The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-11-06
SPEECH DELIVERED BY w. H.
RAND BEFORE AUBURN AL
LANCE, NO. al, ON OCTO-
Der 10Th, 1888.

Mr.. PRESIDENT AMI BRETHREN OF
THE ALLIANCE:--By virtue of the
Office you have called me to fill, I am
again before you in the discharge of the
duties devolving upon me, and as you
know that it is made incumbent on me
to furnish food for reflection in this
august body, and Is you know also,
that it requires a well-directed line OF
thought to do SO, such as L am unable
to. command, your sympathles,
through brotherly affection, will most
naturally become enlisted in my be-
half, which will very much aid and en-.
courage me in the performance of my
duty. AS you have recently had your
patience taxed almost beyond the
powers of endurance by listening to
speeches, delivered on various occa.
sions, by men who displayed different
grades of oratory, I will not on this
occasion worry you with an extended
talk, but will take into consideration
what l have heard oft repeated, that
a thing must be mighty good If too
much of it won't spoil. L have re-
Gently had the pleasure of attending
the meeting of our State Alliance;
also that of the Interstate Association.
They both took on the appearance of
dignifed and deliberative bodies, rep
resenting the intelligence of the farm
ers of the State and those of the South
from West Virginia to Texas. They
intelligently discussed the situation
and condition of the Southern planter
and endeavored to throw light on his
benighted pathway. These delibera-
tions, / think, were wise and we'll
calculated to produce the p%rofoundest
impression throughout the entire
country. The various matters of i'm
portance they acted upon you have
doubtless seen in public print, which
s~uperceeds the necessity of my giving
it to you On this occasion. / am very
sorry to have to say to you, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that with the very short associa.
ton [ had with those representative
bodies of Southern agriculturists, and
with all the information 1 could gain
from said sources, [ am forced to the
conclusion that the condition of the
Southern farmer, under the present sys-
tenn of agriculture is indeed deplorable
and the future outlook gloomy, and
will not be as bright as has been an
ticipated unless we take into consid-
Grafton, the great desideratum self
support, by which system we can more
fully and effectually redress our
wrongs, and keep the wolf at a safe
distance from our doors. Common
sense dictates to, and retorts us with
the fact that our salvation and escape
from serfdom, largely depends on
diversified agriculture and the inten-
sive mode of farming. Our ancestors
in amte-6eAuna days, under similar modes
of agriculture, we're prosperous and
happy, and their wisdom displayed in
this respect caused the earth to con-
tribute of her abundance to the wants
of humanity, and kept unburdened
public and charitable institutions, and
be it said to their credit, they were
never reduced to the necessity of
seeking the fostering care of the gov
eminent in aid of their persuits, and
by retrospective views, however humil-
iating they may be to take, we can
locate with precision the cause of
many of u present troubles, and the
day we conceived the idea that their
judgment was inadequate and deficient
to provide ways and means for the
support and comfort of their families,
and look departure therefrom, that
day we switched off of the track that
leads to prosperity, and the sooner we
retrace u steps and apply the breaks
to the wheels of destruction, that are
bearing us onward at a rapid rate to
utter ruin and restitution, the better
it will be for US.
Our ~forefathers sharply defined the
lines between good and bad judgement
and proved by common sense, industry,
and skillful management that the
world not only owed them a decent
living. but a goodly heritage besides,
and proved farther beyond contradic-
ton the truth of the old proverb which
tells us hat there is a tide in the
affairs of men, which, if taken at the
food, leads to fortune, and their ex-
ample will be handed down the line of
ages and be emulated by generations
yet unborn. Mr.. President, we may
view and review the situation admin
itum but unless we bring practicable
common sense to bear on such ques-
tions as do not require the light of
science to solve, all the efforts we may
make to ameliviate our condition will
nso.zo u he uitho,,t fu,& 81 al-o