The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-08-30

An Important Question.
Progressive Farmer. |

UENDERsON, Vance Co., July 81, 1888.
EDITOR FARNER-DoHr Sill see by
YOUR progressive paper, that YOU are con-
stantly receiving communications from
subscribers respecting the working OF the
Alliances in their respective locations.
You must find it Il pleasant task to insert
so many COmmOn-ScH1e letters contributed
by farmers to their own weekly Journal.
1t is convenient medium by which the
tillers Of the soil can exchange their indi-
vidual views on their dlVinely instituted
calling 1t is also the centre OF attraction
OF our new order. " ithout some such &C.
menting influence it would be mighty
apt" TO diSentegrate, and, according 10 the
predictions of some of our anti-AlliaHce
friends the concern would soon tizzle
OUT There IS one great subject that has
recently been introduced on the Alliance
carpet that | don't exactly understand;
members throughout the State have been
advised 10 enter into combination fut the
purpose of importing on a large scale, prIn-
cipaltV. the two chief articles of COnSump-
ton, bread and bacon. Would not such
step he d violation OF the fundamental law
of the \ lliunct? and have a tendency to
defeat the principal object its organizers
had in view, viz: That farmers produce
those two essential articles Of diet for
home use? Ii such Il project is carried out,
then one of the vital principles of the AL
lance (while yet i'll its infancy Is aSSailed.
Its most appropriate title would be the
IN. &. Importing Bread and Bacon Firm.
What q spectacle a nation of farmers
banded together for the express purpose Of
buying bread, giving our brethren in far
less favored countries an opportunity to
cast ref .ctiOns nH this, our boaSted Sunny
South. t. which We are continually invit-
ing them but Sd, we, this IS cotton and
tobacco country, md as long as We can
make four or fiyt hundred dollars on an
acre of tobacco, | would not pay us to TOOL
with such an uniAi pOrtaut crop as wheat :;
then say our brethren of wheat growing
sections, You must all have made your for
tunes down there, aud have but little
else to do but lie down and roll i'll your
riches. Well no, not exactly the whole
crowd of u but you can put us in posi-
ton to give the : finishing touch, |" by send
ing good supply ot your stomachappeas-
ing produce for little less money. We
Will then return the compliment by send
ing You nice lot of our famous yellow to-
bacco. But do your cotton and tobacco
crops occupy the whole OF your land? y
dear no, not by jug full in fact We have
tens of thousands of acres running TO
waste, q 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 IMPROVE
dence ought rot to he encouraged. II you
cannot take better care of the great Gre
who viii. 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 APP
plicatiOn Of common->ense manure. aud
That amount OF land will mply supply
your homesteads with years bread. with
out in the least interfering 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. re-
quiring the assistance Of numerous staff
of subordinates. Raleigh would be his
headquarters, where he must lie furnished
with an enormous store house then, for
the convenience OF patrons throughout the
State branch agency would have TO be
established iii each county town.
l will leave il u others TO do the figur-
ing. Advise the farmers to organize for
the purpose OF manufacturing their own
fertilizers under the direction and super
vision of the State Chemist and Board Of
Agriculture. We should then get gent
Inc article. Instead OF the spurious stuff