The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-03-09
Farmers Union.


the prominent farmers Of this section
| have drawn up the following sugges
lions which | wish to submit to the
farmers Of the State through your pa
per. If you can find space to publish
same it will be highly appreciated.
In this age when capital is organ
lied and strongly entrenched within a
union Of interest, it behooves labor in
every industrial line to meet and or
ganize, and to stand ready to meet in
fair combat the evil which will neces-
sarily grow out Of this new industrial
move. Capital and Labor are not ene-
mics; on the contrary they are in every
sense necessary and essential to each
other, and if they were both controlled
by men who had a dr and just regard
FOR the rights Of each other, the wheels
of industry would always work smooth
Is, but alas. this is not true. Too much
capital is controlled by greedy, sordid
men, who do not stop in their mad
pursuit Of wealth to study the interest
Of those upon whom they themselves
must depend; thus the necessity for
labor union arises, not to fight capital
but to protect its own interest. Now,
when capital is so well organized and
mechanics unions are formed aud be-
ing formed all over the country, there
stands idle one great industrial class
the bone and sinew Of the land-with-
out organization. Providence pOurs
into their lap the blessings of sunshine
and shower. aud they stand with ready
and willing hands to feed the world
But the great eagle Of modern greed
aud rapacity hovers with darkening
wings over their farms, and threatens
their very homes As with the Broth
erhOod of Locomotive Engineers, Tail
ors' Union and all other mechanical
unions; their remedy is union.
Bel myself a farmer, / have a
TO suggest to this particular
section of the State, that is, the dark
tobacco growing counties. propose
union upon the plan Of other great
unions, TO be known as "The Dark
Tobacco Belt Union Of Virginia" ain
union there Is strength ~ Let lodges
form in The different magisterial dis
tricts Of each county, elect members Of
a grand lodge, that shall assemble pc
at points designated, formu-
late bylaws aud regulations to control
the lodges, let them meet once per
month socially and to discuss questions
for the good of the order Their bust
ness will be transacted as that Of other
unions, viz: The Tobacco Boards Of
Trade and other boards Of trade. There
should be no conflict Of Interest, in this
union, with any commission merchant,
or any merchant who furnishes the
farmer his supplies. II should be I'M
derstood that this organization is in
tended 10 give credit and tone to the
farmer, as we'll a protect his material
interest.
The politician will be his friend be-
cause he would be a strong united pow
era petition to Congress for redress
would not be laid aside. Congressional
action is needed now to protect the
farmer against great foreign powers,
who dictate the price Of their tobacco.
The merchant will be his friend and
more readily credit him and on better
terms, because by thus asserting him
self he will be better able to meet his
bills. The banker will be a better
friend because he appreciates a man
who looks intelligently after his affairs.
There are many things that can be
said i'm favor Of this movement; / will
content myself with the above sug-
gestions, aud if they meet with an in
telligent and favorable response
shall be glad to do or say all
can. Certain it is, that unless the
farmer arouses himself and takes
some steps for self-presevation, he
will be ground to powder beneath
the heel of oppression. If the man
who makes the pillow, the fertili-
ger, aud everything that the farmer
has TO buy can fix the price to him,
shall not the farmer have some say in
the price Of his produce? The farmer
is besieged-is beset all around. Shall
he sit still while the enemy is fixing
the trenches closer and closer around
him? Shall the picture Of Millet, and
the poem of Markham be true Of him
as il Is of the farmer in the old century?
Let him be "the man with the hoe"
but also with the ambition and the
brain, and the proudly erect figure Of a
free born American.
CHAs. II. EAST.
4 POWhatan Farmer.