The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-17
THE FARMER COMPLAINS.
Prices Over the Left on Every Side
How Much Longer Will it Go On7

that other classes dictate the
prices, not only of what he has to
sell, but also of what he has to buy.
If this be true, it is a wrong to which
he should no longer submit. He sells
his cotton, tobacco and other products
of the farm for the prices that are
offered. He buys his groceries and dry
goods at the prices offered. He has no
option, because he has no credit, and
is bound to sell in order to buy.
But it is not so with other classes of
his feIloW-citizens. The manufacturer
fixes the price upon his products, the
merchant upon his goods, and so the
physicians, lawyers and most all other
class, except the farmer, fix their fees
or charges for services.
This condition has existed in all ages
of the world, but is it just to the
farmers We think not. 1t does not
accord with the principle, so generally
approved, Of equal rights to all and
special privileges to none" But whose
fault is it that such a condition still ex-
ists9 We assert that it is entirely the
fault Of the farmer himself. The writer
is one of the farmers and believes the
assertion to be true. But a we prove
it? Let us see
Self preservation is said to be the
first law Of nature. All, or nearly all,
other classes of the community avail
themselves of the advantages of this
natural law by means of combination
and cooperation to secure legislation
favorable to their callings, while the
farmer stands alone. He wants fair
prices but he allows others to dictate
them.
Money is the important factor in
prices, being the medium through
which all buying and selling is done.
If the farmer hasa share in the control
of money, then he will be able to share
in the control Of prices. To get this
control he must understand the nature
and functions of money. The only
legitimate function of money is to rep
resent and measure values. Who are
the owners of values? All classes of
the community. One possesses a value
in gold, one 9 value in silver, another
in bonds, another in lands; but all are
values and should possess equal rights
before the law.
But from time immemo ial gold and
silver values have been allowed by law
to represent and measure all other
values. This is a special and valuable
privilege, but the constitution Of our
country. provides for this arrangement
and farmers are content that far; but
the progress Of civilization has intro
duced such q variety of methods of ex-
change to represent and measure
values, that ninety five per cent. Of all
commercial transactions are now
effected without the direct use of
either gold or silver. And so now,
many classes have representatives and
measures of their values but the farmer
has not. In other words a limited
class Of the community can use their
values to obtain credit while the farmer
cannot.
Tne farmer, however, does not OBJ
ject to this privilege of gold and silver
to represent and measure values, but !
he wants, and must have, equal priv
leges for has values in land, with values |
in metals. When the law allows him
this privilege and issues to him a
money certificate, as it does now to
the metal owners, he can then have an
equal share in the measurement of his
own values, and not be subject to the
dictation Of prices by others.
But the only way that this result can
be attained is by legislation. The
farmer must demand, and by united
action, secure such legislation az will
accord equal rights to his values. The
metal and Landowners deposit their
values with the government and re-
ceive in return money certificates to
represent and measure other values.
Why not the farmer, who possesses
the highest Of all values-productive
lands-be allowed to deposit the evi
dence Of the ownership of such a value
and receive @ money certificate with
which he can obtain credit and thus
have a just share in the measurement
of his own products, without such
privilege, the farmer can never be the
equal of other classes of the commun-
ity. The farmer is only denied this
privilege today because the metal
owners obtained the right Of way and
got the start thousands of years ago,
when the commemorative and measure