The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-24
FARMERS UNIONS.

FARMERS UNIONS.
Our Bowie special of yesterday gave
an account of the meeting at that place
of the Farmers Alliance whore some
200 farmers were in attendance and
their determination to put q cotton
yard by union Of effort at tho depot
and make other suitable arrange
meDts for the easy handling OF their
products in Bowie. This il step in
ex lctly tho right direction. The me-
chanics and printers and railroad men
aud nearly all classes % workers are
getting together and finding discus
sipn and cooperation IN matters di-
roctly pertaining to their field of labor
beneficial. Why should not the far
mers do likewise and DO likewise ban.
Gifted? The tendency in all trades
and business now Is towards union
aud cooperation and tho agricultural
class upon which all others depend,
have too long depended upon indi-
vldual fGncles and efforts for success.
la this connection meeting re-
comfy held by farmers' club in Ala.
bama Is worthy of notice. ThOy met
ana adopted certain set Of regula-
tons and among them the following
in brief: To stay at home and work;
TO attend TO their own business and let
their neighbours alone; TO use good
common sense in tanning and lot the
shade take care of itself and lastly anu
most important Of all, to raise more
grain and stock and loss cotton and
pay their labor5rs promptly, And
thoy ought to have said and, under no
circumstances, ii possible to avoid, to
go In debt. Such resolutions formal
adopted and lived up to, will soon
make any farming community iade.
pendent and rich.
Oar Southern farmers depend too
much upon single staple, upon ono
crop. They seem not TO have learned
got that variety is the spice Of farm
ing, as it is ofliGo, ana pinning their
faith TO king cOtto0, no longer king,
they meet with disaster year after
year. 1t is often, as at present, that
wheat and corn Of superior quality and
in abundance are produced, and yet
the cotton crop DO poor or totally
ruined one. True, there is a fair cot
ton ciop this year, but not such 8 She
corn, or indeed, entire grain crop. Ao
cldents and loss cen only 10 guarded |
against by variety of crops, it seldom
happening that all crops fail in the |
same year. There could DO no wiser !
conclusion tlan that OF those Alabama |
farmers, born doubtless Of bitter ex-
perioncc, "to raise moro grain and
stock and less cotton"
"Pay as you So" is not always possi-
bio, but il is many times when Tho wis.
Ion OF tho policy is ignored, aud a
good credit produces reckless oXpsndi.
uros. IL thore was "a stronger and
Wider purpose OF living up to such n
MOTTO, 10 would bo but season or two !
,oioro mortgages by tho agricultural
lass would disappear, and surplus
arning9 begin 20 create wealth aud
Independence FOR the future.
just thoso desirable policies are tho
mes that would be- most directly fo1.
cred by cooperation, by honest and I
universal alliances, both offensive aud {
defensive. Such clubs would rosultin
icw dopar turca and improved moth
ds in farming; would discover the
weakness ~ th1 old custom OF hang
ng b ono staple or crop and obylate
no necessity olgoiug 10 heavily in debt
ruiuous interest rates % strangers 6
nd professional "mOuoy chungers." Y
cooperation would prevent oNt1r.ion
nd discrimination ON the part OF rail-
pads, business circles and strangers
1n0rally with whom tho farmer q
lmCs tn contact. IL is o farmers
ni0nrather than grange, as now nm
lss.ood, that vii! accomplish those =
,sults and that alone. In these days
either the farmer nor the merchant
m afford 90 dospls3 small things.
yorything must be doneand handled
lat will bring in tho funds. Tho day
dollars has disappeared, IL may \
r0ht our agricultural friends 10 pom
en- over those things awhile.