The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1890-04-04
Grand Junction, Tenn.


Grand Junction, Tenn.
EDITORS BULLETIN:-l have fol
some time purpOsel to write YOU
relative to the ideas advanced by
some of the prominent members OF
the Alliance or Laborers' Union. ]
Indorse the idea that fla rmers should
organize, but / have not been able
to indorse many of the theories ad.
yanced by the present organization
hence l have not joined it. Many
of the ideas appear 10 me to be CHI
merical and impractical, and some
of them communistic. | really de,
sire to unite with a farmers union
but compatibility is also desired.
think the southern farmers made q
serious mistake when they united
with the northern farmers, for the
northern farmers are the most in
tense seciionalists of this Union OF
States. They are willing to punish
themselves in order to punish the
south. Nearly al the large cities
of the north are democratic, bat are
overcome by the rural districts in
state and national elections. Will
any intelligent farmer say that the
republican party Is the farmers par
ty? Let the northern farmers show
their work. Let them break loose
from the republican party as an ear
nest of their fidelity to the farmers
welfare. Until they do this it would
be political suicide for the farmers
of the south 10 form a political or.
ganization. The white farmers Of
the south number less than the ne
groes, AMI the negroes az a rule
will continue TO vote the republican
ticket.
| am opposed TO all class legisla-
ton, hence to be consistent and hon.
est, | am opposed to any Legislation
tor the special benefit of the farmer.
[ am net like the lawyer, whose OK
was gored, viz, if it is to my inter-
est it is al! right, but if 1t is. to the
interest of some other, then It's all
wrong. am opposed to the gov
ernment becoming guardian of any
industry as though it was baby.
Herce l am opposed to government
warehouses to store cotton, upon
which fifty per cent. or more of its
value is to be advanced by the
government. 1t is not only wrong
in principe but impractical. The
government would have to borrow
the money. There are not quite
fifty millions surplus now, and in
another year there will be no surplus.
Fifty per cent. of the value of the
last cotton crop would be 150 MIL
Ion dollars, three times the surplus.
But this would be the beginning of
strife. For there are the wool
growers, the tobacco growers, the
wheat growers, etc., to be provided
for. 1t every member or congress
from the south should unite their eff
forts to pass such a bill they could
not do so, and it would place their
northern friends in an embarrassing
position. have seen 1t stated that
candidates for congress had to COM
nit themselves to such a policy. l
hope better council will prevail. A
demagogue is contemplate yet
there are a good many who are
afraid to speak less they should De
boycotted. My highest aspiration
is to be right. and to aid in having
the right prevail. | will not join the
multitude to do what | conceive to
be wrong.
am never heard denouncIng
capitalists, for would like TO be one
myself, and every man who is striY-
ing to make money has his heart set
on being one. There are but few
men who are satisfied with simple
food and raiment. The capitalist
is the life of the nation. Capital IL
the stimulus of labor. Without large
capital there could be no large en-
terprise. Every town is inviting
capital to come and give labor to its
people. The capital invested in rail-
roads and other enterprises has in
creased the price of labor fourfold.
[ heard Mr.. +. L. Pledge say to-
day that as a carpenter, he hal
worked for fifty cents day and
board, when now he gets about four
dollars q day and board. Yet he
and many others appear foolish
enough TO kill the goose that laid the
golden egg. 1t IS not very magnan-
imous for a man to condemn IN 9TH
ers what he is striving to do himself
physician heal myself. The far
mers of the south should lndorse the
pruverb, "the people support the
government, not the government
support the people"
| am a farmer on "A small scale. In
conjunction with my fruit growing
plant a small crop Of cotton and
corn. In the year 1888 my land
rent and cotton seed meal cost me
six dollars per acre, hired the hoe
ing end picking, and cleared twen-
ty dollars per acre, after paying
expenses. In 1889 / cleared seven
teen dollars per acre. This was on
rented land, and on only ordinary