cent, making at least 65 per
cent. out of your products for only three
items Out of the remainder you have to
feed and clothe your families. You Just
simply can't do it in this country. 1t is one
of the impossibiities, because this is not
now, never was, nor meyer will be n country
for profitable farming. Again, the average
net profits of the merchants of this country
is about fifteen per cent. The average per
cent of the cotton buyer is ono-han of one
per cent The average profits OF the man.
ufacturcr Of cotton goods is So per cent, as
given by the mos reliable information.
Nov compare these fgnrcs with those
don't wish to be the means OF disc0ur-
aging any man, but it is impossible for you
to ever get start under such system.
You had better be where you can own the
land if it only makes bale of cotton to
every SIX acres. If you viii stop the har-
rangue about Jay Gould and his oppres-
sions, and begin at home you may possibly
accomplish some good