Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-09-28
Organizations and Movements of the
Farmers

Age OF Steel.
1t is patent that we are about to
witness a revival Of farmers organi-
cations on the great scale of the old
grange days. Ever since the jute
bagging and binder Irvine trusts be-
came VIGOROUSLY offensive the spirit
of revolt has been rising amongst
the agricultural classes. True, it is
unreasoning, for the most part; but
it frequently happens that great
movement is instinctively correct as
blind protest, though altogether
illogical and impracticable, as means
of immediate redress. The farmers
feel, and have felt for years, that
the rewards of industry are not COM
ing their way in great fullness the
census showed that their returns were
three and one halfper cent. on invest
ment; but how to better their con-
dition is problem which they nave
as yet Intellectually tried to solve. AT
one time it was thought the railroads
were the "robbers" of crop profits,
and in Iowa and some of the other
States this view has led to the enact
ment of statutes of the greatest
severity against common carriers,
but apparently with little or no adj
vantage to the interests sought to be
protected. AT another time the
grange scheme, looking to the re-
organization and control of the minor
agencies of distribution, was resorted
to; but from the very nature of
things the results accomplished in
this direction were meager and
ephemeral. The movement ended
finally in disaster; but the memory
of it lives to remind Us that as an
effort of the cooperative and self-help
order it was one Of the most brilliant
known to industrial history.
The present movement of the
farmers, as we have intimated else
where, is remarkable for nothing in
particular except as indicating unrest,
and for its magnitude. Occasionally
in some sections, it seems to concern
itself slightly with political, but more
with economic, questions and it is
with these phases Of the agitation
that statesmen and thoughtful men
in every station and calling should
interest themselves. For herein, il
is not at all improbable, lies the dan
ger Of disturbance to existing cOndi-
tons of industry.
In the South, where oranges,
agricultural societies, alliances, and
wheels have formed with marvellous
rapidity in the last year or two, the
aims and purposes of organization
have been kept within safe and
perfectly proper limits, as rule,
True, the opposition to the jute bag.
ging trust has been something more
than protest, but much is to be
excused for the attitude of hostility,
especially when it is considered that
cotton wrapping for their cotton
would save the planters annually
about $3,OOO,00O. Generally, as was
developed by the proceedings of the
recent Agricultural Congress al
Montgomery, Ala, the farmers at the
South are mOstinterested in question;
of practical work, labor, and schools
They do, it is true, conduct store.
occasionally in connection with theil
oranges; and only the other day tn,
State Wheel Of Arkansas organized
at Little Rock stock company Will
Il capital of 100000, to conduct {
general mercantile business, to act a,
agents in the sale and purchase of al
kinds of farm and orchard products
to erect, manage, and operate ware
houses, stock yards, grain elevators
etc., and to handle the agricultural
and manufactured products of it
members, and to engage in sucl
other enterprises as may be necessary
also to establish publishing house.
In the West, the movement en-
cages more seriously with economi
questions and at the Springfield
convention last week at which tn
Farmers Wheel and the Farmers
Alliance united as the Farmers an,
Laborers' Union of America" tn