The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-27
IS THE SHOE FACTORY A NECEs-
SITY2

Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
No one who has observed the difficult
ties encountered by your State Agent
in trying to supply this needed article
at lowest, cost to the brethren, can fail
to answer in the affirmative. Every
plan has been alike unsatisfactory to
himself and to the brethren. Why is
this7 Various reasons conspire to this
end, chief among which may be that
we are too remote from the manufac-
turers, in distance as we'll as in the
number of men that come between.
The consumer stands fourth in order
from the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
broker, merchant, consumer. It bas
been impossible to get closer. We
have contracted with men represent
ing themselves to be manufacturers,
and learned to u regret afterwards
that they were only the 'go-betweens."
And again it is impractical for q manu-
factuFer away up in Boston, or Lynn,
Mass to deal directly with individuals
scattered all over a State q thousand
miles off. They are not in the retail bust
ness, and if they were they could have
no definite idea as to the amount re-
quired, nor do they cen to understand
just what our brethren want. While
the brethren, on the other hand, realiz
ing these facts, and knowing that it is
possible in making shoes to work more
material than in almost any other class
of manufactured articles, are slow to
place confidence in the efficiency of
our efforts. Now, how r we to over
come these diffculties9 Bring the fac
tory among uS-to the heart of the
State in position and to the heart of
the Alliance in affection. Let it be an
enterprise for the brethren, Of the
brethren and by the brethren. No pri
vate interest, if it could be induced to
locate in our midst, and with the full
endorsement of the State Alliance,
could enlist and hold the sympathy of
half so many Alliancemen as an enter
prise in which they all have stock
This having of stock is a stimulus to
keeping informed rs well as to patron
lzing. The individuals who have stock
are just 20 many active agents all over
the State, and better than any hired
drummer can be.
By having the factory at home, own
ing and running ourselves, there is full
confidence in the character of the shoes
made, we get the style we want, we
take pride in wearing our own goods,
and we saw three profits, the manu-
facturer's, the brokers', the merchants.
We can place the goods in the hands
of the brethren at actual cost. No
private manufacturer can do that, even
if he were in communication with the
brethren, for he is compelled to have
his profit.
Another great advantage in having
this manufacture at home'is that it in
creases u circulating medium. The
PROGRESSIVE FARMER has shown us
that more than S. 600, 900 at manu-
~tacturers prices goes ouE of the State
ev9ry year for shoes alone-no won
der the North grows rich and the
South poor.
The same principle that controls in
the shoe industry, largely prevails
with clothing and hats
Suppose the Alliance to day had in
fu~lloperation a shoe factory, a tannery,
a wollen mill, a clothing factory, a
hat factory, what would be the result0
A brother would send hfs hides, or his
wool, and order in exchange shoes,
cloth, clothing, hats, blankets or what
ever article he might want, a product
Of the factory. Some would receive
money, as money would come in for
these articles. All this would stimu
l ate an interest in growing sheep and
cattle. More beef and mutton would