The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-04-04
AN OLD MANS EXPERIENCE.

himself, said: 81 am past sixty four
years of age. 1 have been farmer all
my days, and have grown forty two
crops on my own account. They all
were as good as my neighbors. In
early manhood I married a good, kind,
healthy, economical girl. For forty
two years we have toiled side by side;
four children have been born to us,
three strong, hearty boys, and deli
cate girl.
Ny wife and l stinted, worked and
saved enough to pay for and improve
nice little farm; we were too poor to
give our boys any but common school
education; but our girl being delicate,
we desired to give her a good educa
ton, as she could not tough it like our
brave, healthy boys; but money was
wanting. So wife, and I, mortgaged
our home for money to educate Mabel.
We felt sure we could pay it off, as the
boys were rapidly approaching man
hood.
Times grew harder each year, the
cause we did not know. Being South
ern man, | served in the Confederate
army four years. have always voted
the Democratic ticket, Horace Greely,
and ALL When inquired of my law
making friends the cause Of the in
creasing hard times, and they an
swered: Republican rule. robber
tariff national banks" I worked the
harder and stuck the closer to the
party.
Some years ago, John, our oldest,
joined the Alliance, and inside of two
Ben and Jim joined also. They bought
books, and subscribed for newspapers,
and tried to inform themselves. I
heard John say to Ben, 1.-The Demo
Gratis are just as bad as the Republi
cans; there are just as many of them
at the head of trusts, and national
banks, as there are Republicans This
fired me uo, and lit into John | told
him he was mistaken He read me
the names Of the leaders in the Stand
ard oil and other great trusts; biushed,
but plead :" the Democrats have never
had a chance; they will bust up all
trusts and national banks when they
get in power" The boys shook their
heads, begged me to join the Alliance
and read up. l refused, saying 1.-The
Democratic party is good enough for
me, just wait till they get in power,
and if they don't do it, then I'll quit
it" They handed me copy after copy
of the Southern Mercury. I read it
carefully, but didn't believe it was tell
ing the truth. Times gzew tighter
and tighter; wages and produce went
lower and lower; the boys married and
left the old home; daughter had grad
uated and returned home. Seeing us
staggering under an increasing mort
gage and being unable to secure a
school, she assisted me on the farm.
Exposure soon carried her off. Wife
and l struggled on, trying to pay off
the mortgage. Piece by piece, our
property went to pay interest, till
finally all was gone. Then my good
wife, overcome by the weight of debt
and age too, passed away.
I went to the man to whom l had
given the mortgage, and begged for
time. Being Democrat, and finding
I was one, he agreed to wait till Janu-
ary 1, 1898, by which time, he said he
was sure Cleveland would be elected,
and money matters would ease up.
managed to pay him two bales of cot,
ton last fall, before the rise. Cleve-
land was elected. I hoped on, till
read his inaugural address last Mon
day in the Mercury. Oh! how my
heart sank I found we had change
of masters, but no change in financial
policy!
After seeing the last hope Of redeem.
ing my home vanish, came to town
and begged the mortgage to take my
land and return me my notes. This
he finally did, after rascertaining it was
all the property had any claim on.
have just signed the deed and here
am, old, broken down, and penniless
I have been a slave all the days of my
life. I never drank, smoked, no1
chewed tobacco; never lost day from
work when able; have never been fifty
miles from home in twenty six years
nor had a suit of clothes that cost az
much as ten dollars; worked my wife
and daughter into the grave; had tc
turn my boys away without a cent ano
all because I, like millions Of Others
permitted others to do my thinking OF
public affairs, and loved my party Bet
ter than my freedom.