The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-05
powDERLY's CALL TO ARMS.
Let Us Work, Think and Vote with the
Farmers.

Farmers.
"They Haze RESOLVED to Stand 6y Us.
Let Us ResolUe to Stand by Them
and Nuke Their Cause our
Cause EUerywhere and IN
Everything, brothers,
ArOuSe!-NOW IS
the Time for
Action!
Grand Master Workman Powderly,
of the K. of L., this week issues a call
to arms. He proclaims that the cause
of the farmer is the cause of the me-
chanic. He e unity of action for
the cause of reform. He declares that
the action of the Alliance at the In
dianapolis meeting showed it's sym-
pathy and friendship for organized
mechanical labor, and pleads for honest
and reciprocal work and unity. He
says, in speaking of the great agricul-
tural organization:
In the sense that cause is the
same, our grievances Of the same ma
ture, and Il enemy the heartleSs spirit
of cOmmercialism that runs rampant
everywhere, l believe that in dealing
with them we should act and feel as if
BlO StlllS SlllSlu CONOIOO C11I III L11O
sense they are of us and with U.S."
"Now let me drop a few hints into
the ear Of our Knight of Labor whOhas
listened to those who have sneered and
scoffed at the "~hayseed" in his effort
to throw off the yoke that brushes him
earthward. When you read of hard
times on the farm, you realize that
times are a bad, or worse, in the city.
When the farmer is in distress, so are
you; when money is scarce and dear
for you, it is the same for the farmer.
When the railroads through their
a~gents-oblige the farmers to part with
their product for the .merest pittapCe,
you cannot purchase that product for
less money because the farmer was
forced to accept less. When the farmer
has to part with the result of his toll
for less than the cost of production, as
he often does, our members who make
agricultural implements are put on
short time or no time at all. When
the farmer is not paid for his grain, he
cannot purchase as many wagons as he
otherwise would; he dispenses with the
use of a light carriage, new harness
and a hundred other things that The
workman of the city earns a living by
fashiOning out of the metals and tim
bers that the laborer lays at his feet
When he cease to operate on these,
the laborer does the same, and hard
times on the farm goes neck and neck
with idleness, suffering and distress in
the city"
I'VE pay the taxes, we elect those
who eat up the taxes, we contribute
the funds which others regard as spOils,
Wo C%onH off tn COO charm ChPnUyH
wire-pulling machinists corner offices
and turn down everything at the bid
ding of wealth. We may resolve not
to be politicians, but we must be poll
ticians or slaves, and why not face the
truth like men? If we go to the polls
to vote we are politicians, if we do not
go we are towards, if we go to the polls
and vote as some one else dictates we
are slaves. Is it not better to become
live, sensible, intelligent politicians
than to remain the time serving. man
w~orshipping politicians hat we are to-
day? If it is, then we should read, talk
and study the questions that are upper
most in the minds of thinking men
now"
LET US resolve to go with them (the
farmers) to the bitter end in their fight
against wrong. We pick up papers in
which their representatives and ours
in Congress and out of it are sneered
at. We should defend them. Jerry
Simpson and Senator PETER ar derided
and ridiculed just because cheap wit
is so plentiful; but when This Congress
adiourns there will be at least fifty
good Democrats and fifty good Repub-
Iicans going home from Washington
with no record except the echo of a
feeble plea for an appropriation for
some isolated section of the country.
The great affairs of the nation Will not
receive one moments consideration at
the hands of a majority of the present
House of Representatives at Washing
ton-CIass or, more accurately speak
ing, grab legislation alone will Jake up
their time and attention. The two
brothers whom | nave named occupy
a large place in the public eyes because
they represent something that goes
deeper than "the old flag and an ap-
preparation" 1t means the old flag
and the whole country"
"The farmers have resolved to stand
by us. Let us resolve to stand by
them, make their aus III cause
everywhere and in everything. When
they are assaulted, we are assailed, and
should resent it. When they are IN
danger, so are we. Letu act together
in getting out of it.
Let resolve be to act with them,
speak with them, work with them,
study with them, think with them and
vote with them"