Gloucester County Democrat., 1900-03-01
a Letter on Farmers. oraanlzssIon

a Letter on Farmers Organlzation.
THE following letter was written to the organi
cation at Thorofare. and we publish it as au aio
TO like organizations now forming.l
SwEDEsBoRo, N. j., 251900.
DR. Thomas Wynae,
DEAR SIR:-I was much interested in
attending the meeting Of your Farmers
Protective Association on Saturday even
ing, and herewith offer to the committee
appointed to attend the organization some
suggestions as to what / think will be
your best mode of procedure.
/ with many others in this county have
been working to organize farmers IN thI-
county for several years past, and have
met with slow but steadily increasing auc-
cess. There are now in Gloucester county
ten Oranges with more than one thousand
members, who are uniting on many lines
with good success, and l have no doubt
will help organize and push the Farmers
Protective Association in their respective
neighborhoods.
The suggestions that | have to make TO
your committee are as follows: 1st-YOur
copmittee should prepare and have
printed small circular something like
this:-
OtJclt anu dlIlc VI tnC PlOPOoCA oA "a
ers' Protective Association, with plans for
organization
To set a minimum price for farm pro
duce, no farmer to allow any of his pro
ducts to be sold below this price. To set
a minimum price at which tomatoes and
other crops wilI be grown for Gamers.
The plan that we propose to accomplish
these results is to have a Farmers Protec-
tive Association in each township of the
counties of Gloucester, Salem, ,Cumb berland,
Camden and Burlington, who shall meet IN
their respective townships at least once
each year. and Oftener if necessary. Each
township association shall elect each year
a committee of three, who shall meet with
a like committee from each and every
township in the counties named, and shall
have power to set the minimum price al
which the produce OF farmers of said
counties can be sold, and to transact any
business of benefit to members Of the
Association.
2nd This movement to be successful
must have the support of practically all
the farmers in these counties.
From practical experience | will say that
he way to get this support is to get few
persons interested in each township to act
as committee under your instruction and
said committee TO divide the territory and
be sure that at least one of the committee
shall personally visit each farmer in the
locality assigned to him, and tell him the
objects and aims of this Association. Then
ask M the following questions =
Don't you think farmers should set the
minimum price at which they will sell
their products? at least enough to well pay
them for picking and hauling to market?
Will you join our Association for that
purpose?
Will you meet with the farmers of your
township once each year to elect com.
mittee to meet with like committee from
each township to set said minimum price?
Will you agree to be bound by the ma
jority of each committee?
Will you help to induce others to abide
by the decision of said committee?
Have you any plan by which the object
of this Association can be more certainly
obtained?
3d-When the farmers are enrolled, call
meetings to be held in each township on
the same day and hour to organizes, and to
elect the three committeeman and such
other business as may be necessary. Then
adj lurn TO meet at call of committee il
emergencies should arise before the
annual meeting.
The time and place for the meeting of all
the committees from the seversl counties
and townships shall be stated in call for
township meetings.
That is all have to suggest at present,
now l will give my reasons for some of the
suggestions | make.
1t will be necessary that nearly all the
business of these Assoc ations be done
by the committee, therefor l can see no
meet oftener than four times a year
Probably one regular meeting would answer
every purpose, if provision is made for
called meetings in case of emergencies l
do not think it will be any advantage for
these Associations to meet often, as the
business can be just as well or better done
at one meeting. Most of our farmers are
busy men and cannot afford to take time
when not necessary. Another item is the
expense-in many townships suitable hall
in which to meet cannot be had for less
than ~ per meeting, and much unnecessary
expense can be saved by not meeting more
than once year.
Oae large Getting each year with all the
farmers in attendance will be a better
representative body than several small
meetings, if the business transacted at the
one will be ample for the year.
As 1 understand your Object, there is
only one main thing you want, and thaC is
to get good wages for picking aud hauling
your produce That is not difficult ques-
tion to solve, but it means much to farm
ers
will close for the present. Be assured
that you have my hearty support, and if
there is any way that | can be of service to
you let me know. You are at liberty to
print all or any part of this letter as the
production of your committee. l hope
that even if this does not suit you, it will
at least suggest some ideas. Let me repeat
TWO most important suggestions that /
make.
1st-Personally interview every farmer
2nd-Few meeting as possible all on one
date.
3d-General committee of three from
each township to meet together and attend
TO all business. Yours truly,