The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-18

! the influence in business, social and pohtl-
cal life to which their numbers and the
Importance of their occupation entitle
them. In seeking light along these lines
they arc impressed with the folly of sin
gle-handed efforts. Yet on the other
hand they are confronted by many diff
cultics. They find the lack of education,
and a large per cent are III debt and de
pendent upon merchants and others to
help them from one crop to another.
Hence, they finally conclude that to de
rive benefits by joining a farmers organl-
cation they must each man for himself
manage to get one crop to market with
out a prior mortgage or debt on same,
and pay cash for what they buy. They
| forget that organization is good for one III
adversely as well as i'll prosperity, and
| by cooperation all are benefited. The
! financial features is less than half Of the
benefits that are in reach of good Al
/ lianceman. The social feature cannot
| be overcstimated, and the educational
feature includes the opportunity of gen
eral information, which is the only sub
sttute in reach for lost opportunities
The farmers are accused OF many faults
by their best friends who are not farm
ers. These friends are especially liberal
! land accommodating with advices, but
! they never advise their farmer friends
to connect themselves with q farmers or.
ganization. 1t is well known that, as IA
rule the people who are not farmers are
/ opposed to the farmers organizing, and
! their influence is not without effect
| in keeping the farmers scattered. Yet
we find almost every class of professional
men and wage earners, from steel trust s
employee to the newsboy organized. THIS
should convince the farmers that there
are benefits to be derived through or
ganiZatiun The lawyers have their Bar
Associations; the doctors have Their
State Medical Associations. Both are
! looking after their own business inter
est We have never seen where the law
ycrs passed loud resolutions telling the
people how to avoid litigation, or the doc
tors "resoute" how to keep well What
ever service any one gets from these and
other professional men, they rightly ex-
pect to pay charges fixed by cooperation.
| Then without any disrespect or harm to
any one. it is the peoples business to
avoid litigation by being careful or their
business interest and likewise try to
keep well bodily. mentally and finan-
cially.
in a farmers organization to assist each
other in business as there are IN organl-
cation for any other class whose pro
| fesson is more pleasant and profitable,
or whose hardships and burdens are great
er. Then we have in this country rail
road ..., telegraph consolidation,
manufacturing monopolies, and abon&i-
nable trusts on nearly everything. IN
| nj
has long been protected by mutual CO
operation, and in many instances by leg
islation, while the farmers, the creators
of a large portion of the wealth, remain
comparatively at the mercy of others.
The Alliance has been an advocate of
education from the beginning of its exis-
tence; may it continue to devote liberal
share of its energy and influence to the
problem of improving the country schools.
It is time to aid and urge the improve
mont of country schoo-houses, time to
advocate the payment of better salaries
and the employing of thoroughly equip
ped teachers. Millions are beng given
to colleges and universities, while the pm
mary schools are languishing. Classical
education is on a firm basis and Is capa-
BILE of taking care of itself by endoW
ments and other contributions and appro-
priations We should patronize and en-
courage the colleges whenever possible;
for the average college man has great ad
vantages over the average on-college
man, if his mind is clear on the impor
lance of work and he has a sound char
aCter and good common sense. But coun-
try people should be more concerned about
primary education, for without this there
cannot be higher education. They should
also that their children have the ad-
vantage of good school houses Wcll-fur-
nished, good books, competent teachers
an the inspiration of intelligent inter-
est. The movement for the consolidation
OF rural schools, now authorized and
made possible by many States, did not
begin too soon and should be encouraged,
wherever practicable, by all true Alliance
men. All the people should work to-
gether to give Cvery child in their re-
spective communities a high school edu-
cation The man who sends his children
away from home for schooling they might
get in his township, is advertising the
fact that he and his neghbors are lack
ing in ability or energy TO do what they
should for their children and home in
terest. Such men are doubly burdcned;
they pay taxes to support inferior schools
and the greater cost of educating their
children away from home.
The time has come for communities
to undo their purse strings and cooperate
for the good of their children and the
, building up Of their respective communi-
ties by establishing centre for the in
tellectual and social life of widened neigh
borhoods. To this end it would be well
for Sub-Alliances to devote more time
and attention to public social gatherings,
plcnics and township meetings under any
well arranged program. Such meetings
would have great influence to promote
cooperation on educational lines, and
would extend the acquaintance Of Alliance
members and others with all the people
| lii considerable radius; and also in a
| great measure break down the unsatiS-
factory moral and selfish conditions that
are creeping upon the people. which is the
| influence OF the great greed and corrup-
ton heretofore mentioned
| 1t Is clear to the mind of every intell-
gent farmer that with the scarcity of Ia
Dor, must come intensive cropping and the
1