The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-06-10
HOW MUCH LONGER?

NIX. HDITOR:-1OW long muSL Inc
farmer be trodden down by the iron
heel of oppression How long must
be bear unreasonable burdens, labors,
suferings and sacrifices for the ad-
vancement of the pets of class legis
lation ? How long must he lie strug-
Cling in the pond of existence, strug
Cling vainly, with the milestone Of debt
hanging about his neck and the mort
gage shark ynAwing at his very vitals?
Is there a single ray of hope for the
down trodden son of toll Can he
look out into the future and see a
break in the cloud that has hung so
heavily and so long over his pathway?
is there dawn approaching to his
night of blasted hopes
We think we can see faint glimmer-
ings-the grey dawn of brighter
day.
Farmers now realize their condition,
forlorn, almost, though it be, aud re-
lying on the truth of the maxim that
in union there is strength, they now
come forward in their allied power
and demand recognition-demand re
lief, demand some honest legislation
in their behalf demand some honest
means by which they can free them
selves from the ponderous weight of
debt and extricate themselves from
the jaws Of the mighty mortgage shark.
For more than two decades the
farmer has been lulled to sleep by the
siren song of the politician; has
listened patiently to his promises,
easily made but soon forgotten. He
has been led, as though by an agnis
fatuce further and further into the
maze of despair. And now his hands
are horny -callous from the ceaseless
toll Of years, piling up millions on
millions of wealth for privileged
classes; his eyes are dim, made dim
by looking for years on the honest
fruits of his toll snatched from him
by the relentless hand of money
sharks; his cheeks are bronzed and
furrowed by the perplexing cares Of
life; his shoulders are stopped not by
the hand of time, but by lifting pets
of legislation from indigence to afflu
ence. Let there be "equal rights to
all and special privileges to none"
Be careful, you politicians and
legislators, how you trife with. the in
terests of the farmer. He is lamb
till aroused, and then he is lion.
The organized strength of the
| Farmers Alliance is a factor in Amer
lean politics that can no longer be
ignored, nor its de nands passed over
uunoticed with inpunitY by those
seeking political preferment at the
hands of the American people. Be
fore the days of the Alliance the
farmers power was lat mt and his in
terests hardly received a passing
thought from legislators; but, thanks
to the benefcent influence Of Jrganiza-
tion, his power is no longer latent but
active, and his interests demand coDsid
Grafton and must have consid Grafton.
Before the days Of the Alliance the
farmer was the passive slave Of more
favored classes. He was blIndly group
ing his weary way along the rugged
road of life through the dark night of
hopeles sness, and at every turn in his
rough course soulless corporations,
combines, pools, trusts and specula
tors were Systematically placed, and
like Mexican vampires were continu-
ally Lighting on him and drawing the
life-tide from his veins
This state of affairs exists in a
great measure today. But since the
Alliance, that mammoth organization,
sprung into existence almost 0y magic,
the eyes Of the farmer have been
opened; his path lighted up.
The Alliance is the hope Of the
farmer, his light his strength-a her
culean power which must clean the
Augean stables and rescue the farmer
from that organized band Of highway
robbers, trusts, &c B. n.
If you wish to breed off horns, in