The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-08-19
Address Of
Pres. John Graham
Continued from LIST page.

Continued from LIST page.
The Alliance has accomplished great
good in North COr0lina. 1t has ever
been the friend of the common school.
The state Normal and Industrial Col
lege for young women. located at
Greenshoru, and the Agricultural and
Mechanical College at Raleigh, are its
offspring.
Our legislative representatives. have
always been friends to the University,
and 10 the various charitable institu-
lions Of the State. The rate Of inter
est has been reduced to that our faith
ers paid, without injury TO the State,
but greatly To its advantage.
10 would be OF great benefit to cur
membership and ~ their communities,
il at their meetings, topics pertaining
TO agriculture were publicly discussed.
The condition OF our farms is deplOra-
BILE. We are allowing our lands to
wash away. The continuous cultiva-
ton of hOed crops will inevitably be
disastrous. We must protect our fields
by hill side bitches and terraces 1t is
cause for congratulatiOn that neces~
sity has taught our people more thor
Ougbly than precept the importance of
raising their own house supplies. Our
people are becoming self-sustainiug.
The waste Of money in the purchase
of commercial fertilizers is immense.
Even where these guanOs are as guar
anteed their use tends to increase the
area of cultivated market crops, such
as cotton, tobacco and peanuts to the
neglect OF food crops. But in my Opiu
ion all the manufacturers of guanO,
owing to the unWise demand for low
priced article, have lowered the stan
dard OF their goods. Asa proof of this
in my own experience in the cultiva-
tion of tobacco in new grounds, no
better results are obtained now by the
use of six hundred pounds Of guano
than were several years ago obtained
by the use Of three hundred pounds of
the same brand Of guanO, and yet the
present anal sis is fully up to the aver
age standard. Far better to have the
intrinsic value of our guaDO increased
and their bulk diminished. The saw
| ing in freight charges would be one
half, and to this should be added the
cost of hauling from depot to the farm.
The use of "fillers" in the manufacture
of tobacco is extensive. Worthless
| phosphates and cheap mari are most
commonly used as filters. For farmers
to sell their cotton seed at eight or
nine dollars ton, and buy low grade
guanOs at $22 per ton, is ruinOus. Buy
high grade acid phosphate, and mix in
proper proportions with cotton seed
and stable manure. Have our next
Legislature TO forbid the sale of guano
in North Carolina below given stan
dard. This would be great protec-
tiOn to your interests.
Another matter that you are greatly
interested in is the condition of your
| county roads. Wake and MeckleDburg
counties are improving their high
ways. Your cOnvicts should be en-
ployed upon your county roads.
| While it is absolutely necessary for
cOnvicts to be employed upon farms to
raise food for their support, the raising
of cotton is as much competition with
honest labor as the manufacture OF
shoes.
| Your business agency deserves your
support. Without your patronage it
cannot prosper. Its existence enables
you to buy from y our local merchant al
Alliance prices for the cash. There is
no objection to this if you deal enough
with your agency to keep it in flour.
ishing condition.
TO insure this support and your Owr
protection yOu should consult regularly
the price-llst in our organ, the Pro
gressive Farmer. Subscribe for it, anC
if possible pay for it in advance.
At your two last meetings you RAISED
your voice against the ninety mine
year lease of the n. G. Railroad. Thi;
You did in the interest of honest gov.
erDment in North Carolina. The mere
question of interest is insigufic
compared with the debauchery of youl
citizens. The rate of interest paid il
deceptive. As the investment in, tn,
building of the road was five millions
on the part of the State and privat,
stockholders while Ouly four millions o
bonds were issued. have been informe,
that between 100000 and $1,OOO,OOi
more were spent on the road, thu
making the road cost at least So 500 OOO
The danger to the State from that oc
tOpus OF monopoly, the Southern Rail
way is extreme.
IL already dominates another OF you
great through lines, and the SeabOar,
Air Line system alone prevents you
being at the mercy Of this monster
Equally disastrous to your interest
would be a monopoly of your trans
pOrtatiOn on the part of the SeabOar,
Air Line. The question of the lease O
the N. G. Railroad should not be locke,
npon as a fight between two rival rail
roads. In my opinion the SeabOar,
Air Line favOrs it's own absorption b.
the Southern. Prevent by Legislation
the consolidation under one manage
ment of those great roads. 1t is ca
lamity to the State that our railrOa,
magnates cannot see that extortiOn OF
their part prevents the development o
diversified industries and their owl
enrichment, together with that of thei
tpatrOns.
For your information in reference t.
the shoe factory and tannery, you ar
respectfully referred to the reports O
the executive committee, manufactur
ing committee and business agent.
Yours respectfully,
John GpAuAu