The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-15

the farmers continue to support a vast
army of mIddlemen and spectators,
who depend upon the farmers for their
bread but dictate the price, who
handle the farmers crops, telling him
what they will give for them, and
furnish him supplies at their own
prices, the farmers will continue to
experience hard times. Let them
organize, therefore, and have some
thing to say about what they shall
receive for their produce and pay for
their supplies; let them eliminate the
speculative element from the business
of the country, by running trade in
the interests of agriculture instead of
permitting the Spectator to run agri-
culture for the benefit of trade.
Many other objects to be accomplished
by organization might be suggested,
but the farmers are anxious to know
what kind of organization will best
promote their interests.
While not depreciating other or
CARNATIONS, we would respectfully
commend to the farmer readers read
ers of the Witness the National Farm
ers' Alliance and Industrial Union as
the best organization Of farmers in
this country. Organized in 1873, in
the State of Texas, to protect the
farmers against the operations of land
and cattle thieves, it has since extended
throughout the other States of the
South and West, and is now thor
oughly organized in about twenty-five
States, with a membership of 2,OOO,-
900, while calls for organization
come from all parts of the nation.
A full report of it's work cannot be
given here. T. A. Clayton, State
Business Agent, New Orleans, La,
reports having handled $3.50, 900
worth of goods for farmers from Jan
uary to November, 1889, by which
prices were cut from Is to 40 per
cent; the total cost of handlig a bale
of cotton by his agency was ninety
cents, covering drayage, storage,
weighing, sampling, labor, insurance
and commission. At the same time
the usual commission charged by the
commission merchants of that city
was from S. to $l.3O per bale.
S. P. A. Brubaker, State Business
Agent, Edinburg, Va, reports that a
plough which ordinarily sells for $l2
can be secured by members of the
Farmers Alliance for $3.50, and all
other farm machinery in proportion.
j. II. Turner, Of Georgia, National
Secretary, reports the farmers of that
State formerly buying on credit, now
buying for cash at wholesale rates
from the Alliance State Exchange,
and saving IS per cent.
Time and space would fail me to
speak Of farmers securing advances
for present necessities upon their
crops stored in Alliance warehouses,
and afterwards selling those crops for
at least twenty-five per cent. more
than the price at harvesting time; of
the cotton planters refusing to use
jute bagging when the price was
doubled upon them, and substituting
cotton bagging, which is in every way
better, thereby saving at home $4,-
600, 900 formerly sent abroad for jute;
of Alliance exchanges in nearly all
the Southern States, saving to the
farmers at least twenty-five per cent.
on the purchase of supplies, and gain
ing at least twenty-five per cent. on
the sale of crops; of alliance manufac.
tories turning out agricultural nipple.
ments of all kinds and of best quality
at from twenty-five to fifty per cent,
less than others; and of millions OF
dollars saved to the farmers as the
practical result of these things.
The Farmers Alliance offers the
best solution to the industrial prob,
lens of the age, and if the farmers of
the country will wait no longer for
some n else to ado something for
them, but will do it themselves through
the medium of the Alliance, we shall
soon enter upon an era of prosperity
never before realized in this country
IL. g. Conan, IN New York Wat
ness.