The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

you Credlt, Win MS clothes on-the naked
miserable sHnupdrCl tlra, hcis. Before the re
. Ill dealer can sell to you on credit, the fac
tory gets 215 per cent; the Jobber S per cent
the wholesale dealer ~ pei cent, making fif
teeE per ceHt. that is a'tdeh to actual cost o
retailers goods. What the retailer charge!
you may be known OH the day OF Judgment
not before.
If man has large farm, the retailer IL
glad To get your trade, but II your collateral.
consist entirely of wife and children, they
are not SO glad to get your trade, even wher
eXtravogant prices are charged.
Make your arrangements to mortgage moth
ing to any merchant. 1t cuts you OF from
any Of the benefits Of competition in trade
and puts you completely in his power and a
his mercy. 1t may be that you can't avoit
placing yourself In this undesirable position
But say you can prevent IL. We did 1t IL
Texas. We elected three true men as oul
financial agents. We gave our mortgages II
them, and they gave their notes in bank, re
ceiving the money monthly as we needed 1t
and 1t was given TO US. We could buy ou
goods at greatly reduced figures from th'
prices which had been formerly charged or
credit. We paid nothing but interest, ant
bought our goods with the ready cash, Wher,
we could get the best bargains. II the price
was too high the merchant generally looked
price. The merchant credits whom he
pleases. II the farmer doesn't work he stop!
his credit and tells him he eating too much
If a member OF the Alliance falls to pay hi!
QeDIS, TURN MIN OUT ana let MIN 20, anu you
go on 10 success.
At the end of the year, under the credit sys-
tenn, who owns the colt 3n2 l hear that the
merchants say, that they will "make" theil
debtors do this or that. Can he force you tt
part with your cotton? r so, ycl are IN {
lamentable condition, and the threat Is the
strongest argument In favor of the principles
advocated by the Alliance.
earnestly denounce the jute trust. II
means evil and evil only to the farmers, ant
the trust" has no Interest which is not in
imical to the interests of the farmin1 class o.
our fellow-citizens. The nrmers ask nothing
but Justice and fair dealing. AS we do no
get that, 1T is our highest duty to fight the
trust 1t Is to our best Interests to stand ou
against the organization which commits {
great wrong on us as individuals, and which
wrong we can only resist by unity of actor
and by oneness of purpose II the farmers
are unworthy of the noble sires whose actor
In times past have conferred great honor or
this people. The trust people have snapped
their fingers in our faces, and have asked III
and not for me, to answer how you will helr
yourselves. South Carolina representative
and others at the National meeting Of Far
mers refused TO have 1t. Are you going u
have It? T
Vice-rm not going TO have it.
That's right, my brother. 1 wouldn't have
1t, either. Let him force you who will, yielc
never. If the Alliance men Of Abbeville
county do not resist wrong-and do not refuse
to pay tribute to heartless usurper-you art
have taken stand against the wrong which
1t is proposed to perpetuate against you anc
me, and every other farmer in the South
We want the friendly touch OF the elbow IL
the great flght. Are you going back on us?
Noices-No, sir; we'll stand by you forever
Xoice-I,ll pack my cotton in my shirt, first
That is right. II all will do as well, the vic
tory Is assured. cannot understand why
our merchants prefer for US to pay millions
for Indian jute, when we have an abundant
supply Of injured cotton that may be utilized
hood may be found in fidelity to duty. and
shall expect 10 find that manhood in the ALI
ance in Abbeville county.
The abolition Of the credit system Will be
for the well as Or
true plan. We will buy less and pay less fol
what we do buy, II we pay cash.
If we are right, come and stand by us. Il
we are wrong, come and show US the better
We are not organized to elect men to office
You are organized for q grander and better
purpose than that Of thrusting little men into
big places, which they can't fill. We would
raise you rom the degradation OF debt. de-
spise demagogue-a man who will appeal tG
the prejudice Of men who do not think, but
love a statesman, like politician, but, we
should set down on little men who appeal to
Jul PlCJuulCCS bLdI tHcy may 6OG laO0 PlnSSe
for which they are unsuited.
deem 1t important that men study politi.
cal economy. Not in the secrecy OF your or.
ganization, but openly. In the Integrity ol
Of the Alliance act like men, and vote not as
unit, "not as dumb driven CATTLE" but as
indiyidua, 8 who act independently and vote
lntelllgently. If you elect gentlemen to Of
ture; If you elect gentlemen to Congress, You
Will stand in no danger Of being robbed or
being misrepresented!
The Alliance furnishes a grand example.
The representatives to the National meetings
are elected because OF their fitness to fill the
place, without money. without whiskey, and
without perquisites. The Grange is the
mother Of the Alliance. The former members
of the Grange are now the leaders in the Alli-
ance.
1t takes the power of organization to ac-
complish the good at which we aim. 1t can't
be done otherwise He who opposes us does
SO because Of his Ignorance OF our aims and
objects, or else he has sinister motive.
Be patient. Don't expect this great revolu.
tion TO take place in day. If we can get our
people out OF debt IN FIVE years we have work
ed the greatest revolution In SO short
a time. What blessing it will be when
every farmer may put his corn In his crib,
and may store his cotton under shed until
1t please him osell 1t. That is the object for
which we work. If we only partially sue
coed, we will have done much.
The Alliance Exchange Is Of great benefit,
where such an agency has been established.
Individual farmers, under such system. can
buy their goods at wholesale prices. In Tex
as, the price Of wagons was reduced Sl9 to the
Exchange. The price Of buggies was reduced
S25. This was accomplished for the farmer,
without making war on anybody. They sim.
ply went int the market, and bought their
goods at wholesale prices, as you can do to-
day.
South Carolina is big enough to organize an
n VOL, It,fi hn1yN fc lnl a01I Np
gia. If more help Is needed, call On Alabama.
Texas would help, If called on.
In Texas we sold our cotton in thousand
bale lots, at our own weight, with no loss, at
when harvested. How much we would have
lost by being forced to sell, will never be
known. 1t is for you to say whether 1t Is best
for you to handle your own business, or get
others to handle 1t for you. Without organ
ization, others must handle 1t.
The success Of the Alliance is the harbinger
Of better days. 1t foretells Of our freedom from
domlnition OF capital; Let no man with
combines to which l refer. We make wal, on
the oil trust, the jute trust and all combines
which have for their purpose the enriching OF
at the expense Of the people.
The people need education, and know Of
no better educator than the press. The news
papers are OF great value to the people.
Money spent for newspapers Is we'll spent.
Nothing will afford the family more pleasure,
ana nOtnlnS Will De OF SO great an advantage
to the manager OF farm or TO the head OF a
family. We have with US at present, the edi-
tor of the Cotton Plant. 1t is your paper. Pa
troniZe 1t. and make him make It the best pa
perrin all the country. Take your State pa
per.
One more word of advice: The people OF
county should be proud OF their
newspapers. You should take one or more OF
them. Support it, II 1t supports you or your
cause. But If 1t attracks the Alliance, quit
takingit.
The chairman then announced that the
public meeting would adjourn. and that an
Alliance meeting would be held Immediately.
Or what took place in that meeting, we are
not informed.
The day was great success for the farmers.
and oil nc for nc un q rn informad wnrn we'll