The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-05-03

! Ii the weather had been less rigorous
we should have had a big crowd at
Cedar Rock We heard that the choir
had been practicing singing and that
Mrs. g - had promised to play the
organ for us. The bad weather spoiled
! the arrangements. The Professor of
the Academy gave the pupils a recess
and came to hear the speaking His
sister, Miss King, very kindly played
| the org IN for us. The doctor sang
several of his pieces. The crowd of
about 60 persons enjoyed the music
very much. After the lectures and
the usual private meeting we went
| home with Rev. John Sledge, who,
with his wife, were just as kind to us
as they could be. Next M, rning Bro.
| Sledge undertook to show us the way
to Centervllle through the woods 1t
was splendid drive, though bitterly
cold. The rain of ghe preceding day
had frozen on the trees, Everything
| was covered with ice and icicles and
| the branches of the trees hung down
with the great weight of frozen water.
Young pines were bent down to the
ground, and in places quite stopped up
| the road, and had either to b0 broken
off or turned to one side before we
could pass. Bro. Sledge went first and
was most active in opening UP way
| for us. In pushing past these trees we
now and again brought down upon
ourselves a shower of Ice. The woods
we're really glorious in their new cloth
| ing. We reached Centerville about
noon and found that the gentleman
who should have made arrangements
for our meeting was sick. The only
| large room in Centerville had neither
| or fro Nln
| kindly offered us the use of his store.
We, however, did better; we found an
empty house, got permission to use it
and made a good fire in the largest
| room. In this room we had an audi
ence of 65 persons who listened very
attentively to the doctor. We after
wards drove on to Ingleside where Mr.
| Hugh Egerton, that whole sOuled ALI
anceman, and wife made us very well
come. Next day, Saturday, we had
very good meeting, some of the brethren
coming long distances to hear the doc
tor. They told the writer that they
! felt we'll repaid for their trouble. After
| the private meeting the doctor sung a
| few songs, then wishing the doctor
many good wishes and after inviting
him to come again soon, the crowd dis
persed This finished the work in
Franklin county.
The doctor is a tall, we'll formed,
gOOd-lOCklng man about so years of
age with long, dark beard. He Is
well informed and knows how to eX
press his ideas and emotions. He keeps
his audience wei iii hand Though he
usually spoke for from one to two
hours he never wearied the crowd
| His speech was interluded with illus
| tratiOns and witticisms, all tending to
bring forcibly out the incOngruity and
absurdity of the farmers s position. The
| farmers are in debt, yet pay other peO-
pies taxes. The farmers produce the
wealth of the country, yet are unable
to retain any of it for themselves The
| farmers form maj arity of the country,
yet are the only class whose interests
are ignored by legislators. Legislation
has hitherto been for the classes and
against the masses. The Ocala demands
were well handled. The iniquities Of
the exception clause and the banking
acts were pointed out. The Sub Treas
ury bill was ably explained and it's pro
vision for expanding and contracting
the currency to keep pace with the
production and consumption Of wealth,
illustrated by means of a steel and an
India rubber ring. The doctor took
| the steel ring between his thumb and
forefnger. 'That," said he, "repre-
sents indexible currency. 1t is rigid,
hard and inelastic. If you have five
million bales of cotton they must pass
through the ring. II you have eight
million bales they must be squeezed
through the ring. The ring won't give;
the cotton must. Some of you fellows
got badly squeezed this time. The
elastic ring expands to allow any quan
tity to pass through. The Treasury
notes issued to the extent of 80 per
cent. of the value of goods stored would
circulate as money and form tempo
rary addition to the currency. Sooner
or later these notes would find their
way into the hands of some one who
wanted the cotton for manufacturing
p lrposes. He would look up the origi-
nal holder and settle with him for the
remaining 20 per cent. at market rates
| less expenses. Then, before taking out
the cotton, give up to the Su0- Treasury
| the Sub Treasury notes which had been
issued against the cotton. The notes
would then be cancelled and disappear
as currency. The elastic ring would
then contract, etc." The doctor was
no less happy in his treatment of
LAND loans" alien land holders and
other Alliance demands. He tried,
and l think successfully, to touch the
feelings of his audience. What is to
become of our children2" he asked, eff
the present condition of things con-
tinues." "WhaG is to become of our
country?" He finished his lecture by
an appeal to all to go home and do
some steady thinking and to try to ar
rive at clear idea of their duty in the
present crisis.
The brethren in Franklin county
will be glad to see Dr. Parker again
f. ASHTON, Go. Lecturer.