The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-08
STATE FARMERS UNION NEWS
To the Press of the State:

To the Press OF the State:
Some weeks ago there appeared in
the National Field. the weekly farm
paper owned by the National Farm
ers' Union, q circular letter sent out
by @ Dallas hardware firm urging
their retail stores to demand Of the
farmers that they sell cotton and pay
their accounts. 30 that the retaile,.
could pay the Wholesale. and so on.
President Lewis Of the Texas State
EermerR Union answered this cirGu-
ler letter effectively when he 6afd
why is the farmer picked out az the
only one who ia to sell his wares ut
coat or below to keep trade mOying?"
It was announced that New York
frm was go much pleased with this
circular that they would send out ten
thousand copies in the east, OF course
without the answer Of the Texas Far
tners' Union. A Charleston newspa-
per published 1t and perhaps other
papers in the State also. From the
standpoint Of the merchant It sounds
like good advice.
Taking up the circular Mr. Kanouf,
O hardware salesman OF Florence, 1
am informed, has published several
letters giving farmers down the coun-
try for not selling their cotton and
paying thar debts. One OF his pet
sentiments 10 "Farmers, what would
you do II notices were posted saying
No goods sold after Jan. 1st, 1915,
except for ceBh?" He then proceeds to
read O. good lecture OF about three
fourthstoS>a column to the farmers on
tho 1sed5 to them of being honest. etc.
When read his frat letter, I was
disposed to. be provoked o. what ap-
peaFed to-. be o part of conspiracy
OF the Texas hardware house to force
the, 1aemers to sacrifice cotton to
n1Rtntgin the credit and standing of
MERCHANTS. But when Mr.. Knous re-
peAted and I saw how seriously he
toQk himself It became amusing.
1 1wonder II he has considered what
W0ufd heppen. II the merchants could
s.s Asssess.saea &c put ur such sign ?
Well In the first place they would
hot lite up to It thirty days. With al
most nothing being sold along about
thaf last week I'm January a .;.rMer
Would 60 to town and the mercnant
tfat ne usually bought goods from
wonla aay "Mr. Blank. come in and
lot he sell you something" "No, I
have no money" "Well that doesn. I
apply to you, when ever YOU want
anything come In and get 1t. We know
&hnj afa all right" The farmer would
fy4Wall, believe do need q pair
OK nion lines; 1t is rather trying to
plbw with grapevines." And SO the
credit eyesem would be in full awfng
again yor; Mr.. Blank would only be
ono tia thousands OF farmers ap4
pfGaGhed Sin the anrae way. ai. &,
.aHstks Just suppose for argument that
thG}merchents would live up TO such
aaRlans Business would be reduced
ttft1sH thahy half, Nearly all the book.
kAe4Hs1 would lose their Jobs. HALF
TIE would be discharged. Mr..
tSAGSufr would be one OF the saleemefi
t}It lpse his Job or his territory would
I'D: NOR All than Doubled ITO take the
3]SaRp ;tfe solae other good man who
l2t54zt hepeh 70 seek other employment.
tfones ot stheae men could get work as
Narbsnters Or. builders. for these
WAGES would be Gdischarsing men.
pheH could not get work on the freight
Afa34s. for the railroads would have
I'D fAy OF their crews part Of the time,
,AWlHg 80 the. scaFcif1 "a travelling
seRlnRMelt and other travellers gome
bhsEenger trains would be discontin-
Asdt Those clerks, bookkeepers, sales
s;fAen mason6. carpentera, etc. could
9tpt even get Jobs as section hands
i,5bri fewer trains, and lighter ones
Would mean less repair TO tracks and
ifnaA bed and section men would be
1Atd roR to still further increase army
SS The unemployed.
e ;s,, ssAhAtt could they do? am afraid
p}ar friend, Mr., Kanouf and his friends
would have to try taking up some Of
the Huimproved lands that are such
xodfce OF annoyance to our worthy
epmMtBsioner Of agriculture. and tho
nfQ9fehstve boards of trade OF our
:Sat!es, aided and obetted by the edit
!9E6ss0f our metropolitan dailies who
;arAsc sclainnring for Belgian farmers to
Sah9W VI natives how to farm. Me-
thlnk0 by the time our friend had
Cleared Q piece OF land, grubbed, and
Drained it;s huilt o modest settle.
ment, bought stock and Implements
esed land fertilizers. even II he did
NOT slsa anything but ground lime.
ston stnd eghlnes to put his land IA
shhpn Tor cotton and corn, that he
W6ufd want mot III 0tUr .l5 cents for his
cotton bntf 90 or 26 cents. and he
would tell his many advisers to mind
fteir own business, he would sell
when he had proat, or they could
TAKE It, from him by forces.
there were ny credit production
would he 90; reatscted that In spite
0sN shese acceaaions to the, ranks Of
fne: e:taTmera every farm product would
he higher and the farmers who would
would ,,be tnctover. What grand
thing st would be for the farmers iP
TIE merchants 81 would only take Mr..
lKahouPs aaytce While the swarms
ots people rYshoS would, bs thrown out
OK EtaGmpEoyfnHn1 were wrestling win