The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-08-14
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION,
HENDERSON, Vance Co.,

70 HENDERsoN, Vance Co.,
g - l.ga July 81, 1888.
EDlToR FARMER.-Dear Sir Il see
by your progressive paper, that you
are constantly receiving communica-
tions from subscribers respecting the
working of the Alliances in their res
pective locations. You must find it a
pleasant task to insert so many COM
nonsense letters contributed by farm
ers to their own weakly journal. 1t is
convenient medialn by which the
tillers of the soil, csh exchange their
individual views on their divinely in
stituted calling. It's also the centre
of attraction of ouranew order. With
out some such cementing influence it
would be "mightys apt" to disente-
CRATE, and, according to the predic-
tions of some Of CUR anti i-Ahiance
friends, the "concern" would soon
/" fizzle out" There is one great sub
ject that has recently been introduced
on the Alliance carpet that I don't
exactly understand. Members through
out the State vedbeen advised to
enter into combination for the pur-
pose of importing on large scale,
principally, the twoschief articles of
consumption, bread and bacon Would
not such step be q violation of the
fundamental law of the Alliance and
have q tendency to defeat the princi-
pal object its originaters had in view,
viz: That some farmers produce those
two essential articles of diet for home
use. II such projeet is carried out,
then the vital principles of the ALI
ance (while yet in its infancy) is as
sailed; its most appropriate title would
be the IN. G. Importing Bread and
Bacon Firm" What spectacle a
nation of farmers banded together for
the express purpose of imparting the
essential necessaries 81 life; giving our
brethren in far less favored countries
an opportunity to cast reflections on
this, our boasted Sunny South, to
which we are continually inviting
them; but say we, this is cotton and
tobacco country, and as long as we
can make four or five hundred dollars
on an acre: of tobacco, it would not
pay us to fool with such an unimpor-
tant crop as wheat; then say our
brethren of wheat growing sections,
you must all have made your fortunes
"down there" and have little else to
do but to lie down and roll in your
riches. Well no, not exactly the
whole crowd of us, but you can put us
in position to give the "finishing
touch,' by sending good supply Of
your stomach,appeasing produce for
little less money. We will then return
the compliment by sending you nice
lot of our famous yellow tobacco. But
do your cotton and tobacco crops oc-
cupy the whole of your land 0, dear
no, not by a jug full; in fact we have
tens of thousands of acres running to
waste, large proportion of which is
being continually washed away to the
sea. Then such is your appreciation
of the greatest gift of Providence.
Such wicked improvidence ought not
to be encouraged. If you cannot take
better care of the great Creators prop
erty, then give it away to them that
will. Out of pity we would suggest to
you the propriety of taking into your
special care, two, three OR four acres
at time of your waste land, give it
good application of common-sense
manure, and that amount of land will
amply supply your homesteads with a
years bread, without in the least in
terfering with your market crops; we
are not waiting for your orders.
England will take all the wheat we
can produce many times told. :
Has it been ascertained about what
margin will be left on our projected
importing transaction +? We must
have responsible State Agent with
substantial salary, requiring the assist
ance of a numerous staff of subordi-
mates. Raleigh would be his head
quarters, where he must be furnished
with an enormous store house; then,
for the convenience of patrons through
out the State branch agency would
have to be established in each country
town.
will leave it to others to do the
figuring. Advise the farmers to or
ganize for the purpose of manufacture