The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-28
OUR HEADQUARTERS" AGAIN.
MR.. ]. w. DENMARK, WHO ORIGI,
MATED TaR IDEA OF AN ALL
ANCE SHOE FACTORY,
DOES SOME PLAIN
TALKING.

q tain Sound President Holiday, State
Treasurer Worth and Prof. Irby Talk.
After the publication of my inter
views with Alliance off Gals in regard
to the new Alliance Headquarters at
Hillsboro, in THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
of last week, I took a copy of the paper
to Mr.. J. w. Denmark and requested
him to carefully read what Bros. Barnes
and Ivey had to say and permit me to
interview him on the same subjac He
kindly consented, and last Friday
.morning when I stepped into the
Treasury Department with note book
in hand, I found Mr.. Denmark ready
to lay aside matters of State for a few
moments to talk to THE Progressive
FARMER readers.
AS Mr.. Denmark is the originator of
the Alliance shoe factory idea, and de
voted two years in studying the bust
ness so as to put it before the Alliance
men of North Carolina in an intelligent
and convincing manner, his remarks
on the subject are of peculiarar interest
to every one now working for this
Alliance enterprise.
Being aware of this fact, 1 insisted
On Mr.. Denmark giving as full and
complete replies to my questions as his
limited time would permit.
Seeing a copy of The PROGRESSIVE
FARMER lying on his desk, very nat
urally my first question as:
Q.-Have you read the interviews of
Bros Barnes and Ivey in THE PROGRESS
sIVE FARMER?
A.-Yes. I read them with much in
terest.
Q-Would you object to being inter
viewed along the same lines9
A-No. 1 see no reason why 1 should
hold my tongue while other people are
allowed to talk.
Q.-By way of introducing the ques-
tions to follow, may I ask if you we're
not the originator of the shoe factory
idea, and have you not devoted much
time and labor to seeing that idea
brought to a practical consummation7
A-Yes. So far as / know, I was.
l figured and studied on the subject
many months before l would venture
to lay my plans and suggestions before
the State Executive Committee. I did
muster up courage enough at last to do
so, but when they ad burned my papers
were returned to me without comment.
[ tried the same the next time they
met with the same result; then / at
tended the State Alliance meeting at
Greensboro, when | ventured to lay
the matter before that body, and action
was taken. I then worked up through
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER the interest
for a year, practically with no assist
ance from Headquarters. At the State
meeting at Cary had not made i'm
preston enough on the State Execu-
tive Committee and State Secretary to
even get a sentence of reference in
their reports. So that you may say,
and say truthtuliy, that I originated
and led the move up to the Cary meet
ing.
Q.-I believe it was you who first
suggested Cary as a suitable locations
A.-Yes. 1 studied the map of N. O..
because the question of geography and
railroads has much to do with it.
CD you yet hold that Cary is the
better place for the factory site9
A.-Thesame geographical and trans
portational conditions exist now as
existed then; hence my ideas are the
same, being based upon sound common
sense, busine, S principles and not on
question of beautiful groves, elegant
scenery, or fine buildings and qS.iet,
home-like surrounding.
Q-Do you think Mr.. Ivey can be
really in earnest when he says the
Hillsboro property sis worth more
than four times that at Cary7"
Al have no right to question Bro,
Ivey's sincerity. I can conceive of
some purposes for which it might be
worth four times as much" but not
for the home of our Alliance manutac-
turing enterprises.
Q-What areyour principal reasons
for preferring Cary7 Personal or
business %reasons2
Al have no personal reason other
make a simple site at Cary worth as
much to us, as a complete plant at the
place purchased. Ask Durham, Raj.
eigh, Goldsboro, Greensboro or any
other manufec curing and business
centre what they consider the value
of railroad competition. What was
| Durham's freight rates before the omen