The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-05-09
THE POLITICAL PRESS.

MIR. EDITOR 1t seems that some of
your contemporaries are disposed to
create, is possible, the impression that
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER is not deal
ing out facts in their proper light.
Has the partisan press that has ever
claimed to be the source of all intelli
gence become offended because the
people are being informed of the wide
spread eviction that is to-day being
prosecuted all over the land. If so
their madness can only be attributed
to their disappointed expectations in
failing to impress upon the minds of
the people that great prosperity exists
everywhere unrestricted in it's dietribu-
ton. THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER has
recently been commenting upon failures,
and its readers are gratified, not be-
cause such conditions exist, but that
they have a tutor whose editorial
course has never been shaped by the
influence or dictation of plutocracy.
When 1 read in the papers that some
mans land has been sold under execu-
tiOn for less than its mortgaged in
debtedness | am not surprised at such
information. A constant depreciation
in the price Of farm products is bound
to bring such results. The price of
land is always based upon the price of
what can be produced upon it. Farm
lands twenty years ago were valued at
twice as much as now. Since that
time the price of every thing produced
upon the farm has decreased fully one
half. Under such conditions the man
who created the debt is in a state of
desolation that can never be mitigated
by no effort upon his own part. But,
says the critic, the general depression
Of the country is not so much due to
financial legislation as TO a lack of in
dustry Gnd economy, upon the part of
the people, This idea is freely ex-
pressed by Gen. Barringer in his cele-
brated letter to the Charlotte Observer.
He seems inclined to the idea that g
still further decline in the price Of
cotton would effect relief. He also
intimates that the only hope of the
South's recovery, depends upon its be
coming self sustaining, by once more
producing the necessities Of life at
home The doctrine Of home industry
is the truest of all gospels, it's principles
when reduced to practice would bring
relief. But what is to become of the
many ten thousands whose conditions
forbids the undertaking of such i'm
possibilities2 Again, if low cotton is
the only expectation of the South's
resusitation, q decrease in wheat is
necessary to secure prosperity and
happiness for the West. It is needless
for me to go into detail as to what such
practice would produce, I am con-
strained to infer that the people have
common conception of what such pro
cedure would effect AS before stated,
home industry would shield those Of
means to provide for themselves, but
because of monopoly are we to be
driven to such burdensome mode of
living, when equal rights to all would
elevate us to that degree Of civilization
to which the laws Of nature and
natures God has entitled US. In a
grand domain like this, the means of
exchange should be facilitated. A
country of more than 600, 900 square
miles, inhabited by less than 70, 100000
of pc ople disseminated from Canada to
Mexico and from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. With the existence of one
section depending upon the prosperity
of another. The fertile plains Of the
West prohibited from furnishing its
people with the necessities of life. The
Sunny South, however magnificent in
its grandure, has never, with its best
efforts been able to supply its people
with the Accommodations to which their
industry have entitled them. If the
production of wheat is SO per cent.
cheaper in the West than the South,
let the people of the South produce that
which Is adapted to their soil and ex-
change it with the people of other Sec
tions for what is by nature adapted to
their SOIL. NJ. D. CHAMBERS.