The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-03-05
FARMERS AND FERTILIZERS.

NHE farmers OF the South spenQ
millions and millions of dollars
annually for commercial fertilizers.
I'm our own State the impression is
growing that the extent to which we
have relied on these fertilizers is un-
wise and Improbable. Hence the
readiness of the farmers to dispense
with their use at an advanced price.
We have received from this and other
States expressions from thousands of
farmers that they will not use them at
the present advanced rates, for the
reason. stated, and for the additional
reason that they suspect that this ad-
vance in price has been manipulated
through trusts and combinations.
These are good and valid reasons, but
we should do no one injustice. Our
people, as a rule, are honorable, fair
minded and just. They would will
Engly do injustice to no one. They.
would extend that measure of fairness
to others which they claim for them
selves. AS we understand their posi-
ton it is not a war on the local deal
ers, for the farmers know that these
dealers Ire helpers as against trusts.
III they buy bacon this week of their
merchant at eight cents per pound
<ana Mr.. Armour and his three CO.
~conspirators in Chicago conclude to
advance the price and force the mer-
chant to sell it it at twelve cents per
pound next week, the farmers know.
that the merchant is as helpless as.
they are, and do not and can not
blame him. We all remember how a
huge robbery was perpetuated on the
people. of this country two years ago
when the price of coffee jumped up in
cone day from II to 81 cents per
pound. The people attached no blame
to- the merchant for it. So with man
ufacturers of fertilizers who must buy
their chief and most important ingre-
dents from foreign dealers and mar
kets. If the prices of these ingredi-
.ents. r advanced through foreign
trusts, our manufacturers are helpless,
and when this is demonstrated our
farmers do not and will not blame
them But the fact that they are
robbed still remains, and they
are resisting it manfully, and they;
ought to do it. And if by refusing:
to be made the victims of a conspiracy
for robbing them, our home dealers
and manufacturers are made the suf-
ferens,, tits their misfortune and not
the farmers fault. We say again, as
we understand it our farmers In this
State and throughout the South are
not warning upon our local dealers
and manufacturers, but they are re
SUsing to pay what they regard as, ex-
horbitant prices without troubling
themselves as to who r responsible;
They have deliberately resolved that
they will resist to the extent of their
powers, the system and methods of
monopoly for fleeing them of their
hard earnings. Desiring to give It's
readers all the light possible on this
important matter, The PROGRESSIVE
FARMER quotes from the bulletin of
DIR. Battle u State chemist on this
point:
'The ingredients for manufacturing
sf6ertilizers are all higher than the cor
responding period of last year. Not
&only has there been a material ad-
vancement in these prices, but in
other materials and rates connected
with the fertilizer trade as well. Ma
serial for bags has advanced 35 and
40 cents per ton more than for last
year. Ocean freights have advanced
materially, causing the crude mate
rial, kainit, for example, to advance in
cost IN addition to the increase of price
OF that article. The freights, too,
ada to the cost of shipment of manu-
featured goods to our ports. The
~1ertlhzlng ingredients with but few