The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-03-12

of the plutocrats and expose their mis-
deeds; notably, Talmage, Dixon, and
Speight. And they deserve our thanks,
for such as they are nearly as scarce
as hens teeth.
have had preachers to say to me,
''You can say anything you choose,
but we cannot. Cannot speak the
truth. Is that what they meanG Must
they hide their light under bushel,
for fear of moneyed men2
God forbid. But if they know the
truth, in the name of suffering human
ity, let them proclaim it from the
housetops, that all men may take
warning in time TO save our country
from the devastation now lowering
over it, like the vulture, with outspread
wings, only waiting until the tolls
which cunning hands have set, shall
have been fastened so securely that no
earthly power can loose them. Then,
in all its Dlackness, will it swoop down
upon us, take possession OF our lands,
rob US of our liberties and wreck our
lives.
Once in a while one of our great
learned sages editor of religious
paper) does condescend to give us some
questionable advice concerning hard
times, and the remedies therefor, such
as this: If the farmers would demand
less and raise more, there would be no
hard times, While at the same time
we are told that ''overproduction"
causes hard times. Possibly, though,
they mean overproduction of fools and
knaves.
Another of the earth's wise ones, a.
Doctor of Divinity he is, too, tells us
that it is wrong for politicians to go
about informing the common people
that they are legislated against, and in
an unhappy condition. He says he be-
ieves in magnifying our blessings and
minifying our troubles, and so being
contented and happy.
Such stuff as this reminds me of an
anecdote I once read. An aged sister
was on the point of starvation, and
one of her well-to do brethren came in
to comfort her.. She related her con
dition. The brother ~knelt and prayed
the Lord to give her grace and every
spiritual gift. But the sister responded.
lord, send potatoes.
Now this same editor, who furnishes
the first .advice, and who in column
publishes and endorses the learned
Doctors sickly sentimentality of mag
nifying and minifying. In the next
column, speaking of maintaining those
under his own charge, instead ofapply-
ing the able Doctors wise(O rule, says:
Brother farmers, send as some pota-
toes. We should send empty baskets,
and advise that the emptiness be mag
nified into potatoes.
But in all soberness we would be
thankful for little more practicability
and not quite so much spirituality in
the advice given us. Spiritual bless
ings are all fright, to be sure, but hungry
mouths and ragged limbs need food
and clothing. And / for one do not
believe that megnifying and minifying
anything will fill the bill. In fact, /
do not believe in magnifying and mini
flying anyway. But I believe in the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
According to the Scriptures, let your
yea be yea, and your nay be nay; for
more than this cometh of evil, and we
should not do evil that good may come.
However, complaining of evil and
prescribing no remedy, cannot possibly
bring any result. So will mention
remedy that think will convert our
pastorsinto as veritable calamity howl
ers as we ourselves are,