Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-04
SHALL WE GIVE 1T A FAIR TRIAL.
70 the CHRONICLE:


more in regard to The matter youl
readers may become tired of the
subject. and accuse me OF being
crazy on that question.
| To such as may be getting tired
of the theme, I will make the prom.
Use of not soon intruding upon their
patience again if they will only
read and duly consider this article,
which by the way is written, main
ly, in compliance with the request OF
a friend and to those who may adj
judge me crazy because of my man.
ifestations OF interest, l will say
That when cease to feel an inter
est in, or desire organization and
cooperation among farmers. whilst
1 make that my business, l shall
either be in the stage of second
childhood, or regard myself as Dor :
dering pretty closely on lunacy, or
idiOcy.
am induced to feel and take an
interest in this matter, not solely
because of the Individual benefit to
be derived by myself, but for the
immense good that may accrue
from it to the general agricultural
interest and masses of the State.
That it can be made a great benefit
to farmers as class, is just as plain
to me, as the problem of two and
two making four under the rules of
simple addition. And it is not
only plain to me, but equally so to
rnany Others, us can be shown by
the fact, that large number of the
most intelligent farmers through
out the union openly advocate
union and cooperation among far
mers, as the only source from which
they can expect to derive, as class
general intelligence, self-protection
and their proper proportion of So
cial influence.
In addition to these, a very large
number of others who do not pub
licly advocate the doctrine, or make
any noise abou. the matter, very
willingly and readily unite with all
local organization that may be
formed in their midst, thus show
ing their belief in benefit to be de-
rived from the same. And again
very large number of the remain
ing class are willing to, and do adj
NIT, that organization would be
good thing, If all farmers t0OuLd go
into 1t, and stick to ii. And yet this
latter class are the very ones that
won't go in and stick to it, but
must "lCaH to see tUltetheT ii l0iH pay
or not" Now when we take into
count those farmers that publicly
advocate cooperation, and those
that very readily unite with such
cooperation societies as may be
formed in their neighborhood, and
also those who admit that it would
be "gOod thing" elf farmers
would only go in, and stick to it,"
then we have not less than three
fourths of all farmers, (and every
intelligent one) who does in some
manner acknowledge that Organi-
cation and proper cooperation
would be advantageous to farmers
as a class.
And the same may be said of all
public journals, or newspapers, un-
der the control of conservative and
well informed men, who are friend
ly to the farming interest, for they
do in every instance, when the mat
ter is under consideration, advo-
cate the doctrine of union and CO.
operation, among the agricultural
classes.
may be able to go further and
say, that all Intelligent persons of
almost every trade or profession,
(save only few, which l shall
hereafter name,) who are friendly
to the interest of agriculture, and
desire success for farmers as a class,
will readily acknowledge union and
cooperation among farmers, as
best for their general and material
interest.
Those few here excepted who do
not desire organization among far
mers are members, or beneficiaries
of certain mOnied mOnopOlies, or
speculative combinations, who usu-
ally pocket the almost entire pro-
profit, derived from the proceeds of
agriculture, and are, without labor,
or trouble, annually growing richer
upon the products of the farm,
whilst many of those who must toll
from year to year in order to create
these products are scarcely enabled
to have the necessaries of life. AS
a matter of course these persons do
not desire a thorough system of or
ganizatiOn among farmers. for it
would very greatly lessen their
chance for fleeing them, and there
by enable the farmer himself to
share at least part Of the profits of
his own labor But, trusting that
your readers will excuse this di-
erosion, l will proceed with my SUBJ
ject.
While do not wish to tax their
patience by attempting to name the
many advantages to be obtained
through union and co operation on
the part of farming, / wish to ask
plain custom that hope each and
every one will lake into serious con-
sideratiOn.
1t is this; That while more than
three-fOurths ofthe farmers them
selves, and all others who are their
friends, openly say, or willingly
admit, that proper system of or
ganization and cooperation would
certainly be advantageous to far
mers as class. Might there not be
something IN il.
At any rate would there be any
very great harm in trying il &? |