The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-08-14

TOlln0nG Snail nave ECdSAO0 SSS
sufficient to compel the attention of
the world, in electing delegates to a
conference which shall fix the time,
some years in advance, when all debts
of whatever nature shall be considered
outlawed, the year of jubilee ushered
in and all interest bearing debt forever
abolished.
Such action will be no more and no
less than the passage by the voice OF
the people, which is the voice of God,
of a bankruptcy act, the provisions OF
which will include all debtors instead
of a particular class and such an act is
made necessary by the inability of the
people to pay, and that they be not
further oppressed and wholly enslaved
through usury.
And these, among others, are the
reasons why the proposed plan is wise
and must appeal to the good enseo Of all
classes, and why it must succeed:
LIST. Because a very large number, a
very considerable per cent. of the peo-
pie, already believe the abolition of in
terest-bearing debt, provided it can be
done without provoking a sudden and
violent shock to our productive, com
mercial and social systems, is desirable
and will enroll themselves at once as
so believing.
I'd. The simple fact of large numbers
so enrolling Twill have the effect of
frightening the money loaning class
and the smaller ones will, as opportun-
ity offers, invest in productive enter
prises instead of reloaning IN usury.
The volume of interest charges will
thereby be reduced to that extent, and
the smaller debts will be paid, larger
ones sealed or compromised, as they
now often are, and as the movement
gathers force and head, the day for
final Outlawry of all debts being some
years away, paper securities of all
kinds, and especially longtime govern
ment bonds, will begin to change hands
rapidly and al Ways upon a falling scale
of prices, those who come first to be
lieve in the inevitable selling to those
who have less faith in the ability of the
people to free themselves, they in turn
to others who will be the last to aban
don faith in the power of money to rule
the world, thus distributing the loss
among many and b%ankrupting none,
until when the time set for deposing
the old and enthroning the nav shall
have finally come, the old will be found
to have already dedicated, the new to
be ~reigning in its stead, and the people
will have broken their chains and come
into their own with scarce a ripple upon
the waters of the commercial OF social
world, as both will have gradually
fitted themselves to the gradually
changing conditions for the better and
revolution will have been reached
through the peaceful road of evolution.
That local disturbances may arise is
probable, that a revolution by force
may be attempted is possible, but to
stay the angry tide that would thus
risk all upon the cast of war will be
the millions pledged to a peaceful solu-
ton of our troubles and who will thus
have become a safeguard instead of a
threatened source of danger to the &C
complishment of that end.
To illustrate the plan for organizing
clubs of Investigation: Suppose a club
to have been formed -and meeting for
the evening in the house of one of it's
members.
There have been elected a president
and secretary. The duty Of the secre-
tary has been performed when he has
entered the names of any wishing to
become members. He will have no
minutes to read or to keep, as no bust
ness requiring it will be transacted.
The president requests that order be
for a few moments and
without further formality reads, or
causes to be read, some text from the
Bible touching upon debt and usury,
some item received from the head
center of similar import, the reading
in no cas- to occupy more than fifteen
minutes.
The president then says, 1.-The friends
will consider themselves at liberty to
engage in conversation or amuse them
selves as they choose"
The younger people may possibly
dispense, some of the older ones will
discuss the crops and items of neigh
borhood news will be exchanged, but
all will have been impressed with the
matter read and most will remain to