The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-08
"a BATTLE TO BE RE-FoUGHT."

"a BATTLE TO BE RE-FOUGHT."
Correspondence of The Progressive Earmer.
Under this heading the editor was
pleased last week to give a review of
the encrOachments and solidarity of
combinations which are this year
prepared to levy taxes of their own
on the farming interests. Where is
there anyone to seriously stand
against the levies which the trade
combinations see fit to make on the
cotton or any other farming interest?
The editor is blufing you readers
into belief that there is somewhere
farmers organization, and that in
some mysterious way this organiza-
tiOn will be able to "throw off the
shackles of capital" and march
forth with a chip on its shoulder
ready and able to cope with any
power on earth.
The facts are that the men who
make and sell the bagging and ties
know their ground and are well or
ganized to make some money. There
has been a magnificent rise in cotton
and every tyro who can harness a
mule or yoke a bull yearling in the
whole South is going to put pledges
on the future to secure bread and
meat and commercial manure to
make a crop" Without disastrous
conditions to the crop from Virginia
round to the remOtest limit of the
cotton belt in Texas the struggle is
on to grow cOttOn-mOre cotton than
ever before. 1t is only a question of
weeks and the lint will be ready to
pick and be put on the market The
season begins in June and lasts until
December.
Where is the farmers organiza-
tiOn with it's inspector who has
bank account behind him that can
say to the white planter of Texas, or
the cOlOred grower: "YOu need not
pay these exorbitant prices pile up
your seed cotton in as safe and dry
a place as possible; here is a loan to
you from your Carolina brother that
will enable you to meet your present
obligations. We will stand together
and fix the prices on these peoples
commodities " What other propo-
sitiOn than one carrying the force of
ready cash will serve to help a poor
cotton grower to redeem his pledges
and from paying whatever price is
demanded for groceries consumed,
for fertilizer used on crop mortgage,
and from ruin if he does not fulfill
the obligations entered into in order
to come in with cotton this year?
This year, of all the years of late,
is THE ONE wherein to plant corn,
potatoes, wheat and seed North
Carolina hillsides to grazing grasses.
These will raise more cotton profit
than can be cultivated out of the
earth in cotton after the outside
charges are paid and the crop for the
year has been counted and had it's
effect in settling the price of the lint
settling probably so low the grow
ers will hold empty purses when the
returns are all in and the bills
paid.
Ten years ago the Farmers ALI
ance was well organized and strong.
It's doings in the cotton bagging line
is one of the few things to go back
to. Instead of staying organized and
being farmers first and last some of
its trusted representatives have de-
MED their faith for Offices and others
have held back in their membership
because the ties that should are only
composed of sand of the micace0us
sort and do not bind
The rank and file are out for what
can be obtained by individual effort,
and they are as likely to reap on that
basis this year as any other in cotton
growing-mOre likely to reap the re-
suits of disOrganization than ever be-
fore. F. E. e.