The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-01-02

good, and for the material adVdIf
of the interests of farmers, farm 5|
ers. and mechanics. The past sS
has surrounded us with conditions that
REQUIRE the eXercice of our best Judg-
ment and prudence. Although our et-
forts to improve our business melhouS
were successful, and our expenses were
thereby decreased ut least 20 ptr cent,
vet the failure of crops has ST. dinllnlSh-
ell the income of the farm, that the ar-
erage condition OF farmers Is no letter
than it was at the beginning Of the year.
The heavier the burden imposed Oh us,
the greater the necessity FOR our organ
iZation. Our frequent meetings )ur-
niSh opportunities for interchange OF
thought, and comparison i'll detail OF
different methods of farm work. CO.
operative methods Of buying anu Sell
my lessen cost of supplies, and mcr"ase
the returns OF sales of farm products.
Credit is essential in our Impoverished
condition, and its cost depends on
promDt pavments, therefore | would
impress ON our members the impor-
tance of ecunomy-thaC their creulC
may be kept g0od-and the exercise OF
industry and thrift-that they may the
sooner be enabled t. adopt the cash
System-the only safe system Tor lar
merS.
THE STATE EXCHANGE.
Since our last quarterly meeting we
have organized au ,EXchang~,r ~, %h'eh 10
located, Ut 0revnVllle, ,. y. Inc pHSl-
ness agent oil this exchange, Hon. NJ: l..
Donaldson, OF Greenville, ). g., Will fur
niSh us with prices OF farm supplies In
Guiding fertilizers, wagons, machinery,
&c, and make cash purchases OF any
commodities ordered by the Alliance, Oh
terms which will be furnished on re-
quest. An erroneous impression has
been maGe, that the ENchangciS antago-
nistic to the local merchant. ThlSls net
true. The agent Of the Exchange Will
pursue business methods, and buy
where,ke e7esfn buy cheapest and sell
(Such prod2ctS aS may be consigned to
liHi) at the best price he can obtain.
Theloca merchants (aS loug as they OF
Ter Inducements will retain the trade
and pa r6nage OF the Farmers Alliance.
AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION.
While, it is one of the objects of our
order to increase the products OF the
soil. and to decrease the cost Of produc-
ton, yet more Importance attaches 10
this method of relief from financial em-
harrassments than its merits deserve.
The cereal crop Of the u. $. 1861 "ag-
gregated about billion and quarter
bushels, and brought about million
and quarter dollars In 1885 1t ag-
greyateu over three billion bushels and
brought about one billion ard quar-
ter dCIlars-or less than half as much
per busheI as the crop of 1851. If the pro-
Itrcc rccfit, ott,, g g ssesteQ was doubled it would
add nothing to the aggyegaCe value 81
the crop. Therefore " hile we w0uld. en-
courage increased production at mini
mum cost, aud cooperation methods ot
business, yet the evils which Cypress
the agricultural classes, and cause a
depression of that industry arise chief
ly from special and Unjust privileges
enjoyed by other classes. The banking
institutions and rail road corporations
are all managed in the interest of capi-
tai to the detriment OF the farmers and
mechanics, the producers of wealth.
FINANCE.
On this subject l can find nothing
more forcible than what has been so
well said by the President of the Ma
tional Alliance in his recent address tie
livered at st. Louis; to wit: "The
nc. .OpoiiZation of finance has been,
and now is, the fountain from which
all monopIies, rings, trusts and oppres-
Sive organizations draw their support,
strength and power.
Money in shrinking and insufficient
volume remits labor to idleness, re-
duces the price Of products. plants
mortgages on the homes of our people,
baniirupts those who are forced to Dor.
row, paralizes our industries and pro-
duces had times and great privation
among the masses. 1t is impossible to
have an equitable adjustment OF capi-
tai and labor so long as money is con-
tracted below that which is adequate to
the demands of commerce; hence ii we
would correct the abuses and powers
that are now prostrating and enSlaving
our industries; lift the mortgages from
the homes of our people; restore peace
and prosperity to our parallZcd and al
.most ruined agricultural and laborlng
people: We must have circulating me-
dunn in sufficient volume to admit OF
transacting our business upon 4 cash
basis.
II would recommend that you de-
mand at the hands of the law making
functions of our nation monetary
system that shall conform to the inter
est Of the producing classes as well as
the speculator and usurer."
LAND.
1t is said that fifty per cent. Of far
mSrs' sons are tenants, while large
proportion Cf our homes are hopeleSSly
mortgaged." During the greatest pros
peritY OF Rome So per cent. 'of her popu-
fation owned land, but when Rome and
civilization died. loss than per cent
of her people owned the land and about
1909 men controlled the wealth OF the
world"
The hope Of our civilization depends
OH diffusion of wealth and the owner
ship of land by the tillerS of the soil.
1t mas been well said by the President
of the National Alliance, Give the peo'
ple.homcs: theirs to improve, theirs,to cul
liv:lte, theirs to beaatify and theirs tC
enjoy, and our grand repubic will stand
at the acme of modern civilization and
national greatness.
PoLlTlcs.
"Thie our order, as an order, is nor