The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-02-26
WORK OF THE ALLIANCE.
HOW THE ORGANIZED 0 FARMERS
ARE PROGRESSING.

- 0ttnp-tHeeliH o'us cioa' 'S@'"0
S Staclihouse.
The Alliance poople il South Car
;. lima have now entered upon the secon
: year OF educational and co-operatiE
e effort on the several lines of Alliant
t work 1855 was devoted to the wor
Of organisation: iu 1889 the wals> :
orgaaization was continued, and
now-Sth Feb, 1S90-planted in ever
county in ;he State. The planting
uuder the direction OF your E1ecUtiv
Committee. has been done at the min
imun Of cost, ard this work vii
likely be very nearly completed befor
your second annual meeting in Jul.
next.
Our desperate condition, financially
rendered our organization possible
and to the betterment Of that condi
ton our greatest efforts have been pu
forth. Last year the efforts at co~op
erative trade was by SUB. ard County
| Alliances securing for themselves the
| best terms possible The results OBJ
taiped, while more or ess satisfactory
were very unequal, the saving effect
ed being estimated at from S to 33 pc,
cent. on last years purchases, de
pendent largely or mainly on the
financial condition Of the different
sections Of the State, the larger saving
being only possible un the credit sys-
TEN of purchasing; and attention is es-
pecialy invited to this as showing how
| ruinous has been that system, and as
ruinous morally as financially. Let us
not blame others solely because such
q condition Of things was ever posi-
bic, but let us like true men assume
our fall share O. the responsibility.
Reckless risks demanded ruinous
| profits, but We now see our folly in
consenting or submitting to such co.,
&itiors so long And now that we
have organized to correct this and 9th.
er abuses, We must be careful, very
careful about the character ofour mem
hers. We have taken in and must
! CO. tinue 10 take in members who are
financially bankrupt" if they have
good moral character This is
right. w h2aor our organizations by
the effort to lift them up--to improve
their tinancia! copdit;c,,-but We can
| not afford to carry them iithey should
even seem 20 be careless about their
firancia! obligations. Should they
fail 10 practice that strict economy, or
to exhibit that industry and constant
application to business SO necessary to
success, we must exDel them. To re-
| tain them would be wrong to all who
are batting fer the manhood and in
dependence of the farming and indus
trial classes.
The financial depression caused by:a
partial failure OF the crops last year
is trying ordeal to our young organ
zation in some sections Of Ae State,
which is a nntter of deep eoncern to
those more fortunate elsewhere, but
their activity and forwardness in pre-
pairing for another crop prove their
indomitable pluck. In some places
last year the crops were less that half
the average. In such places depres-
sion like Egyptian darkness must be
felt Just how such conditions are to
be met and overcome is a problem diff
cult dissolution, but it will best be done
by our people standing together uni
ted brotherhood The efforts at in
creased industry and a closer economv
lessen the danger from such crop fail
ures; but for the practice ofsuch econ
omy aud industry las! year. the de-
preston growing out Of the crop fail
ure would have been more extended
and trying than it now is. 10 proof of
this, it may safely be claimed that the
South Carolina farmers, taking the
average of the whole State, commence
the year 1890 in better financial condi-
ton than they did the year 1889;
| notwithstanding the short crop, the
shortness ofwhich more than offset the
higher prices at which it was sold. A
larger percentage of the supplies
bought for Alliance farmers in 1890
will be bought for cash than has been
so bought any previous year by these
same farmers. I should not deem it
necessary to remind these cash buy
ers that they now have State Busi-
| ness Exchange which they can use in
the purchase Of supplies and sale of
farm products, but for the fact that they
have been doing this very same bu.i-
ness through agents Of their local or
CARNATIONS so successfully before the
Exchange was established. Your bus
mess agent can be, must be, the larg-
est cash purchaser in the State, and
should be, and with your patronage
will be, abe to purchase more cheap
ly than any other. 1t is your agency
and will be what you make il.
But have possibly said as much as
I should now on the financial outlook.
The educational work OF the Alliance
is probably more advanced along the
financial line than any other. The
methods OF learning along this line are
eminently practical l intended to
| extend this letter to convey some
thoughts on political economy, and
our organs, State and National, but !
| ind it will make this article too long,
so | must defer any attsmptin il that Dir
rection at this time.
My recent visit to tho different sec.
lions ofthe State suggested the pro
prjety of what ! have writtea as vel
as what I propose writing in the neal
future, as may hsve opportunity.
gratefully acknowledge my indebted
ness for personal kindnesses while OF
this tour, and my unqualified admirs
tion for the devotion of our people t
| the principles of our order.
| +. r. STACKHOUSE.
Ennctuatory.