The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-08-25
TObaCCOFarmcrSMcc
Continued from FIRST Page,

with the farmers in their present trouble.
He said that last year the farmers were
getting good prices for their tobacco and
their faces were bright and smiling but
that now they are low spirited and the
prospect for supporting their families IS
very dark indeed. There was competition
last year. the American Tobbaco Com
pany and the Imperial Company bid
against each other. but now they have
gotten together and they could hardly get
enough to pay warehouse charges. Let
Us all urge merchants and business men
to cooperate with us" said he, and not
force the farmer to sell their tobacco be
low the cost Of production Then Col
Cunningham read a newspaper clipping.
showing what farmers had done by coop
Grating.
Rev. DIT. L. L. Nash being called for
said that he was glad to see the farmers
taking steps to Organize, but they should
act carefully and prudent We are con
fronted by a great problem and a mighty
evii-the aggregation Of capltal-and the
tine has come for the manhood Of our
American citizenship to raise up in ther
might and stamp out the mighty octopus.
We should protect ourselves by organ
izing and having faith. We could not
succeed in business without faith any
more than we could IL religion He
Paid a glowing tribute to the cid Con-
Tolerate soldier, and asked that they rally
to the flag. His remarks were loudly
chcered, for they were full of the fire
CT enthusiasm.
Hon. B. II. Bum being introduced said
he did not come TO make a speech, but
came to hear and to find out if the farm
els were IN earnest that he had no plan
to suggest, but had been 4 farmer all his
life as we'll as a lawyer. and that he was
willing to put his shoulder to the wheel
and help. You cannot succeed by antag
onizing your neighbour" said he, 'you
must organize with the business men and
bankerss. Stand by your organization, l
and with your heart and soul. There is
plenty of strength and ability in this
crowd to succeed"
Mr.. Isaiah Carver, a farmer of Nash,
was next heard. He endorsed all that
had been said, and said that of a thous-
and farmers would stand firm and stick
to the plans adopted success would come.
He urged that they be not led away by
any promises that the American Tobacco
Company make, and that though the
farmers were now trying to form a
trust it was one to do justice. During
part of bis speech the audience got rest
less and began to talk and Mr.. Carver
adjured then IN the name OF their
fathers and mothers at home to hear him.
Hon. r. A. P. Cooley, of Nash, was
the next speaker. He said he was IN
full sympathy with the movement and
urged the necessity of organization Which
the American Tobacco Company had made
necessary. IF any man says you cant or
ganize tell him he IS q lar" he exclaimed,
for you can organize, and your success
will be the success of the lawyers. the
| Methodist and the banker"
Hon. W. F.. Parker, of Halifax, next
spoke briefly, saying his heart was with
the purpose IN view, but that he had nc
plan to offer.
Mr.. j. f. Pogue, of Raleigh, secretary
of the State Agricultural Society was
next introduced. He declared tie time
had come for action and that time for
talking was past, that the 800 people for
whom he had met in Rocky Mount in De
cember had now grown to 5000. He read
q plan for independent tobacco manufac-
turtles which contemplated a union of the
forces of merchants and tobacco growers
in cooperation. He suggested that shares
of $25 each be taken and that tWcnty-iy"
tobacco factories with a capital OF SIS, 000
! each be established. these to manufacture
tobacco into the various kinds in use.
The output would be three million pounds
manufactured annually, fifty hands to
each factory and besides the profits the
wages of these would aid the commun
lily. The plan was referred to the commit
tee.
Mr.. W.. p. Bachelor next read the pur
poses and plans of the North Carolina
Farmers Protective Association and dis
tributed pamphlets bearing upon these. Ii
being stated to the convention that the
News and Observer of today contained
plans to be presented to the conNentlOn
there was an eager demand for COPIES
Of the paper and hundreds were distribu-
ted.
Mr.. Frank S~tronach, of Raleigh, Nas
next called for. Despite his opening re
marks that he had not come to spcai
he made a most eloquent ana p~ractica
talk, urging immediate action. He did no
believe that the purpose OF the meeting
was to fight any one but to protect the
farmers interests. He SAID he did no
believe in a boycott, but he did believe
III the combination Of the farmers to pro
teCt their interests. during his Speecf
he alluded to the fact that eighteen year,
ago he had conducted the first sale Of 20
bacco on the Rocky Mount market. H.
said In conclusion that 1t seemed The
purpose of the tobacco trust to sweep The
tobacco farmer off the face OF Inc earth
MI. G. L.. Joyner, of Pitt said he haC
come to listen, but that he urged organ
ization not in malice but Tor protection
That once organized the farmers shoulc
stand firm to their Obligations and tina
those not with the farmers should get gu
of the organization.
Then came a speech Iull Q
humor and sound sense. Il wa
Mr.. Jesse Brake, CT EdgecOmbe
who made this. He said that the othe
speakers said they had no axes to grind
) but that. he had and had eleven children t.
turn the crank for his axes were gettiny
dull. Christ had his Judas, Washington
his Arnold, look out.that both are not i
our ranks. If we don't watch out the.
will creep IN Farmers are like sleep,
; lions, but if you wake them they wi
II show thaIr tooth and their STRENGTH oc