Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-09-05
Tho Danger for the Alliance,

W. . ~
AS we understand tho action Of
the cotton producers as represented
ct Atlanta, it is intended. to take td-
vantage of the condition of the cot
ton market to corner it. We fear it
is too big a contract. Even if it
should be successful we do not be-
licve it will result in permanent good
for anybody. 1t is an interference
with the natural course Of trade such
as has always been harmful
If tho Farmers Alliance intends
to fight and whip the jutc trust the
public will approve tho purpose and
help its accomplishment, and in any
other one thing the organization may
undertake it will probably succeed.
But it is undertaking too much and
too many different things at once
and we fear will fail everywhere.
No man or body of men ever has
succeeded or ever will succeed in an
effort to reform oil tho worlds evils
at the same time. Abuses must be
attacked and overcome singly and IN
detail
Thus far, SO far as the public is in
formed, the Alliance has undertaken
to cheaper the prices of goods
bought by its members from mer-
chants; to establish cooperative
stores and warehouses; to regulate the
weighing of cotton; to defeat the at
tempt of powerful trust to corner
the market for jutc bagging; to cor
ner the market by holding back the
product until such prices are offered
as the Alliance may approve. 1t ap-
pears to lis that while most of these
undertakings are good, any one of
them would be as much as should be
attempted in one year.
Another point which should not
be lost sight of is that anything which
impedes or disturbs the course of
commerce and Injuries other classes
of the community must react upon
and iniurc the farmers. Our inter
ests are SO interviewer that no special
one can suffer without damage
to all. Every merchant who is
broken up and driven from COM
munity represents the loss of so much
demand for country produce, the alb
sencc of so much competition, the
destruction of so much taxable value.
Every factory forced to close repre-
sents so much capital and income
lost to the country which must be
felt directly or indirectly, sooner
or later by each inhabitant. We
can not afford to make war
against each other. The man
who cndcavors to excite class feel
ing or set one part of our people
against another is more dangerous
enemy to the public welfare than
any inccndiary who ever fired a
house.
The Grccnyillc Wcacs has been the
staunch and unfailing friend of the
farmers on every occasion and in
every emergency. 1t stood by and
fought for them and their cause and
rights before they had an organi-
zation and when they were scattered
and apparently hopeless and helpless.
We think VIC can claim, therefore,
as right, that what we say be taken
as the warning of IN honest friend
and earnest well wishcr.
We have high hopes for the Ali
ancc and have looked forward to see
it do much for the improvement Of
the condition of the farmers, and we
have promised ourselves the pleas
urc Of helping it in a series of sue
ccssful fights. But We believe if the
present system of dividing effort and
purpose is continued and if the dis
position, of which there are symp-
toms-not yet here, but elsewhere
to set farmers against other classes
in business matters, is developed, the
Alliance will be Il curse instead Of n
blessing and will fail and die rs the
Grange did Greenoile Ne'cs.