The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-05-22
Strange From His Viewpoint.

Strange From His Viewpoint.
Eilor Hr0id. II is surprisingly
strange 90 iiud the spirit of antago-
uism existing between so many of our
business men and farm organizations.
our local merchants and the farmers
j. the country adj cent to them ought
10 be- the best of friends, and cooper
ae with each other. Why? The
merchant cannot afford 90 oppose any
thing That adds To- the welfare of the
f,rmer. because iu doing So he is cur
failing hi- own business and placing
obstacle ion hi, pathway 10 success.
His profits come from his customers
and those profits depend not more
upon the number of his customers
than upon their ability TO purchase
their goods ID cannot be denied that
100 the agricultural communities the
merchants customers are principally
farmers, and if they could obtain prof
liable prices for their farm products,
the better customers they would be of
the merchants they patronize.
80 merchant who consults his own
interest will antagonize the farmers
who are his best customers. If this be
true. is it not The duty of all merchants
as we'll 20, To their interest 10 aid the
farmers i'm organizing i'm ofder TO real
lie "a profit on their products? lf the
farmers fail to yet this profit how can
the merchants expect profits on their
goods so one denies the right and
privilege of the merchants to buy and
sell their goods, and upon their profits
depend Their success 300 business.
Their profits ON these goods depend
upon the cost and the price at which
they ARE sold 40 one but themselves
can tell what the price must be to
carry a profit with it. therefore they
are The ones t0 make the selling price.
The farmers do not deny this, and we
claim to have the same GOd-given
right. But let as look and see If the
farmers are not denied this same priv
ilege. At the beginning of each year
they begin To invest their money IN
preparing To make crop, they plant
this crop, cultivate il, harvest il, and
prepare lt for market at an expense
which they alone can estimate, cOnse-
quently they and mo- one else ought
and can inielligeutIy iiX price at
which they can realize a profit, but al
this crisis we have not been consulted.
and have been altogether ignored,
whilst the tobacco trust has been fix
ing the price, on our tobacco and at
an unreasonable low price, and then
sell at prices TO satisfy their own
greedy appetite for gain, consequently
they have become rich and the farm
ers have bee getting poorer Since
farmers can make prices on their pro-
ducts only 10y cooperation, and they
can cooperate only by organization
they ought and should at once organ
lie for their own protection Is there
anything in thi, wrong. unfair or un-
JUST Would this be doing any more
than all other classes of business men
have done for their protection? Then
why should We bc criticized? Why
do we herr so many business men pre-
diet our attempt to organize will prove
failure3 Is % because they regard us
As "iguoramuses' only fit TO till the
soil, 20 enrich them and we become
poorer and poorer, until we are forced
10 leave our farms and seek employ
ment al The wages of a common Ia
borcr? This is "a question that il up to
the farmers 60 decide say farmers s.,
what are YOU going TO do2 Are you
going Co Dee >upiucly on your backs.
listening io the sugarcoated argu-
M cuts of The tobacco trust and their
cO-Workers, and allow them 10 bind
You hand and foot, or are you going
10 stand zap n defence Of your personal
rights and cry out "give me liberty or
give me DEATH II you adopt the
former plan you are doomed to pow
erty and want, If the latter you will
SOON reap lhe fruits Of your labor, and
prosperity will enter the homes of Viz
gina farmers. T. "a. BRUCE