The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-26
ANSWER TO CHOW A GRITTY
FARMER GOT ALONG WITH
OUT BORROWING"

Nh. EDIToR:-After carefully reading
the exploits of the man who in 1852
| found himself on a fair average farm,
with a good mule and a broken down
army horse, and a fair set of farming
implements and provisions enough
in January to do his family for
five months, with 1915 in his
pocket, was surely in a better con-
| dition than the average farmer of that
day. New | am convinced that if the
masses of farmers were in as good
condition in 1867 as this mar who went
to Gadsden and failed to get credit,
and without the thousand and one
h~indrances, the large majority of us
have had, we might have been as well
off to day as he. A man that did raise
seven bales of cotton, 240 bushels of
corn, 1900 pounds of bacon, 100 bushels
| of potatoes, with cotton at 30 cents per
pound in 1862, is no criterion for the
| farmer of 1891, who made seven bales
of cotton with all the economy he could
use, have to sell at six and eve cents
per pound, with q mortgage on his
farm.
This letter Of his might be good ad-
vice for a man out of debt, commence
| ing to farm in 1867 or in 1892. If the
future of the farmer was as plain as
his past experience, he might steer
clear Of the traps and devices that have
been laid to ensnare him.
Now q sick man does not want o
know what would have prevented his
disease, but what will cure him. This
Gadsden mans remedy, while good for
the mar who is on his feet, does not
| explain to the man to day on an aver
age farm, burdened with a mortgage
of one thousand dollars, bearing
interest at s per cent. and selling cot
ton at 6 cents per pound. Now brethren
the Sub Treasury plan is the remedy
he wants. Now u Gadsden friend
| tells us in 1872, he had $3.50 loaned
out and drawing a good interest and
we'll secured; had never borrowed a
cent or a thing, and eve had his
| name on a merchants book for a
nickel's credit. This money alone at
compound interest for twenty years,
would find him worth from S12, 900
to S15, 900. Then with all his success
outside Of this he has been gathering
in and adding to, while raising and
educating a family Of seven children;
built for himself a large house and
barn. Now, our friend after q success
full career in life, is able to day to
extend a helping hand to millions of
his feilowmen, offers his experience,
| only to the man who is down on the
wayside. What Il cOuntrymen need
now is the assistance of those who are
able to get down and take hold Of the
wheels and help the brother who is IN
the mire and change the financial
system of a government that has made
a few thousand rich, while millions of
our countrymen are half clad and half
fed. Our friend thanks the Lord that
he is not as other men in distress, but
has plenty to do him and his family as
long as they live, and might have said
aunt Betsy too. Now brethren his
letter is couched i'll such language as
to throw needy and firm believers off
their guard. and cause them to become
cold andindifferent to the Sub-Treasury
plan, which is the anne Of all the de-
mands of the Farmers Alliance.
Stand firm, brethren, and don't be
deceived by the bright story of the
money lender of to-day, no matter
how he made his start. He says he
wants no Sub-Treasury; neither does
Wall street, nor Jay Gould.
CATAwBA, n. @.