The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-07-21

and charity among the AIIancemen
and clearly depicted the happiness Of
the Eden they might have if this feel
ing prevailed.
After partaking of a dinner which
proved to the visitors that the good
ladies know how to cook and that the
men know how to provide, Mr.. J. B.
Smith, District Lecturer, was intro
duced. Mr.. Smith is not an orator, but
IS a common sense, practical man and
calls spade a spade. He spoke Of the
cheers that all over the Union were
being given on this Fourth of July for
the liberty Of Americans, but felt little
inclined to participate when he saw
his brethren bound by CALLING fetters of
slavery. He seemed to think that the
old bud of the free" must be sick.
He claimed the right Of ascendency
for intelligence and justice over intel
Iigence- and money. Said the farmers
pay 80 per cent. of the taxes while all
the others pay 20 per cent-then the
others get the 50 per cent. and the
farmers get less than 20. He denied
the charge that the farmers call for
paternalism; said he had letters from
prominent men who asked, as the only
relief they saw, that the FARMERS press
their demands The farmers will agree
to the laws of supply md demand, but
won't suffer Wall stNeet to decide the
prices Of produce before it is planted.
All these things make our grievances
heavier than those of the colonists
prior TO the Declaration of Indepen-
denCe.
He took up the third party, and
claimed that it was just for Il to exist
since it had become a necessity. He
then showed when and where the ma
tiOnal banks had been given the same
favors asked by the Alliance, and
claimed that land, the homes Of the
farmers not gold nor silver, gave the
Z. S. bonds their present value. Said
that in colonial days both North Caro-
lima and Pennsylvania tried the Sub
Treasury plan and found that it sue
ceeded. Said the whiskey men were
not oppressed but the government
gave them class legislation.
He claimed tLGt the main purpose Of
the demands Of the farmers was to en-
able them to feed the little children
God had SO plentifully given them and
to educate their boys and girk5 to be
come useful. Then closed by saying
that to day this is not the land of the
free nor the home of the brave"
Hon. T. H. Street, President P. G.
Alliance, was the next speaker. Mr..
Street called for economy and care
about home, and begged that the peo-
pie be careful not to get in the habit Of
charging all their failures to the legi8-
lation Of the officials He discussed o.
How to render the farmers life more
attractive % To render farmers life
less lonely and more social, and 81
To better ourselves financially.
Mr.. Street very forcibly took up
each of these divisions and ably dis
cussed them
Dr. VIM Merritt was introduced.
Dr. Merritt has a somewhat striking
appearance, and listeners keep expect
ing the next thing to be the joke He
thought that when the farmer occupied
the position he did in ante bellum days
then, and not till then, will the gov
ernment be just and fair. He favored
the third party, if necessary.
Dr.. J. I. Coleman was called for, and
in an earnest impromptu claimed the
right Of the farmers to band together
and work for their Improvement The
people left the grounds late in the day,
and all were pleased with the exercises
and management. There ware about
1000 people at this meeting and all
were greatly benefited.
J. B. GA8IE
WHERE DO YOU STAND?