The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-12-03
A LINE FROM DUPLIN.
GOSHEN ALLIANCE, No, 40e,

NOV. 70, 1853.
Mr.. EDIToR:-The October number
of the Agricultural Bulletin is before
me l verify believe it is the best
issue of the past year, and | believe it
is the only one that has bad or made
any mention of the Farmers Ali
ance. | have sometimes asked my.
self the question, "Does Commis .ioner
Robinson know there is a Farmers
Alliance in North Carolina?" Among
the good articles in this issue, is one
on page 3, headed "Scarcity Of Honey
The Causes and the Remedy |
heartily agree with the writer in every
fact and assertion which he sets forth,
and surely the article is brimfuII of
truth, reason and wise counsel, and |
would exhort all brother farmers to
diligently ponder the facts and state
ments contained in the article re-
ferred to. But there are two or three
things in this article which | wish to
examine and comment upon just lit
tie. The writer says: "The country
people have no money, neither have
the town folk" Then he seems to
drop the toa0n folks and says: "But
is it to be wondered at when we take
into consideration the fact that our
people buy nearly all they eat or wear
or use on the farm or in the house. !"
Yes, farmers and their wives,
daughters and sons are little like
other people; they have to buy little
salt; they like to have little sugar
and coffee, our wives 1--WE think) need
some cooking utensils The farmer
has to buy some implements to farm
with, such as plows, hoes, carts,
wagons, harness, etc. Again, we think
our wives and daughter ought to be
furnished with a scant supply, at least,
of dressing Now there are but few
farmers that can make these things,
consequently we have to buy them,
and just as the farmer gets his hard
earned products ready for market, the
money kings lay their covetous hands
upon their groaning Golfers and say:
g Sirs, we care not what your expenses
have been, it is none of our business
whether your products have cost you
little or much, but it is our intention
to use all the schemes and means in
our power to press down the price of
your products to the lowest possible
cent" Now, this is one of the secrets
Of the scarcity Of money among the
farmers.
Further on, in the same article, the
writer says: GA gentleman from
Montgomery county informs us that
he sold at little crossroads store
5000 pounds of white western meat
in one month" Further on he says:
"In the matter of corn it is quite as
bad. Messrs. Boyden & Quinn have
baught and sold 10000 bushels of
western corn in less thar a year"
Did the writer inquire of those mer-
chants what prices they paid for that
corn and meat, aid what prices they
sold that corn and meat to the farmer
at 2 Whether he did or not l will
proceed to give my observation and
experience concerning such transac-
tions
know merchants in a certain town
in North Carolina that bought some
Of that same western meat at 81 to u
cents per h. and sold it to the mer-
chants at 9 to l24 cents per ID. Again,
these same merchants bought western
corn at go to 674 cents per bushel and
sold it at ST. to $1.20 per bushel.
Now, when the farmer carries his corn
to market in the fall, or at harvest, he
is offered 40 to 60 cents per bushel.
When he brings his pork he is offered
5 to cents per pound for it. Here
then can be plainly seen another
secret or cause of the scarcity of
money among the farmers. l will
freely admit that the farmer has been
led astray Through divers tempta-
tlons +" and has sadly neglected to
strive as he should to supply himself
at home with all the necessities of life
and to live within his means. Yet be
our endeavors ever so strong, constant
and untiring, how can we hope to
succeed while there is such odds in
exchange OF articles in favor of the
former to the injury of the farmer?
In conclusion the writer saws:
" Neither the Grange. the Alliance.
the Wheel nor any other organization
can rely the farmer, etc., till q ceases
to raise cotton and tobacco to buy
bread and meat. The writer of that