The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-19
Farmers Should Organize.
Communicated

This is an age of organization
Never before has there been such
perfect and complete organization in
all lines of human endeavor; in la
Dor and in business, in politics, So
ciety religion and education.
The growth and development of or
ganization in the direction of trusts
and labor unions of late years has
been especially remarkable. From
the gigantic steel trust to the hum
Bile hodcarriers' union, organization
a5ounds. Everywhere the tendency
is toward organization, Capitalization
and cooperation.
The immense advantages Of organ
ization are apparent to all and cues
toned by none Yet there is one
class of people that has signaMy
failed to profit by organization, and
that is the farming class. The Grange,
the Farmers Alliance, and the Farm
ers' institute represent attempts at
organized agriculture, but their
sphere of influence has been limited
They have done much good in proper
ton to their size, but nothing like a
general farmers organization has
ever been effected.
Farmers have been blamed for
their inability to organize, but this
lack is due more to unfavorable con-
dltions than to any human weakness.
Farmers are scattered over such a
large territory surrounded by such
diverse conditions and with such in.
adequate means of communication
that organization is rendered difficult
20 effect and maintain.
Here, in the Flathead valley there
ala comparatively few obstacles in
the way of organization. The terri
toryis small, rendering communication
easy, and in all parts of the valley
conditions are very much alike. so
there are no conflicting interests to
harmonize. The limited area would
make it easy to get together at some
central point and carry out plans for
mutual benefit and advancement.
Communication should be facilitated
by free mail delivery and rural tele-
phones.
We farmers of the Flathead valley
have a peculiarly fortunate location,
being far removed from competition.
The fact that there is no other farm
ing country for long distance in
either direction gives us monopoly
of the home market. We are there
fore in a position to dictate prices to
those who buy our products.
Organization will enable us to
profit by the natural advantages of
larity of interests. Little can be ac-
complished by working separately,
each man to himself. but when we all
act together as unit. we will be
able to WELD immense power in fur
thering our interests.
A good example of what can be ac-
complished by organization was given
by the fruit growers of the Flathead
valley, couple OF years ago. The
Kalispell merchants refused to pay
anywhere near the usual price for
Strawberries. and the fruit growers
j,
| rented store room and began re-
failing their berries themselves. This
forced the merchants to pay the price
which the growers had obtained in
previous years. This object lesson
| right here at home is an excellent H.
lustration of how it pays farmers to
stand together and demand fair
prices.
Farmers institutes and horticul-
tural societies are good so far as they
go, and there should be half dozen
Their value. however. is largely edu-
cational. We need q business organ
ization, one in which we can work
together. as q business corporation.
The Grange is probably the best