The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-08-18

y
have politics in your clubs Did you
have man in the legislature whom
you could trust9 You must look out
for that-never send man who did not
prove true to you when he had chance.
You must stand together on matters of
common interest.
Then the club teaches you to speak,
to talk before audiences, so that the
man who knows something may help
his fellows by being ready to tell them
what he knows better than they how to
| do.
Combinations and trusts are good in
some ways; and they have come to
stay, whether you like it or not. We
have got to have revolution or
evolution, for the things must not
be just as they are now. Trusts
have indeed come to stay, but they
must not act as some are attempting to
act now, and before the matter is set
tied it will be found that other trusts
still must be organized
In 1893 the orange crop was magnifi-
cent, but the freight rates were so high,
the markets so bad that when the
accounts came back they were marked
in red ink. After raising and market
ing the fruit, instead of receiving any
thing for their crop the California
growers actually found that it bad not
paid for its freight and commission
charges. In '94 they did better, in '95
still better, and the citrous fruit asso-
citation is now doing good work. For
instance, the fruit exchange learns that
there are number of cars of fruit in
Chicago at one time, and being able to
order one sent to St. Louis, one to Gin
cinnati ETC., they get good prices in
stead of bearing total loss. Last year
the exchange got 95 per cent of the
amount for which the raisins were
sold, and while prices were not raised
they secured fair prices for their pro-
duce by handling the produce them
selves and avoiding the robbery of the
commission dealers.
Now similar combinations will be the
outgrowth of the farmers club move
ment, and l am proud of Lenawee
county with its thirty oranges, aud
Shiawassee with its thirteen clubs. But
these combinations will not come at
once, they will take years, then some
day we will have something which can
grapple with the Standard oil trust
itself. believe that the world is get
ting better all the time, and | am
glad that all these things are being
worked on and studied over by the
farmers clubs. So, too, do you won.
der it is matter of great pleasure to
me, great satisfaction, to feel that l
have part in the organizing of such
institutions and chance to help in the
improvement of the world, in this
scheme of evolution, which is surely
going on?
Thanking you for your earnest atten-
tion shall assure you that this occa-
sion will be one of which l shall be
proud to tell within a few weeks when
am again at work among the cubs OF
California.
The next part of the program was an
address by Mr.. w. s. Carson, on the
subject, "HOw may the effectiveness oi
the farmers club work be promoted.
The effectiveness of thing is measured
by its success in carrying out the OBJ
jects for which it was made. The
effectiveness of piece of ordnance ID
measured by its crushing, killing power
The red cross movement had its effect
iveness increased by the international
recognition it now enjoys. The effect
iveness of legislature is measured by
the good work done. So, too, the
effectiveness of the farmers clubs
must be measured by what it does along
different lines.
How may the effectiveness of the
farmers clubs toward the home be in
creased? BY making the members fee
that they are coming home; by making
the club day seem home day. In the
North Owosso Club the hostess is saved
by rules limiting her to the procuring
of a certain few substa hl eatables
the others bringing wnlgextras they
wish to.
How the effectiveness of the club
may be increased in the farming opera
tions themselves requires much atten'
ton. The young should receive atten'
ton and should be taught that the
business of farming is noble one and
that the young men may well stay on
the farm if they know what opportuni'
ties await them there.
Not the fruits, the meats, which are
rated so high in European markets, but
farmer preachers, doctors. presidents
and legislators are the products of the
farm, of which we should be proud.
The club can do good by frowning