The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-09-22
A MECHANIC COMES TO THE DE-
FENSE.
SAssAFRAs Fork, Granville Co.

nOG interested IN farming pursuits,
whom it is claimed would not be bene
fitted, and directly or indirectly trying
to create an impression that it would
be against their interests to support
the plan, has prompted me to write.
AS a mechanic and an Allianceman |
think | have a right to know and to
Judge what would be a benefit to my
class, and all this maudlin anxiety
concerning our welfare is pretty much
of humbug, fancies of a disOrdered
imagination, with designing purpOrt
and cunning effect, all for the purpose
of alternating the Sympathles and sup
port Of the wOrklngmen against the
Alliance and it's demands.
In a letter published in your paper
of the 1st inst the writer states as one
of his objections to the Sub Treasury
plan dill he called it,: THAT it was
class legislation" (Another rotten
chesnut) "A gigantic trust! and
would give the farmer special privi-
leges, which the mason, the miner and
the carpenter could not share, also for
the benefit of Office-hOIders If that
were the case nearly every office seeker
and mOssbaCk politician is opposed to
the plan, how can such an anomaly be
recOnciled when there is no love lost
between seekers after office and the
Alliance, what would the mechanics
be doing all the time the warehouses
are building and after they are built
who will keep them in repair, perhaps
the farmers are going to do the build
ing themselves. That gigantic trust
perhaps includes everything. That the
mechanic would have no share in the
benefits of the plan is a very broad as
sertiOn. OF course they have no prod
uctS to deposit in the b-Treasuries,
but is that a reason why they should
not benefit by the prosperity which
would follow the establishment of Sub
Treasures, which would issue money
directly to the farmer on non perish
able products, and is it not conceded
to by all parties that there is not
enough money in circulation to meet
the business demands Of the country?
In the fall of the year when the farmer
throws his crop on the market, even q
circulation that would meet ordinary
business transactions is not sufficient.
and to meet this emergency the COnSe-
quence Is, and common sense teaches
us, history proves it, that if there is not
enough money in circulation 80 buy
the farmers produce, the price paid
for the products Is lowered proportion
ately according to the amount of
money in circulation. The volume of
money being controlled by the present
banking system, aggravates the cir
Cumstances The dollar Of the farmer,
invested in the raising of cotton,
wheat, corn and tobacco, decreases in
value while that of the money king
Oftentimes doubles itself The farmer
is placed in such a condition that he
cannot hold his crop and is compelled
to sell at q loss. | would like to know
if that loss does not bear on the me-
chaniC, merchant, miner, doctor and !
others. Will the merchant sell more
goods, the doctor more readily collect
his fees, and the mechanic get more
work and wages when the farmer sells
at a loss and has less to spend?
The farmer suffers many disadvan-
tages which no other class labOrs
under. He is compelled to market his
crop limited part of the year, while
it takes the balance of his time to make
it. The purchasing power of the dol
lar increases most when buying the
raw products of the farm, and also
considering the amount of time and
labor 1t takes to make a buShel of
wheat, a pound of cotton or a pound
of tObabcO, does the farmer receive
compensation in proportion to time
and labor expended? Class legislation!
Why nearly every class in this
country has special laws for it's own
peculiar benefit and protection We
mechanics have several on the statute
books of this State, the railroads have
them. Corporations and manufacturers
have accumulated millions and billions
of dollars through class legislation and
not much objection raised until the
farmers want laws to help them out of
their difficulties, The whole truth of
the matter IS, the farmer has been long
considered legitimate prey by all
classes of On-prOducers, and hitherto
by his Obtuseness has never kicked
against the pricks, and his awakening
up in the Alliance has raised Hail
Columbia on all sides because the fat
piCkings may be cut off. The farmers
income being cut off through such ad-
verse circumstances, | would like to
know it he can, as a consumer, buy
more clothes, hats and shoes, more i'm
plements, can he build more and i'm !
prove his place more; will the rail
roads transact more business, will the !
mines show a greater output? Nearly
all the Western farmers use coal Will |
the business and building of towns and
villages increase when the farmers are |
swindled out of the best part of what
they make by the most iniQuitOus
money system that ever has been insti- |
tuted in the history of the world? AS
anamOlOus as it appears in a free dem |
Ocratic republic, and when the farmer, |
who most feels the effects of this hellish |
system, after appealing in vain to the
political parties when in power for re
lief ard through the dire necessity
they we're placed in were forced to !
bring out plan which they claim will
help them, and who ought to know
better How are these demands met? |
L L I = I -.