The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-03
SHALL THE STATE HELP?-THE
STATE CAN HELP AND
SHOULD

1t was suggested in my article under
the above heading which you did me
the courtesy to re-publish in your pa
per, that the agricultural classes of the
country would get no relief from the
present Compress, and that the bill pro
viding for the free coinage Of silver
would not be passed.
Whatever doubt there might have
been as to this has now disappeared
since Mr.. Cleveland has come out in
such strong opposition to the scheme.
When this present Legislature adj
jOurns it will be two years before its
Successor cOnvenes; and if it is to do
any thing in this matter it must be
done without delay.
Col. Whitfield has introduced a bill.
modelled after the plan 50 successfully
devised and put in operation in North
Carolina 1913 years ago, and l see by
the papers his bill has been referred to
the Finance Committee of the House,
which committee has not as yet made
it's report, but is thought to be opposed
to the scheme.
AS the matter is a very important
one, requiring the greatest cOnsidera-
ton, would it not be well to appoint a
special joint committee to consider the
matter? There is yet time for this
Legislature to take appropriate action,
and q joint committee would be en-
abled to give the matter more consid-
Grafton and investigation than the
regular standing committee on finance,
that has it's hands full with the regular
financial legislation of the State. If
this scheme were an untried one, it
might be put aside without much
thought; but it has been tried in North
(No-,O1S-~D 81 NTl.4I> IN0,l1I~@ C141l-
was so successful she was followed by
Pennsylvania and South Carolina and
a similar scheme recommended by the
Governor of Massachusetts, and New
Jersey for those respective colonies.
This joint committee would doubtless
suggest amendments to the bill intro
duced by Col. Whitfield, such as pro
viding for a sinking fund to meet the
bonds of the State as they fall due,
and other matters of mere detail could
be left to the State Treasurer, who
should have the general direction Of
the plan.
In such a communication as this it
will not be expected for one to go into
much detail, or to answer objections
that arise / II considering such a radical
departure in our sober conservative
State financial policy. But | will ask
your indulgence tOnotice one objection.
1t will be a this plan for the State to
aid the farmers SavOrS of paternalism,
and will induce many men to go into
debt unnecessarily from the facility of
borrowing money the plan would give
them.
Is it not time for the farmers to
have a little of the paternaI care of the
government? What constitutes the
State? How small in comparison with
the agricultural interests are all the
other interests; and do not all other in
terests depend upon the agricultural,
and as the agricultural interests pros
per so do the others and vice UersH.
But is this paternaliSm? Is it not
rather patriotism? God made the
lands, whereas man builded the cities.
The n is a gracious gift from a ben
eficent Creator. Man cannot enlarge
it's domain or contract it. A city may
be here to-day and tomorrow buried
out OF sight. The land was made for
man to cultivate. Everything should
be done to encourage our farmers and
our farmers sons to remain upon their
farms and improve them. 1t should
be made easy for him to get the
mean to improve his condition IN life,
rather than to single him out as a class
especially legislated against and con
demned TO lead a life of hopeless in
feriority and drudgery. AS my object
in writing this letter is simply to call
vOUr~ attention to the subject matter.
and not to make an argument in favor
of the scheme. l will close with this
prediction. Estimating the value of
the productive farms in North Caro-
lima at one hundred millions of dollars
the passage of such a law will, before
the meeting Of the next Legislature,
add one hundred million of dollars
more of value to them. A law that
will produce such a result is worth
considering, and it behOoves our people
to make the experiment.
VIM. H. S. BURGWYN.
Feb. II, 1891.