The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-11-28
Some Questions and Answers, as 10 the
Farmers Wood Trust

OO~
Wood-buyer-Win YOU tell us all
you know about the wood trust"
recently formed by the Farmers
Alliance
Farmer-Cheerfully provided you
will first tell us all you know about it,
Wood-buyer-Well, the truth is
don't know anything about it. l
! am not an Alliance man, and there
fore cannot speak lively up
on the subject.
Farmer-Have you no basis what
ever for your questioning?
Wood buyer-Well,y yes have this
much-no more. The Twin-City Daily
| God bless the little sheet not long
since published the following item of
news, viz: Z" A Daily reporter on his
f! rounds to-day learned that the Gar
mer's Alliance" in Forsyth have rafs-
ed the price of wood to $500 pr
cord and have agreed not to sell a
cord, or a stick for a cent less. This
action on the part of the Alliance has
led several citizens to commence de-
wishing a plan to have their wood
shipped here on the railroad from
some point up the country.
Farmer-NO doubt the little Daily
felt bigger than usual when it found
| out that it had by it's lone self, and
| first of all startled the business world
by firing into it this bombshell of
intelligence. That Daily reporter
ought to be promoted at once-let
him be made, as early as possible,
''chief of the IWin-City Daily report
orial staff"
Woou-buyer-But is it not true as
reported call the same?
Farmer-No. it is not true call the
same'-the Daily reporter to the con-
trary, Notwithstanding. The For
syth County Alliance has never men,
toned the wood question in all its
deliberations Individual Alliance
men, or individual sub-Alliances may
have mentioned the matter, or posi-
bly, determined for themselves to
raise the price of wood, but the For
| syth Alliance has done no such thing.
Wood-buyer-Well, do you think it
likely the Forsyth Alliance will ever
| think of doing such a wicked thing?
| Farmer-Not soon, l think, for the
reason that the Alliance is exceeding
| ly slow to learn business methods,
notwithstanding the many bright
and shining examples just under
their noses all the time. 1t will in
deel be surprising if farmers, dull
and stupid though they be thought
to be- fail entirely to learn some
thing from the mercantile, medical.
bar, dental, tobacco and other ALI
ances in daily operation in their
| midst.
! Wood-buyer-The Farmers ALI
ance having distinguished itself the
world over in battling against trusts
| certainly ought never itself to form a
| trust.
Farmer-True enough, but you know
a farmer is but a man, and there is q
vast deal of human nature i'll man
Ia farmer is initiative, and going tC
town on his wOodwagon frequently
as a matter of course he "catches on
to town methods. No doubt it seems
outrageous to you to raise the price
and it would be an outrage, if $3.50
per cord is a just and fair reward fol
the labor performed. Did you ever
chop a cord of wood?
Woodbury. mo, and by the eter
nal, l never intend to, if l can help it
l am professionally counter-hopper
handle the yardstick and sugar
scoop and make my living by "cent
per cent"
Farmer think it very likely a few
trial trips to the woods cutting core
wood, would open your eyes some
what on the price of cord of wood
When some of your enterprising citi
zens "have devised their plan to have
their wood shipped by railroad from
up the country" l rather think thu
wOod-buyers will learn a thing o.
two. Enterprising citizens who built
acknowledgements citizens who
get up construction companies ant
do many mighty works for the gen
sral welfare, never fail to apply bust
ness methods even to a woodward
supplied by rail from up the country
Wood buyer-Possibly l may dc
the farmer injustice by complainin,
as do, but do not see how he cal
be justified in raising the price to So
Farmer-Well, let us come down t.
the facts-facts are stubborn things
you know, and you will not do we
to kick against them. When fal
mer shoulders his axe and maui an
pockets his wedge, walks into tn
woods, cuts, splits and puts up a cor
of wood, what is fair and just re
ward for the labor done? 1t is hare
physical labor, and it is skille
mechanical labor. and he furnishe
his own grub. He bitches up hi
. team, loads his wagon, handling e,
cry stick of the cord, hauls it, sa
3 eight miles, and unlOads it unhant
, ling every stick, and charges yo
l $3.50. Let us now itemize, and Sc
where the injustice comes in: Har
physical labor 1 day, Soc; skille
mechanical labor day., 25c
board for himself I day., 25c.; tw
two horses and wagon / day., 800
!. This is certainly not an immoderat
t charge, compared especially with I'll
). charges of other mechanics. I'll
t work of a tooth-plugger and pulle
: (stXled by sort of Damphool cou
tesy dental surgeon is purely mecl
h anical, requiring no more talent {
I skill than splitting cord wOrd-not
bit-and yet when he charges farm
er $50 for few hours work upo
. his teeth, it's alright, and nobod
= thinks of grumbling at the charge
the professional plugger. The farm
er charges you for hard work an
9 skill only $500 and makes you
t present of the cord of wood, and yo
;. hold up your hands in holy horror {
raising the price of wood to $50
d per cord.
= Wood-buyer-It seems then fro
the figures that $3.50 per cord
n Ill