The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-02-27
OPPOSITION TO
TOBACCO TRUST
Grom News and ObseryerD


ments uttered by President Cunning
ham in introducing General Carr ana
the generals S speech was frequently
punctuated with outbursts Of resound-
ing applause. He held the absolute
attention Of his large audience. and
his words Of wisdom and stirring eIo-
quence found response in every farm
er'S heart.
General Carr said in part:
y raise my hat to you gentlemen
and extend to you the glad hand. be
cause you represent in my judgment,
the hardest worked and poorest paid
Of the citizenship of North Carolina
But, it was not always so, and | am
sure that you are quite ready to agree
with me, the cause is not far to seek
and the remedy is in your own keep
ing, thank God. And that remedy is,
organization.
The first public utterance I ever
made in North Carolina was thirty
four years ago in the city of Raleigh,
to Il convention of tobacco men-1i1e
your honorable selves, and the grav-
amance of that utterance was then as
now, organization.
IF there was then-when men in
the tobacco business had liberty, when
men were free born and tWenty-one,
when men exercised the privilege of
conducting their business according to
their own conscience, under their own
vine and tig-tree, where none dare
modest or make afraid repeat. if
there was then occasion for organiza-
ton, the necessity now is one hum
dred fold greater.
Organization, my cOuntrymen, on
the basis that judge, in the days
gone by in staid Old North Carolina,
prescribed as q lawful fence, Horse
high, bull strong, and pig tight as
l view the situation is your only sal
walton. l speak unto you as wise men,
pray consider we'll what [ say. Keep
out of your organization all politics,
and let it be an organization where
all men who seek the welfare of the
tobacco can meet on a just and honor
able baSiS,-Send Seif-SeekerS to the
rear, and put none but good and true
men on guard,-prOve faithful to your
trust, and as sure as a just God pre-
sides over the universe, and rules the
destnies OF men, victory is yours!
There occurs to me at this moment
an instance in history, somewhat
analogous to this occasion. Precisely at
one o'clock, on the 25th of June, 1909
boats put off from the opposite shore
of the river Nieman, at the little town
of Tilsit in Prussia, and roWed rap
idly for q raft anchored in mid-stream.
Out of each boat stepped a single in
diVidual and the two met in q small
compartment constructed for the pur-
pose, on the center Of the raft Wise
men were in counsel that day, and the
welfare of the civilized world hung
largely upon their deliberations and
decisions. Artillery Numbered from
both shores, and the shouts of great
armies drawn UP on both banks
drowned the roar Of artillery-the two
persons were, the EmperOrs Napoleon
and Alexander and history says they
met to arrange the destinieS of man
kind. The conference lasted two
hours, and yet. was fraught with con-
sequences mOmentOuS to millions.
There is no river Nieman here, but
solomon wisely says, In the multitude
of counsel there is WISDOM, and it is
my earnest expectation that as a re-
suit of this convention wise plans Will
be projected that will bring relief to
the one interest of North Carolina that
is threatened to be throttled Of its
very life.
Men are money mad, csteeming its
acquisition the one earthly good, and
to such patriotism is a discarded viT-
tue. Where is all this to end? Can
freedom survive among men who are
lSelf-cOnfeSSed slaves to greed? Wealth
honestly obtained, with due regard to
the rights Of others, does not usually
breed envy in the minds of the less
fortunate. But ill-gOtten wealth,
iamaSsed mainly through grinding into
practical serVitude the masses of the
people, can never fail to excite con-
ditions of irritation and distrust
You men in whose veins runs blood
that has shown its color on every civic
or alien field Of strife since first this
land was made the home of the white
man. on you [ call TO take the lead
IN North Carolina.
Bring us back to the old and safe
moorings,-set up again the old land
marks,-tell ii from the house-tops
that your pledge is short, but full Of
meaning, to-Wit: Free trade and sail
or's rights and that you are unWili-
ing to abate one jot or title of your
rights to corporation rule or dictation.
1T is sometimes doubted in this
! broad land whether occasions like this
upon which we have met are altOgeth-
| er wholesome and praiseWorthy. My
| information is, that in this trust-rid-
! den community some criticism have
| been Illuminated, but my countrYmen,
as Harry BurgWyn, the daring, dash
| ing colonel Of the immortal 26th
North Carolina regiment. said as they
were climbing the bloody, slippery
heights at Gettysburg. amid the
| lea aden hail of death-Steady mon
steady men-onIy be true to your
| eeIves-don't side step from the path
| Of duty, though the lightenings flash
scorch the ground beneath your feet
Never surrender your desire to be en-
tirely free, to do and to trade when
YOU please, where YOU please, and with
whom you please.
My fellow | am no
| alarmist, and God forbid that | should
! be a prophet of evil, but there can
bt. no denying the fact that the great
agricultural interest which you repre-
! sent. stands face 10 face today With a
great crisis, and it becomes you to act
wisely and circumspectly.
when Aneas, the Trojan, was COM
/ manded by the Queen Of Carthage to
relate the tragic story of the fall of
! Troy-the grand old warrior gave eN-
preston TO his unutterable grief in
the question: Who Of the myrmy
dons, or what follower of the stern
| Ulysses could refrain from tears at
such a recital?'
MY yfelloW-countrymen, fOreWarned