The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-04-06


connected with the new organization
OF farmers has requested me with all
too complimentary words as 10 my
ability 10 do sol 10 write an article in
support Of the American Society Of
Of Equity. Advice rendered gratis is
generally spumed, but beng farmer
myself, relying on the products Of my
farm a. support Tor wife and family,
believing that 10 is the grandest sud
nohlest Of all yOcatiOns IN hearty ac-
cord with every legitimate move TO
improve the farmers lot, and having
become a member myself Of the or
ganizatiOn ] will attempt 10 put in
words my ideas concerning this move
ment. aud my advice a. o. our course
ofprocedure
Ii is known Of all men that in
"uni0n there is strength The found
ers Of this glorious land Of ours resliz-
ell its truth in the centuries gone by
in the union Of the various states
comprising this Republic.
In later years the principle has been
applied 20 commercial pursuits, and
in the ranks OF labor; and too often
alas this power begotten Of union,
has been used tyranically and despo-
tically, aud TO the detriment Of the
masses OF population; We, the tobacco
growers Of Virginia, Kentucky, &c,
have been the victims Of one phase Of
despOtic uniOn-the Union Of dollars
by "a combination 0fdOllars and brains,
uncrupulously used, the great tobac-
co lniols. or Trusts home and foreign,
have been able 20 dictate the price Of
our product. which for many years,
prior 10 last year has, except IN isOlat-
ed instance, been grown al bare
margin over labor and fertilizers, aud
in some cases at loss.
1t is against this state Of Affair tina
We are Kicking; We see the laborer de-
manding and receiving double the pay
OF five years ago, We see me
chanics. merchants, tradesmen pros
pering and flouri-hing, and the thought
has dawued on the farmer that he too
is entitled t0 some OF this prosperity,
and We are going % try whata "uni0n
Of hearts. and union Of minds will
DO for us
Tn my opinion the success or failure
OF the Farmer, MON rests upon two
crucial tests-the one is determination
Of purpose 90 stick together, even II al
first We don succeed, the second j. 10
be temperate. moderate and cOnserva-
tive iu all our demands. two wrongs
never vet made a right, and II We be-
come extremists and Overbearing and
unjust DOB our demands, as We claim
the great OH, Tobacco, Railroad and
other Trusts have become, We shall
meet and deserve failure.
Tobacco growing j. perhaps the
most tire-0me and costly ~ all crops,
not excepting a truck garden, from
plant bed % market 10 j. absolutely de-
pendent on the work Of mems hands,
unlike every other staple crop, ma
chiuerv cannot he used successfully IN
any OF the phases Of It's growth, har-
yest.ug or preparation for mar
ket. have calculated the sum Of
the various landings and find that
each individual plant Of tobccc0 10
handled by human hands lj times al
least. 90 say nothing OF blowing, cul-
tiNatiuC OBJ hOeing, 20 Wit, the little
plant is drawn ,ingly from the bed,
dropred -iugly ou the chill, planted
siugiy, pr.med, topped, suckered, one
plaut suckertd { time, cut, and
hung. assorted, and tied plant ~ plant,
and with labor approNimatiug a dol
lar day. the crop actually costs the
farmer nearly double what u did -
wears ago-in the matter of fertilizers
too. my personal experience Is that II
takes sIU Jos. an acre now % produce
as good a crop Of tobacco as 400 lbs.
would produce in years gone by.
Surely. boz the face Ofincessant, dirty
work. costly work. We have % do on
tobacco our fellOwmen will not deny
u a fair profit over and above cost.
Equity il our watchwOrd, which IN
the words OF the able, honest, fear
le-, President Of these United states
mean, "a square deal for every man"
This Is al We ask, and II any who
have or may join the Association OF
dark tobacco growers, seeks or advo-
GATES extreme measures, or excessive
demands, such ones should be sat
down on heavily.
To sum up. counsel and advise that
reason guide an our deliberations and
plans. that no abuse be heaped upon
anybody for differing with us-the
term, .'hill-biliy." and dump r al
ready coined by some light-w eight
members OF the order, are terms Of
derision which should he discounten-
anced and fr0wned down: remember
ing We are Americans not Russians,
and do our own thinking unhampered;
10 this be added a sincere determina-
ton 90 abide by all our pledges and
promises. regardless Of criticism or
golden bait that may be put In our
way 90 swerye O., from our purpose;
and a fair profit on our product over
and above an cost, of labor, fertilizer.
rent OF land, &c. be all our demand,
and ! feel assured We shall be endOr-
sed by all reasonable men, but II We
give way 90 temper. and abuse and
make excessive and Incorporate de-
mands. our organization will 90 down
In failure and shame, and the last
state Of the tobacco grower will be
worst than the first. - long pull, a
strong pull, and a pull altogether
with Equity a. our banner and We
shall win. n. OF Is.
The most rational remedy for Coughs
and Colds is Kennedy'- Laxative
Honey and Tar Ii act, on the bowels
~ amid ca,hariic-eXpels all cold from