The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-02-25
AS TO JOINING THE ALLIANCE,

FORMING themselves 1AGo cN
and several of them have talked, to
u me about joining with and becoming
. one of them. I am indisposed to,do.
90 for the. simple reason that Lean see
no good in my doing SO. My farn1eof
a little over 200 acres, with the stock
I have on it, occupies all of my time.
I make q good living off It and am
ahead even on last years business
$500. Now what l want you to tell
me is, what good is there In my going
into this secret organization They
can't teach me how to farm for nov
that better than they can tell me. This
is not a matter of egotism on my part,
but of absolute fact as is proven by a
tcomparison of farms and of the sue
cess with which mine is handled as
compared with any member OF that
! body in this county. l don't wish
however to be singular, have heard all
they had to urge, and do not see it in
that light. Perhaps you al throw
some light on the question not deYel-
oped by them. Please try and oblige
your friend, JOHN MoDERMoTT.
REMARKs:-With the utmost pleas.
ure, Mr.. D., and with our usual
frankness. You are the very first
man that ought to hove responded to
the call Of the lecturer and the organ
izer. AS the Rural World views these
organizations, be their name what they
may, their nature and object is mutual
benefit, and one cannot confer a bene-
ft unless he has it to give, o will he
do so unless to one who needs it. If
then you are a better farmer than
they, it is because you know more and
therefore have knowledge to give; and
if you will only put yourself to a little
trouble and so lay out your plans, you
can convey that information, which
has cost you so much to obtain, in lit.
tie doses, and very gradually fill their
minds with it so that they may be
come better farmers and more success.
full. We will not say it is your duty
to do it because we realize it is that
and infinitely more, for there is no
pleasure half so pleasurable as in Civ.
ing that which is needed to the needy.
The Alliance and the Wheel, the
Grange and the Farmers Mutual
Benefit Association are all formed TOR
this very purpose and as such deserve.
the support of every farmer, and every
farmer ought for this very reason to
associate himself with one or more of
them. Very little is being done by
either of these organizations to teach
men how to farm better; the lecturer
too often dwells upon subjects illus,
trative of other benefits hoped forand
expected, such as the reduction of the
taxes, the buying of goods, necessaries
of lite, at lower than store prices, the
! reform-of the tariff, the free coinage
of. silver, the cheapening of money,
y free banking, etc., and these r all
good. But yOW al unite with the
Y Alliance just formed in your township
and tell them some things the lecturer
knows nothing about and thus become
a power for good in that little band
for which they and their children will
ever bless you.
Moreover, it must be evident to o
W that the farmers of America have not
gone into this associated effort so uni
versally, until they were absolutely
compelled to do so for mutual protec.
ton. All men nowadays are combined.
You cannot name a profession or a
business, from the clergymen on the
one hand, and the bankers on the
other, all the way down the list until
you get lower than the boot blacks,
and reach the tramp. All have their
combinations; and in each are great
and small, rich and poor, successful
and unsuccessful, talented and igno-
rant, those who have much and can
afford to bestow, and those who haze
little and need all they can get. AS.
sociated effort is the universal practice
of the day and it has become absolute
ly necessary for the farmers to follow
suit and join in the procession.
What good will it do you? Well,
you will act in harmony with them.
1t will bring you closer to your neigh
bors' hearts and hearths and make
you more neighborly, thus giving even
{ you, sturdy Scotsman as you are,
something more to live for and enjoy;
and it will teach you a great deal
which you a make available on even
your successful farm, for out of every
mans failure you will learn a lesson
and be able to teach others therefrom.
We do therefore most earnestly en-
treat you to unite with your neighbors,
join hands with them, help them by
your counsels and your presence, and
our word for it you will very soon
find n of the best friends you ever
met and the most practical means of
benedting your fellow farmers ever
suggested.
EIrI PEAS 111A11nE.