The progressive farmer., 1901-07-02
HOW SHALL WE BUILD UP THE FARM.
ERs' ALLIANCE!
Orange Co., N. @.

ERs' ALLIANCE?
Lecturer Gates Gives 1t as His Opinion That
1t Must be Done by Promoting Improved
Farming Methods-Develop the Educational
| and Social Features.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The time is now ripe for the Alli-
ance in North Carolina to start on a
new era of usefulness, and our peo-
pie are becoming more and more con-
vinced that this era should be along
a line somewhat different from that
heretofore pursued.
The first object of our organiza
tion should be, and is, to benefit the
farmers. We must, however, if we
wish full membership, SO demon.
strate our ability to do this, and our
surety to so do it that all who have
interest at stake will come forward
to do their part and to receive their
portion of benefit. Then, and then
only, will our organization be what
it should be, or fill it's proper place
and do it's best work.
If this be so, then in what manner
is it most needful that we help one
another and how shall we show be-
yond doubt that work along such
a line would be eminently proper
and a work in which all our people
should engage?
The late census, showing that more
than so per cent. of our North Caro-.
lima population live in the country,
again proves that we are, in spite OF
the large manufacturing tendency,
an agricultural people, and shat we
will be so for many years to come
Our organization, then, bringing to.
gether such large part of our popu.
lation, would have considerable
strength and influence.
How shall this strength and influ
ence be used? Shall we as body
a great body, spend our time fight
ing the merchant with his lone
prices, the doctor, with his costly
prescriptions, or the trusts, which
probably effects US few cents each
per year? No, no Let the merchant
charge high, let the doctor prescribe
and let the trust monopolize, let
every other class of people run thei1
own business and let US run ours
Here we will find work enough to do
1t is ours to build up the agriculture
interests of the State, and the edu
catiOnal interests of 80 per cent. OF
her sons and daughters.
1t has come to be too prevalent
an opinion, and indeed l fear that
this opinion is not confined to out
siders, that the Alliance is primarily
to enable us to save a small amount
on our purchases, to buy a ploW
point for five cents instead of ten
and not to make US better farmers
better men, with broader minds anC
fuller knowledge.
The Business Agency is a good
thing, and its only need is further
patronage. The Manager, Bro. Par
ker, deserves to be commended fol
his zeal and industry in this work
If, however, we are going to make
this the main feature, it had better
be wiped out altogether.
When we can have nice meeting
halls, stocked with good reference
libraries, and the leading farm Jour
nails when we can have a well-pre
pared programme carefully carried
out at each meeting with an occa
siOnal address by some eminent
speaker; when we can have better
farms, do bigger business and have
brighter homes, will it not be evi
dent that we are on the right track
at last? And will any good farmer
need even a discussion of the matter
that he may see which way duty
points?
There is a great work and a great
future for the Alliance in Nortt
Carolina, and every true Alliance
man should try to "help it on. -
III. M. Gates.
Alamance Co., N. G.