The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-05-17
The Farm,
Farmers, GardneYs, Horticuiturists,
Dairy and Stockmen are requested to
WYite for this Department.
The Necessity of Organization.

prive him of the fruits of his own labor,
it is evident that organization among
farmers is an absolute necessity. The
various capitalistic conspiracies against
the interests of agriculture, railroad,
tax, patent, food .adulterating and trust
robberies, in sll their different phazes,
have been fully exposed; the conspir-
ators have been held up to popular
contempt, and the farmers have been
urged to mass their strength and in
fuence against the systematic efforts to
rob them and to deprive them of their
rights and, in some measure. their lib
critics. The work of resisting the en-
croachments of capital, greed and viii
lainy upon the interests of the produc-
ing classes, has been crowned with con.
siderable success. Indeed, but for the
ceaseless, determined, and emphatic op.
position to the schemes and plots of the
financial plunderers of the farmer, the
trusts and monopolies in general would
to-day be masters of the situation, and
the people on our farms would be hope,
lessly bound in chains. The spirit of
greed has been held in check to won
derful extent by the outspoken denun.
citation of its methods and aims, and by
the comparatively inefficient organiza-
tion that has been secured among the
producers of the country.
Still the robbery of the farmer has
been great and constituencies through
all these dozen years. Millions of dol.
lars have been unlawfully transferred
from our farms to the pockets Of
schemers, and the work of despoliation
goes steadily on. Why? We ask the
question why? And to that question
we would like a frank answer from
every farmer who reads it. The reason
is that thousands of farmers have not
yet identified themselves with any of
the farmers organizations. The Ali
ance, the Grange and the Wheel have
appealed to our producers to enlist in
the work of protecting their own rights,
and yet powerful as these organizations
are, it is fact that there are more
farmers outside of them than there are
within their ranks. Is this as it should
be? When there is combination against
us, as there is upon every hand, what
must be thought of class that refuses
to assert the authority of the first law Of
nature-self:preservation, and adopt the
only practical means to save itself
There can be no successful combination
against a thorough organization Of
farmers. Organized they can directly
and indirectly make congresses, legis
latures, presidents and governors, con-
troll commerce to greater or less ex-
tent, direct education, and in word be
the directors of all matters that pertain
to the interests of our society. There
is not political party in existence thai
they cannot mould to suit them, if they
cannot monld to suit them, if they will
there is not public question that they
cannot solve in their own interest and
the interest of the whole country. They
have the majority of votes; they have a
recognized character for worth and sta
bility, and they have an aggregate
wealth that is great, and might be in
fuential. But unorganized none Of
these things count for anything. The
individual farmer is helpless. His
voice is like the passing zephyr that is
scarcely noticed; his complaints are rid
iculed; his acknowledged character as q
good, substantial citizen does not count
for as much in practical results as the
character of the lowest pot house poll
tician in our cities, for he strikes hands
with his kind and with demagogues and
thus becomes an actual power.
Organization is the farmers only
hope. 1t is through organization alone
that he can secure his rights and pre-
serve his liberty. 1t is through organ
izatimn among the farming classes alone
that this Republic can hope to endure
1t is startling fact that one fourth Of
our population is now in cities Of over
eight thousand inhabitants. 1t is a
still more startling fact that the city
population is continually on the in
crease and the rural population is con-
tinually on the decrease. The natural
inAuerce of the city is lad. 1t is in
the city that hungry poverty is found,
and hungry stomach is menace to
the peace and safety Of society; it is in
the city that crime is fostered and crime
means danger to system of govern