The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-09-15
GATES COUNTY GRAND RALLY,

Branch Speak,. J. Rogers, of
Norfolk, and the Lecturers
for First District on
the Platform.
Gates County Alliance had arranged
for an Alliance mass-meeting on a
large scale. Seven surrounding cOun-
ties in North Carolina and Virginia
had official invitations. There were
representatives from all these counties;
Besides these there were hundreds n
thousands of men, wOmon and children
from all points within a radius OF 80
miles. The people and everything
about the grounds were ready Ior the
speaking to begin at 10 o'clock.
The ChOvan Farmers Alliance Band,
twenty strong and all married, but
nineteen had appeared-all Alliance
mem their uniforms Of blue with
their elegant and polished instruments,
the whole outfit costing $500. The
speakers arrived, having been the
guests of General Roberts. and were
escorted 10 the grand stand by the
band with strains Of fine music. Bro.
Mills Eure, President Gates County
Alliance, presided. Prayer by Rev.
Bro. WOOdsOn, County Chaplain. Bro.
ThOs. Cross, Clerk of the Court of Gates
county, made a smooth, sensible
speech in admirable dictiOn, happily
conceived, welcoming those from the
neighb0ring counties, and presented
Marion Butler, of Sampson county, our
able State President, who responded,
beginning at II 80 o'clock and gave q
strong. argUmentive speech of % min
utes to 4 vast multitude Of attentive
people,
He said, among other things; The
people l address, because producers,
ought 70 be the richest-the NabObs-
of America. But are they? No, from
thousands of ]upturned faces no."
In 1867 there were raised 600, O0O, 900
bushels of corn, worth about $780,
600. O0O. % years later the crop was
Over / 800, 900, 900 bushels, an increase
of more than threefOld. and worth, ac-
cOrding to government report. only
1919, 00J, 900, which is $21. 900, 0CU less
than III 1867. Thus three bushels IN
1889 is worth less than one Oushel in
1867. Then 1000 600 bales of cotton,
now 5000. 900 bales. Two bales grew
where one grew before, but IS worth
$13. 600. 600 less
With plain facts, exact figures and
clear reasoning. he went forward. He
referred t. the principle of political
economy. TIE richest. most cOntented
people are those who get the greatest
amount Of comfort in return for 4
DAVIS labor. The foregoing facts show
hat farmers get for more labor less
comfort, through contraction of cur
renCy and the manipulation of their
products. AS a consequence the people
are like a sick man whose physician
says wait, wait, we will cure you
make everything right after awhile.
The physician has been called ami
called. the politician elected and re-
elected and the people are sicker and
still sicker. VIII you wait? 1t is like
sitting on a hot stove and being told to
wait, il would get coolor. The speaker
was in favor of jumping off.
Mr.. Harry Skinner. of Pitt, was in
troduced at 12:47, and after pleasant,
historic allusiOn to his ancestry in con-
nectiOn with the people of Coates. he
alluded to the fact that this meeting,
like all such he had attended, was
opened with prayer and he believed
that as Providence lead Israel out of
Egypt. our fOrefatherS from the
tyranny of Great Britain, and the
negroes out Of American slavery, so
He is leading out the labOrer of this
country from the bondage of money.
He said when God and the people are
appealed to, relief comes. He did not
see that q man could be a true ALI
anceman and oppose the. Sub-Treasury
plan any more than q man could have
been a true Republican and oppose the
abolition of slavery, or than a man
could be a true Christian and leave
Christ out of the scheme of redemp-
ton.
He referred to the fact that before
the War merchants sen out INTO n
country to buy homes and to borrow
money Of the farmer, and now the
farmers 90 to the merchants and on
their knees ask for supplies and money
to run them. He did not blame mer-
chants for this state of affairs. He be-
lieved il as much within the province
of Congress to say how many pounds
of cotton shall De equal 10 Il dollar as 1t
is to say how many grains ot silver
shall equal a dollar.
He paid respectful attention to the
colOred people.
lie paid deserved attention TO the
ladies and told them he cd not invite
them to suffrage though IL was gaining
rapidly in public favor and if they had
the ballot they would drive out the
liquor traffic of this country and other
evils. He then called up Washington,
jefferson, Clay, Webster. Calhoun and
jeff. Davis from the tomb and made
them repeat things they said when
they were here before. such things as
are in favor Of the Alliance demands,
especially the Sub'Treasury, then
closed at 2:57 O'Clock and all went to
the exceedingly we'll filled and extern
sive tables for dinner, which fed an
o. estimated 5000 and more than twelve
baskets full of fragments were taken
off. Col. Skinner said there were more