The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-13
TEE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
SOME STRONG POINTS IN FAVOR OF THE
ORGANIZATION.
The Alliance Takes In q Big Contract,
and Would Seem to Labor to En-.
rich Each and Every Member.

The Alliance takes In q Big CONTRACT
and Would Seem to Labor to En-
rich Each and Every Member.
Mfr. John 4. Devlin:
| Iglve you short account Of the designs
and workings of the Farmers Alliance o.
North Carolina. This is a new organization
in North Carolina. 1t was introduced into
the State less than three years ago:
The history of the Farmers Alliance since
weighty evidences Of the merit and com.
mendability OF that enterprise.
One fact which shows the appreciation It has
met Is, that II Is composed OF the best and
most intelligent farmers in the State. We
mean by best farmers. those who have made
q success OF their business. The Alliance Ia
led BY such men as Capt. g. B. Alexander
L. L. Polk, and others equally useful, but not
so prominent.
Another evidence of the worthiness Of. the
order is, that during Its short existence, there
have been twelve hundred and thirty ALL
ances organized within the State. The far.
mers seem to see In 1t something long desired
This will give you the necessary knowledge
as to the order In North Carolina.
rected against any class OF men. 1t Is not
politica! scheme. In hne 1t is an organization
for selfdefense. =.
men, living in the same country, and then
there are some questions which are OF more
interest to some men than to Others. A mer.
chant wants to know how TO buy and sell, the
Is no small field OF study before him, II he
The end in view with allianceInen is to
bring the farmers together for the purpose OF
counciling each other on questions pertaining
to the farm. 49,
Men OF every other profession and calling
of life claim, that there must be concert OF ac.
men must Sontye
there can be any signal success.
Then, this being true, and no one calls 1t In
question, why should the farmers as o class,
make themselves an exception to rule that
will apply TO all other classes Of men?
This question has thrown life and resolution
into the minds OF the Intelligent farmers OF
our State. This question has been the n,ss cause
An organization must be put within reach
OF the greater number Of men in order to be-
come strong and influential. The alliance 10
the place. II costs only fly cents TO become q
member. There are some qualifications other
One qualification, and believe the one on
which Its life depends Is, that before you can
the exclusion Of every other profession or
vocation OF life
But II this was all the farmers had In view
simply to meet and consult about how TO
plant and cultivate crop, the end would be
only imperfectly attained. They might raise
excellent crops, yet they would still be ser
wants and renters and the merchants would
own the farms and let them out to the best
tenants.
But the greatest advantage to the farmer Is
TO come yet, There are many wants among
the Southern farmers in the spring OF the
year.
farm supplies. This includes everything from
utensils for the cultivation Of crops 10 table
supplies for their tenants.
This question Is discussed at regular meet
ing OF the elliance and they unite and buy
their supplies from one man, therefore get
them much cheaper than Otherwise. SO
man who don't want more than fifty dollars
worth OF goods can get them as cheap as II ne
bought five hundred dollars worth, since he
Is united with perhaps fifty men.
These men want fertilizers. AS they are
united and buy as one man they can get 1t at
the factory as cheaply as any merchant.
money, which pays the agent otherwise. =,
The farmer hes purchased his fertilizers and
supplies for his farm without paying the
agent his per cent: His crop is raised and ne
begins to harvest 1t; now the next question is,
how can he get the worth Of the crop IN
market?
Now, il the farmer stops here all his econo-
my will avail but little almost any man can
raise good crop In this country, bat very
few can show any results Of good crop.
In our county (Mecklenburgl the Alliance
elected two competent men, Messrs. Neal q
With INSTRUCTIONS to svatch he cotton market.
They bought cotton, but this was not their
principal business. Their business was to
know what cotton was worth In all the prin.
ciple cotton markets of the land, and TO tell
one of their men, when he brought cotton to
market, what II was worth.
It is claimed by some that the farmers sav-
ed more money here than in their wholesale
purchases.
It was predicted by those who always stand
Off TO see how q thing "comes out" that the
cotton merchants would soon put these Alli-
ance men down. but all the doubling among
the weak farmers and cliques among the
merchants could not thwart the honest ef-
forts Of those men TO procure their dues.
This is not q fancy picture OF what the ALI.
ance might do, but true statement Of what
IL has been doing in North Carolina during
1888, and the work has just begun.
Garrison's, N. c.. January "a, 1889.