The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-02-07
THE ALLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
N. G. LITTLEJOHN, Ep,roR.
nj. Is. KELLY,
W. II. MILLER. ASSISTANT hDiro"s'
PRODIGALITY.

Mr.. EDITOR AND BRoTu IR-Much has
been said about buying cheap goods and
many Of our members seem to think chesp
goods the panaces for oil our financial en-
barrassmepts. But it will take something
besides cheap goods to elevate the farmer to
. that state of financial independence aimed
at by our organization.
How not to buy goods is equally, yes, more
important than cheap goods. Oar imdgi-
. nary necessities make up the greater part
of our wants, and l am often reminded
of the oil but true provcrb, tha. "any
fool can make money, but it takes q wise
man to know how to keep it,
Some one ha, said that "chcap goods
means; and for many Alliance men this
is only too true.
Stop, brother farmer rs you aul are
wishing to better our condition financially,
to educate, refine and elevate cur children,
socially to make farming more attractive
and country life less lonely" let us exam
inc our last years accounts, and see if we
can't find many things that we could have
done without. Many Of Tie unnecessary
articles you purchased may have COS. hut
ittle-only a few cents-yet, if you take
your pencil and cross every one you bought
that was not particularly needed, and
could have let alone, you will be surprised
BY adding up their sum total. Look at q
large per cent. of your last years purchases
that were not an absolute necessity.
And why was this useless expenditure of
money! Why didy buy them? Simply
because, in many cases, they were SO cheap.
My brother, anything bought that could
have been as we'll let alone, is dcar, no mat
ter how cheap. And | tell you plainly,
before We accomplish our mission as body,
Wlwil have to learn TO buy less as well as
cheap.
Now, brother farmer, can't you cut down
your account at least ten per cent this year
l am ready to assert that the majority of
US n, and never will feel the difference
80 gfeat as like when we go to settle up.
Have you got nearly enough cash TO run
you this year See if you can't make it
wholly enough. Try to do what the Bible
Ntells you "Owe no man anything, but pro-
i vide things honest in the sight Of all men,"
Now, let us look to the farm and see if
we have not been prodigal of the means
that might have made our farms more pro-
ductive and remuEeratiYe. Do we ccono-
mize our time Do We perceive that our
time has a real cash value? Do we pro Get
our farms with ditchcs, breakers end terra
ces, from the destructive rains that some.
times fall and wash the soil from the farms
of the improvidcnt, leaving Only gullics
worn in the clay? Now, how much have
You lost by neglecting these things?
- Do you know that it is sail that the value
of the fertilizers allowed to go TO waste on
the farms of the South far exceed tho worth
my brother, Of letting that much go to
Vow, my brother farmer, at the begin
ming of another year, let us do on lcss,
coming down 10 har1 fare if needs be, doing
more ourselves, AMI dcpen ling less Oh
ethers. And with generous earth beneath
us, AMI kind Heaven above Us, ii we arc
only true men, success and happiness is
aesurcdly ours. JC.O.