The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-04-08
AN IMPORTANT MOVE BY THE
. FARMING INTERESTS.

An interesting discussion has begun,
based upon the bill introduced by
Hon. z. B. Vance, of North Carolina,
in the United States Senate on the
oath of February. This bill provides
for the establishment of government
warehouses in every county in the
United States upon the petition of
one hundred or more citizens of that
county, providing they can prove that
the average gross amount Of cotton,
wheat, corn, oats and tobacco pro-
duced and sold in each Of the two pre-
ceding years in that county has ok
ceeded the value of $500, 900 at cur.
rent prices. This bill introduced "by
request" is supposed to have eman-
ated from the Farmers Alliance, an
organization of great numerical
strength in the South and West, that
is rapidly spreading in all the States
and Territories. This measure is
modelled upon the "Silver Bill"
which has been in operation several
years, and is the outgrowth of a forci,
bic letter, written by Col. Harry Skin
nor, of Greenville, N. c., (which was
published early last year in The Pro-
GREssIvE FARMER, a Raleigh agricul-
tural paper) who repeated his argu-
ment in more concise terms in Frank
LeslIe's illustrated Newspaper, over his
own signature last November. Col.
Skinner only asked, however, that this
system shouli apply to cotton, and he
gave as a re son for its adoption the
fact that vile the Southern States
held virtua y a monopoly of the pro-
duction Of that important staple, yet
its price in the markets of the world
was determined annually Qong before
the seasons crop was planted) by
European spectators and consumers.
AS the National Constitution positively
forbade the levying of duties on ex-
ports as protection was the National
policy, Col Skinner argued that the
only way in which cotton growers
could get the real value of their crops
was to have the government intervene,
and, through a warehouse system,
fix a reasonable price upon this great
staple of the South, and thus protect
the farmer as fully as it does the
manufacturer. What Col. Simmer
wished to secure was governmental
protection to the cotton planting in
equal to that given silver miners
and to whiskey distillers.
The Alliance has adopted Col. Skin
ner's plan, but claims similar protec.
ton for the producers of tobacco, corn
and wheat.
The Atlanta Constitution concisely
states the proportion by saying: "The
currency reform is the one upon
which they most strenuously insist,
and in it they seek by a bold stroke
to solve the money problem in a man
ner that will make farm products as
current as bullion. The scheme is
that the government issue, in
the crop season a currency based on
nonperishable farm products, advanc-
ing to the farmers 80 per cent. of their
value for twelve months. With
this vigorous measure they propose to
re-arrange the whole financial system
of the country, and in the tremendous
task they demand the aid of those
whose who ask their votes"
Putting it in other words, the farm.
ers wish to establish a flexible cur
rency that will relieve them from the
exactions of merchants and middle
men, and also give them a reasonable
chance to take advantage of any. ad.
vances in princes that may occur be-
tween harvest and harvest.
The Manufacturers Record ~reioices
that the discussion has been started, for
out of it can only come good results.
We shall follow its progress with great
interest, and make it the subject of
comment from time to time as circum-
stances may warrant.-BaHimaore Man
Record.
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