The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-08
THE RESOURCES OF WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.
What the Alliance is Doing.
PATTERSON, Caldwell Co., N. c.,

lent paper. It is interesting and use
full. the information and general news
is worth the price. The paper ought
to be we'll patronized by the members.
I am glad to report the Alliance
working smoothly in this mountain
country. Our number is still increas.
ing. As the farmers and laborers find
out it's aim, they come in and make
useful members in helping the good
cause. 1 don't know the number OF
members in this county, but think it
near five hundred. We are endeav-
oring to do the country good, so that
others who come after US may find
that we we're in the line of duty. Our
trouble is scarcity of money. In this
county, noted for its beautiful valleys,
its variety of timber and minerals, its
fine water and atmosphere, there is
(outside of the towns) not enough
money to pay the taxes. This state
of things might be attributed to
causes, such as providential calamities,
Incidence, poor soil, etc., but such is
not the case. Providence has blessed
us with fair crops and health. Our
people in the main are lawabiding and
industrious. Our soil with good til
lage makes a fair yield in corn, wheat,
grass, tobacco, etc., yet money Is very
scarce. The price of the products is
low, the wages Of the laborer is low,
making it hard on the producer and
the laborer. If this great stringency
in money continues, al little as the
merchant and manufacturer think of
it, they, too, will come to an empty
pocket. It is said of a certain large
fish when he swallowed up all the
small ones, he will then swallow one
by one of the large so that when he
gets full and fat there will be but
himself left. The merchants and
manufacturers are beginning to go
down without greasing, one by one
are going, and after awhile the old
fellow will swim around to Wall
street or some syndicate and belch US
up to go into the vault for safe keep
ing.
1 regard the circulation of the
currency a matter of vital impor-
lance second to no consideration in
the affairs of the government. We
are told by some of the papers and
speakers of the day that this stringency
is caused by overproduction. When
we look into this idea closely it will
not do entirely. We find stocks of
various kinds decreasing in value; we
find land in the West, South and East,
much of it good for farming, with
good equipments, declining in value,
in fact about all property that does
not pay better than money at a high
rate of interest is declining in value.
Now it is clear that all this falling off
in value, amounting to millions, is
not brought about by overproduction;
and while this is true, does it not
prove that the low price of products and
labor is not brought about altogether
by overproduction? 1t is said we
have more people to feed aud a less
number employed in making the food,
and still the cry is overproduction.
Well, the country is getting tired of
this argument, and now the sound is
heard from State to State, hard times,
coming from a people in trouble and
want. Most of the cities and large
towns are thriving while the country
and small towns, constituting perhaps
over half of the population and tax
payers of the government, r giving
the alarm of this financial wreck.
There is not a sufficient mount of
money to transact the business A
famine in money matters has spread
over the land; it has gone out from
State to State. The people cannot be
decOyed longer by the negro question
and other kindred subjects. High
tariff or low tariff, these are questions
In which the people are not so much
concerned. Give US a currency in
pro portion to our population and to do
our actual business. The negro will
be satisfied, the white man will be
cOntented. The party that will do
this is the party for the people. There
a be no danger in impairing the
credit of the government. Her faith
and honor is good as long as her cur
rency will bear even a low rate of
interest. Decrease the interest by in.
creasing the currency until the holder
of money will let it out freely at fair
rates to the masses. If that should
not suit them, the holders can invest
in properties and help in building up
the country and produce circulation,
giving life to all around. A high
rate of interest cannot be paid by the
masses. The prosperity of the nation
is being retarded by an insuficiency
of currency. The people cannot build
up the farming interest; many of our
mineral deposits must remain unde-
veloped, our manufacturing and tim
Der interest is paralyzed, all for the
want OF currency, or those holding
the money demanding a higher rate
of interest than the business or invest
mont MIGHT nav TOorooCo tho oy7r-