The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-11-29
AN ADDRESS 70 THE FARMERS
OF NORTH CAROLINA.

-
The Time for Action Has Come..-The
Destiny Of the Farmer in His own
Hands--What VIII ae Dor
Correspondence Of The Progressive Farmer.
The battle of the giants has been
fought and the smoker is clearing away.
The list OF casualties has been pub
.lished, and now all seems quite and
serene, except the shouts of the victors
that occasionally burst upon the air.
The people r resuming their peace
full aVocations. Aud now after all the
turmoil and strife which usually sub
sides after an election, woul / it not be
a proper time for the farmers of our
State to
r. LAY ASIDE THEIR PRFJUDICES
and look squarely into the future that
they may ascertain, if possible. how
much they are bettered and what
course they ought to pursue in order
that they may have that measure Of
prosperity to which they are 90 fully
entitled3
The necessity of organization among
them has been so often discussed and
so clearly proven that it would be
t%hreshing old stray to attempt it in
this article; hence I shall only say that
as we look around at the diff avo-
cations of men we 6nd that the most
prosperous are those who are organ.
lied, and who by the power that or.
g~anization alone can give, are growing
in wealth and influence.
THE FARMER ALONE HAS FAILED
to pool his interest with his brother
farmer. Consequently he still suffers,
and though he creates the vast wealth
of the country, does not retain enough
Of this wealth (the production Of his
own toiD to make him comfortable,
much less independent. These facts
having been placed before the farmers
of the State q few years, ago, they
united themselves manfully together
in the Farmers Alliance, and for some
time they made a gallant fight and in
that struggle gave the world an object
lesson that taught a lesson that the far
mer never ought to have forgotten-the
power of organic alton. And had they
persisted in their union and efforts,
any political party would have been
compelled to have given them their
demands. Unfortunately the apple Of
discord was thrown into the ranks,
and as this discord grew, instead of re-
naming in the Order and settling their
differences, many left it. The conse-
quence is that without their aid and
advice, 80 much needed. the Order has
and is still suffering.
And it may not be improper just here
to look back and see what was done,
and If what was or has been done has
been beneficial to the farmers or is
likely to be to their interest. First We
will look at the matter from a political
standpoint. By organic alton the farm
ers began to study the cause of their
depressed condition and in their meet
ings to discuss these matters, this led
up to much reading and they we're not
long in deciding that the cause was in
legislation, that while the manufac,
turer was protected behind the ram.
pants of the tariff. the banker was safe
under bomb proofs built for him by
legislative power; the farmer alone
had no help. The same government
that he is making rich was a partial
parent, feasting and f~attening those Of
it's children who live in luxury, and
who do not create wealth, while that
one upon whom it is dependent for
even the food it needs, did not have
any legislation at all in his interest.
Hence the Alliance brought forward
it's demands. Upon the necessity of
these demands, or upon their justice,
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY DISAGREE.
MENT
The rock upon which we struck was as
to the manner of getting these wheher
in a new party or in the old ones. Those
who remained in The Democratic party
as a rule, left us-R mistake that has
been clearly proven. Then came the
charge that the Alliance had gone into
politics. Was this charge true3 That
much has been said that was unpless
ant by both Democrats and Populist
that was unnecessary, is too true.
But that any other than constitutional