The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-02-19
[Cor. THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
SHORT TALKS BY AN "OLD
FOGY."
Some TELLING Points"


1t may seem strange to read an
article by an "Old Fogy in The Pro
GREss1vE FARMER, yet it seems to me
that even an old fogy is useful. He
serves as g Finger Board, and shows
how rapidly Young America is has
tening on.
First of all, brethren of the ALI
ance, be not disposedto find fault with
all mankind if your ideas or hobbies
are not readily acceded to. Express
yourselves freely and fully but if
your thoughts are running in local
channel do not expect the world to
suddenly accept your ideas as New
Gospel"
When you offer resolution in
your Alliance see first of all that they
are just and wholesome and be par
ticular to expunge everything that
looks like "axe-grinding." Above
all, see that they Iare practical. I saw
not long since some resolutions, since
embodied in q bill before our Legis-
lature, against trusts and combines,
perhaps making it misdemeanor for
persons to combine for the purpose of
reducing the products, etc. I don't
a0Gnt to be indicted yet. I voted to re-
duce our acreage in cotton when that
resolution. was upiin our Alliance.
Remember that the County, State
and National Alliances are and can
only be what the Su6-AllganceS make
them. The Alliance is like the Church:
membership is good, but it is better
to have Christians than members
and all whose names are enrolled on
our books are not good Alliance men.
Christ had Judas in the twelve, and
the proportion nowadays that wants
to be members and not workers is
equally as great.
Beware of those who want the
uppermost seats in the synagogue.
Do not agree to pay more for service
in or out of the Alliance than the
service is worth, but pay and pay
promptly all it is worth.
Pay your Secretaries and Business
Agents bills for stamps and stationary
promptly. Remember that they give
time freely, but it is unjust to expect
them to pay your bills for you. They
have much extra labor when you are
home, reading, working or resting
they are writing corresponding for
your benefit.
Do not expect the Alliance will be
a medium for you to get good sup
plies for nothing. Workingmen form
the base of this order and they have
all they can do to pay their own bills.
Do not put off to more conven-
lent season the payment of your dues.
The Secretary is not authorized to
take money from the treasury for the
payment sof your dues. How can
the Secretary remit the dues to the
County or State Alliance if he has
not received them?
Do not expect trade arrangements
will be made and you receive the
benefits if you do nothing to aid the
good work. You can spare the time
to attend your Alliance and the pit
tance of 25 cents quarterly in advance.
Get off the stool of do-nothingness
and the Alliance will "boom" like a
frontier town.
Talk is cheap, but it takes money
or mortgage nowadays to get pro-
visions. We pass resolutions to put
less acreage in cotton. This is emf
nently proper, but how many will live
up to it2 Are you not thinking now
of putting in just little more, ex-
pecting the price to advance, because
the rest will put In less than usual 2
Raising "Home Supplies" is the
farmers savings bank. We raise an
extra hog, sheep, COW or horse and
hardly miss the feed and labor, yet
we would have to "hustle" around to
get the money to buy one outright.
If we produce less cotton, said a
neighbor to me, it will work hardship on
the poor, causing the goods manufac-
tured therefrom to be higher. "Charity
begins at home"
Besides, this is not the worlds ex-
perience. More would be planted
elsewhere other countries. | saw
some fine staple at the Centennial and
at Atlanta at the Exposition, and
other countries will produce the low
grades In abundance.
The average production in North
Carolina is less than one-fourth of q
bale to the acre-less than SO per
acre-and after all the labor has been
accounted for it will pay better to
raise black-eye peas, infinitely better
to raise calves or mules than cotton at
this rate.
Farmers ere discussing grasses now
very generally. Glover and timothy
are being discussed in all journals
South Viii you all please remember
that the "Old Fogy" tells you that
all a0iH not succeed that soon. / have