The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-03-13
A LlI"lAE TiNH NEE.
A STRONG LETTER FROM ANEX-
PERIENCED FARiER.


Racts aud FiGures TO ahsw How tho ALI.
ence May s"ccossfuily Meet tho Issues
Ebefore IL.
The following letter will be read
with interest:
Mr.. Il. A. Meares, Secretary of the
Farmers Alliance, Ridgsway, 8. c.
Dear Sir: Your letter to hand. Re-
plying I will say that the true policy
OF our Alliance is to borrow money.
With the cash in hand, or in bank
rather, all things are perfectly plain.
The farmer knows what he is doing,
and the party with whom he trades
also understand the status of affairs
and will otfor much better tern 8.
Compare this plan with the old way.
We will suppose that reasonable cs-
t'nate for tho necessities of any par
hcllar Alliance has been made, that
the members have, after deliberation
and consultation with each othsr.
agreed upon the minimum amounts
requisite to carry them through the
season. These individual items nc-
gregated, we will say mroupt to
5000.
Now let lis compare 5000 in cash
as against $4,000 in the old way. The
interest on $4,000 from, say, the 1st
OF March to the 18th of November. at
10 per cent, would be in round nnm
bers 1895. But it is practicable to ar
range for the payment of at leas, 4
cent. interest on the money ivit o IDLE,
or on deposit, for it is of course con
templated that there will be only
monthly drawings, consequently the
interest account would be greatly re-
duced, and, in fact, not ratio higher
than per cent. theoreCiCcl!y.
think 1t perhaps not unreasonable to
say that in the past or by the old plan
the interest charged on erchundiso
was ao per cent; on $4,000 in gooda,
SleaS SioIe, Ine interest account would
be $500. The plan now proposed is
20 nave our own agents and cxchan ,es,
thereby purchasing cheaper and lis
pensing with middlcmen as far IA nrac-
tlcable to enable our people TO secure
supplies at greatly reduced prices
Ihls palnihaseverything to recommend
IL TO those who are able TO take care
OF themselves and furnish the cash,
out unfortunately many Of our De,t
people handle no spare money, and
altno"gh they are members ot the
order are practically outsiders ~ f;u
as relates to substantial ADVANTAGES
In 1nct they are worse than outsiders,
for they are called upon to pay teas
and dues as well as tax thomyejvos
with cotton bagging, etc, otc., rcaljv
Tor the benefit Of his more tortunnic
brethren. Now, sir, we 1--we in = urac.
tlcal, natcrslistic and utilitarian ,ve.
fancy theories and grand air castles
De they never so artistically built, will
not satisfy the wants ola hungry Deo-
pie nor furnish abodes for those who
are ever without change to be driven
from subs1antial homes and made ten.
ants upon the lands OF their father.
but,repiits one Of our public speai;ers,
the merchants Will be glad TO havo the
trade Of any of the Alliances, and 10
secure 1t vii DC willing to furnish all
"llhe. ooIn those who can give bpmb-
PROOF papers and those whJ can xi yc
ss'mpiy mems upon their: crop, and il l.,
,ni n@I" fhnh "a" :he mon, LoIs nro cuurI
rcclPients Of the benefits of tue
schome. Ihls theory is very tnc, hut
What ale the facts? The merchants
themselves, so far from being anxiors
lor this trade, actually decline the
proposition and Insist uDon pnDcrs
unon which they c.n borrow the men
eey wh"rsWith to run the business. and
intend no criticism upon the mar
chaIt, TOR, in my opinion, it would ',a
very poor business man who would
use MS own capital where tho risks
we're 30 great and the margins so
small. ''
put tn" difficulty is not only in the
refusal OF the merchants, for most Of
tne Alliances submitting propositions
LOT supplies have made exceptions O
many OF those who were able TO yet
aiong without assistance, upon the plea
that they had already arranged for
cne year. This was equivalent to say
ing, We wish you to furnish the q ,ubt. |
1ul portion of our Alliance, but those
OF us VINO can be made to pay propose
10 trade where we please. 1t is readily
10 pe seen that there is nothing, abso- |
iuIely nothing, in this grand theory
upon whlch all the organizers of ALI |
ances u"elt 30 eloquently in the begin |
nlhe, claiming 1t, in fact, as the very
keystone of this grand arch about 70
be erected.
~ NNN''o AAoh AStbCLcU UWO COnCl!- |
sions:
First, that the plan of selecting
agents, establishing warehouses. OK
changes, etc, ETC., all based unon a
cash idea, Is Il most admirable arrange
ment for the moneyed men, but ot)2rs
no Immediate advantage to the in.
pecunious. III were attacking the
Alliance idea would say it wns y tino
scheme ITO make the rich r,rh.r and
the poor poorer" Our second conclu.
sion demonstrates fully tho utter follv
OF offering our trade upon the conso,
lidation idea, /. g., haY:ng merchants
compete for our whole trade. select.
ing that one who offered the lowest
per cent. on cash price AS l said be-
fore. the farmers themselves have
wisely abandoned this plau. l saw
wisely, because any one who proposes
TO effect loans, either in mouey or |
supplies, at rate of not less rnan Is
per sent to be met by earnings from |
business-like farming which does
not pay one-fourth of tho amount
acts toolishly in his individual capacity'
and Injuries his neighbor who is en-.
couraged to do likewise. Now Ia, us