The comet., 1879-11-22
BY s. II. STAoKHoUsE'
UNITY AMONG THE FARMERS.

There is no strength without unity
it applies equally as well to the
farmers interest as everything else.
Unity in politics, unity i'll war
nnitv in religion-unity among the
farmers means success and glorious
achievement. If farmers were more
united they would be stronger. Ihey
would be able to control their own
products, instead of having them con-
trolled by speculators. We don't SUI
fciently value the Importance of the
farmers interest-it is the Keystone,
the substratum upon which rests the
success of everything else. We to-
dov believe that the substantial pros
perity of the country does not come
from the financiering ability Of
sherman, or to the political sagaclty
and acumen of Statesmen, but to the
bountiful wheat and corn crops of the
west to the remunerative fields of
cotton and sugar in the south, and to
the profitable rice fields Of the Caroli-
mas. to these are we indebted for the
vast pouring in of gold from foreign
umarkets, the resumption of specie
payment, and the general, healthy
outlook. They all come from that
Great mine of wealth the soil.
Ex-Governor Seymour Of New York.
very happily said the other day: NOW
ten million Of farmers by attending TO
their business, plowing, sowing, reap
inc and exchanging their golden
wheat for guineas, marks, roubles ana
louis dor, have restored national
prosperity by unconscious alchemy,
which he called the craftsmanship
of the plow."
Years ago the great Daniel Webster
called the agricultural interest 1.-THE
sleeping lion of the country" Is 1t
not necessary then, that an interest
of such vast importance to the whole
country, should have more unity OF
action and encouragement. A writer
for "Colmans Rural World says:
The agricultural class are the only
class of men unOrganized for sell-pro-
lection. A few wealthy spectators
of New York city, or any other cIIy,
can unite together and purchase Ihe
larger quantity of wheat, pork, &c,
in fhe United States, and estapllsn
their own price for it. The farmer
nnorganized, will get in debt, and III
\ few months be compelled to pur-
chase that, at high price, which ne
has lust sold at half price. why Is IL
that wheat was only worth seventy,
five cents per bushel one month ago
Why is it now worth one dollar and
thirty cents per busheE Because
wealthy spectators have purchased
Iorop quantities to hold over for the
snring market, foreign demand, &c.
CouId not the farmers OF each State
rs easily have met together at their
capital' and, through their represen-
tatiyes, resolved-We will not sell our
wheat for less than S1.30 per bushel!
By unity of action they cou!d nave
ACCOMPLISHED the same result that
snpculatOrs have - the advance III
price of wheat. Wheat, pork, corn,
Nc. are necessities; the world must
have them. 1t would not get it at It's
own established price if farmers
would meet in convention in their
respective States and establish rea-
sonable price. If they were of other
avocations and had the power, as
they now have, they would do So 1t
is thus a few pork packers in a small
city often establish the price OF pork
for whole State, and often number
of States. If the farmers of each
State would meet in convention, and
through their representatives, estab-
lish reasonable price for pork this
fall. they would get it, whatever that
price might be. If men of other |
avocations had pork for sale they !
would 50 act. 1t is the farmers own |
fault that he is helpless, and at the |
mercy of monopolies, rings, &c. They
have the power Of self-protection, but
thev will not exercise that power. !
They do not read the agricultural
papers and become informed upon |
th6se topics. They do not support as
they should the agricultural press, /
their only means of communication
and advancement.