The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-09-05
pLUNHETT AID ALLIANCE,

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PLUNKETT AND ALLIANCE,
The old Man has Lively Talk with Brown.
"[t would be er terrible fool that would
wish anything but good for farmers" said
Plunkett, as he threw the paper aside
be was reading and put his specks in his
pocket.
"The greed of grinding monopolists
overcome their better judgment. though,
sometimes" retorted Browh.
"I see in the paper" resumed Plunkett,
without seeming to heed Browns re-.
marks; "that the Alliance convention
has passed resolution for farmers to
hold their cotton till they get l2i cents
for it."
"And we'll do it." ventured Brown.
"Thar's two sides to every question,
and it,, er darned sight easier to talk
about doing thing sometimes than it
is to do it," said Plunkett, as be proceed.
ed:
"Cotton ought to bring 123 cents, and
more, too, but I doubt whether it is
practicable for us to hold it and force the
price. If ire had made two million bales
instead of six million we could get twice
twelve and half cents for it without
any holding or any forcing. But we've
got the six million bales in sight and
folks don't like to be forced-its human
nature to get bull-headed when or fel.
lows forced-and how we farmers can
hold our cotton any great length of time
I can't see.
"How are we going to pay the hands
we've had hired all the year?
"How are we going to pay taxes
"How are we going to get the girls
new fall hats and pacify the old 'oman?
"How are We going to do er thousand
things that has erbleged TO be done,
lessen re sell our cotton, twelve and
half cents or no twelve and q half
cents?
"They're erbleged to have our cotton"
spoke up Brown, with frown.
"When the war broke out" said Plum.
kett, "we had er notion that the world
would have to go nskid if they didn't
get our cotton, but it didn't prove true.
The whole world wore better clothes than
ne did and kept it up for four years.
I'm afeard if re try to hold and force
things the fool might do without it four
years ergin, and darned ef I want 'em to
do it. owe some notes that I am bound
to pay and it takes money to do it, and
while I cuss cotton er right smart, I
know It's ready money when you get the
bagging and ties on it.
"Then, ergin, this holding business
might prove catching, like the measles,
and the western hog raisers might reso.
lutte to hold their meat and corn and
wheat till they get 124 cents for it.
"It makes me laugh to think erbout
people or starving in the midst of all
this meat and bread, when Brown claims
we could thrive and grow fat ermopg the
cotton bales piled up under the gin houses.
But then it is so, Brown says, and
he's been to the convention. But why
In the devil the western fellows couldn't
do some holding as we'll as we southern
fellows is strange, and kinder adde's my
head.
IT wish the farmers could run this
whole government; I wish this from my
heart, bekaze what is to the farmers
interest is to everybody's interest, but
they mrst be cool and practicable. 1t
won't do to count too much on the pretty
speechmakers every time. I listened to
speeches in the ffties till thought the
world would 60 to pieces if they didn'tget
our cotton, but it didn't, and I'm erfeard
the darned thing would wag erlong if We
go into this holding business, and, as
necessity ia the mother of invention, they
would go to experimenting in other coun-
tries and develop things till they wouldn't
care er darn if we kept on holding.
II worked for er fellow once at S1.50
or day, and I decided that he must give
me 50 or I'd quit: He didn't give it
when axed him, but I was sure he
would have to do it ifI'd be firm and
hold out-he couldn't do without me, I
thought, and be thought so, too, but he
got bull.headed, when be seed I was try.
ing to force him, and begin Experiment.
ing, and'the first thing I knowed be had
four or FIVE fellows that could do the
work as good as me and were willing to
do it for rs cents er day and board ther-
selves. Instead of hurting the fellow, l
put him to thinking of how he could
get erlong without me and he was bene.
fitted aud had to hunt ernother job.
"If we don't mind how We go into this
holding business, these fellows that
want cotton will 60 to South America
and to India and Experiment. and develop
and open up cotton lands till the South
ern cotton raiser will be without er job
and other countries will be benefited
Reduce the acreage. Produce 100000
bales instead Of 100000 and you'll make
no show of trying to force, and will gel
twice twelve and a half cents for your
cotton without any holding, and with
cribs full of corn and smokehouses full
of meat ne can let the western fellows
hold and 'starve,' while we can boast O.
the, finest and most blessed country on
Gods green earth.
"It would be Godsend it the farmers