Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-12-08
CONSOLIDATION.

and southern organizations; the Farm
ers' Mutual Benefit association, the Pa
irons of Industry, not to mention several
lesser societies, are each and all striving
to advance the farmers condition, So
cially. Internationally and financially.
The Farmers league supplements these
orders by carrying the farmers wants
into actual polirics-a field not usually
touched upon by the other organizations.
several notable instances excepted.
The first class of organizations work
for essentially the same object, but in
different lines, under different forms,
rules and leaders. They, therefore, COM
pete with each other to some extent.
The rivalry is usually a friendly one,
and when this is true no harm results.
Still, jealousies and ambitions exist to
such an extent, and the fundamental
principles OF pervading spirit of our vari-
GUS farmers societies are SO diverse. that
the attempt has thus far failed to unity
all these forces into one grand order.
Nor is it at all likely that the devoted
Patron of Husbandry will give up the
grange to unite with the Alliance, OF
vice versa. And, if all were to ANAL
gamate into one body only, the union
could last but short time, owing to the
diversities Just referred to. Such alb
sorption into one order would also de-
stroy the incentive to work which the
existing rivalry promotes. But there is
simple and practical way in which
unity can be brought about among all
these influences in so far as their work
is identical.
Let us initiate the example of the
American Association for the Advance
ment of Science, one of the simplest but
most powerful levers for promoting sci
entific work. Form the American Asso-
citation of Agricultural Organizations.
Let its active board be composed OF ex-
ecutive officers Of the various national
orders among farmers, including the
American Association OF Agricultural
Colleges and Experiment Stations. This
representative body could devise ways
for general cooperation on all matters
upon which the various orders could
agree. Measures upon which it was i'm
possible to harmonic the respective bod
les would be left to them. Thus the in
dlviduality of the variors orders would
not be interfered with: they would all
work together on subjects of common
interest, each continuing its work in
special lines in its own way.
The great simplicity, inexpensiveness
and strength of this form of union must
commend it to all. Jtwould be compar-
atively easy for the American Associa-
ton of Agricultural Organizations to pre-
pare a plan of educational work, COM
pared to whose usefulness the now IA
nous Chautauqua system would fade
into insignifcance. Such a plan would
embody home courses of reading, helps
for public schools, a vast development of
agricultural college and farmers insti-
tute extension, with grand educational
convocations annually in each state of
all the farmers and mechanics and their
families interested in the new education.
Likewise under well digested plan, our
farmers organizations could gradually
unite in financial cooperation on basis
that each and all might profitably adopt.
No such degree Of harmony could be ex-
pected in politics, but the effect would
be to stimulate farmers wherever located
into more active work as citizens, and
this is the essential point-to get our
producers to feel their responsibilities to
their community, and assert their rights
and do their public duties through the
channels, parties or systems that COM
mend themselves to their judgment.
A common fraternity would be pro.