The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-05
HOW HE
How a Gritty Farmer Got Along Without
Borrowing.

How a Gritty Farmer Got Along Without
Borrowing.
The following letter to the Birming-
ham Age-HerGd is a very sensible one.
There is not a farmer in the South who
will not be benefited by reading it, and
who cannot, If necessary, achieve the
same success.
Every III you may meet with a
few exceptions, has something to say
about hard times, tight money, etc,
and If you were to catch on to the
gloomy as the most of the people ap
pear to be. [ have a short, faithful
story to tell in your paper and hope it
may aid the wise men in III State to
arrive at the cause and the remedy for
hard times among the farmers.
In 1867 I found myself on a. fair
writing to you, with one good mule, a
broken down army horse, a fair set of
farming implements, mostly second
hand, but without a dollar of credit
and just Sc rs in cash. It was the last
week in January, and the time had
come for US to "pitch our crops" for
the year. l had q small quantity of
corn, about enough, with economy, to
feed my stock and give my family
meal for four or five months. Times
were hard with me sure enough. Ny
near neighbOr vas a little better off,
but not as much as l thought him to
be at the time. We were talking over
the matter when he informed me that
he was going to Gadsden the next day
to make some arrangement for credit
to enable him to make his crop, and
asked me to go with him and see what
l could do. We went to town. 1t
wasn't long before my neighbor had
secured his credit with a note and
mortgage, which he was to trade out
during the year.
I tried to do the same, but it was no
go. The merchant did not know me
and 1 couldn't make the security they
demanded. Well, we went back home
together, my neighbor with a smart
load of bacon, coffee, dry goods and
shoes for the children, with a dress for
his wife and a Sunday coat for him
self. My wagon was empty and l
discOnsolate, with nothing to take to
my ireside but a heavy heart and a
will to work. I told my wife all about
my failure to get credit and we talked
thematterOver until midnight: Well
said he, Tom, we have got two good
COWS, some hens, and a few pigs, a
good garden, and the best Of health.
So we will stay at home and get our
living from IL work. Bless her soul,
she was the wisest woman, I think,
that ever lived on earth, and among
the best that went to heaven. l took
her advice, and at the end of the year
l had seven good bales of cotton, 24e
bushels of corn, and saved !, 200 pounds
of bacon, banked snugly 100 bushels of
sweet potatoes; while my good wife
had $14. 70 made from her eggs, chick
ems, butter and honey, and had bought
herself summer dress and bonnet and
cloth enough to make the undergar
ments for all the children. And best
of all, I did not owe a man on earth a
cent.
Ny neighbor who had the credit |
could not get, made eleven bales Of
cotton, a small corn crop, no meat,
and had his credit until he was several
hundred dollars in debt. I met him in
Gadsden during the month of January,
1868, after he had settled with the
merchants and had sold his cotton.
All he had to show for his years work
was a new buggy that he really did
not need and about $50 in cash. In
1872 my neighbor sold out to pay his
debts and keep the sheriff away and
moved to Texas, where he came to
want. The same year I had $2,35a,
loaned ut and drawing a good INTEREST,"
well secured, and 1 have never bor
rOwed a cent, or a thing, or had my
name on a merchants book for a
nickel's credit. l have often thought
and believe most firmly that the best
thing that ever happened 90 me was
my failure to get credit In 1867: Nearly
25 years have passed since had my
disconsolate ride back to my humble
home from Gadsden. I have since
reared a family of seven children,
given the best education the country
Could offer, have built a large mouse
and barn, and have enough, thank the
Lord, to keep me and my family l
comfort as long as I shall live. want
no Sub Treasury and never wanted II
but once, and then, thank Coo, l
could not get it. There is not a
farmer in Alabama, worthy OF InT
name of farmer, who cannot do as l
have done"