Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-13
WANT FARMERS
TO ORGANIZE
United Changers Can Solve Every
Problem That COnfronts Them,
THE WATERSHED QUESTION
Must be Settled IN Favor OF the Irri-
eating Farmer and Use OF
Ranges Controlled.

With the prospective ayent Of two
more railroads In our state, the opening
up the many resources from a mining
and manufacturing point Of view, the
absolute need OF a Farmers organiza-
tlon impels me to write something
winch might, II Is hoped, rouse the
farmers to a sense Of the duties they
owe themselves, their families and their
generations to follow.
| would like to see the farmer raise
himself to that dignity where he would
resent the prevailing idea that he is
only province Of this Industrial world.
l would Ike him to say I'VE are part
OF it-yes, the sovereign part Of It too
This is an age Of organizations, corpor-
atoms, You 30 TO a grocer buy sack
OF suBar--thats a staple, You can tell
by your purchase the price Of sugar all
over the city. Wool (wthin a fractlon)
Is the same; other commodities the
same. These are the effects of organ
ization. Should you buy load Of hay
or bushel OF wheat Of a farmer, would
the condition be the same? No, these
not being staple" controlled by trusts
or organizations, It is the buyer who
fixes the price Does he do 1t with
sugar? No, for the reason, he is told,
that sugar is staple Is 1t really
more SO than wheat?
For want Of organizatio farmers are
continually bidding against each other,
which is unbusinessliie and lessons the
respect and Difference due him, and
places him az Nle mercy OF every buyer
DO the poor illiterates Of foreign
countries who come here for succor
have the aspect Of beggars looking Tor
work? No; they join labor union and
through their respective organizations
demand certain remuneration for
their labor and get IT,
Were the farmers united there is not
a problem that cOnfronls them that
they could not solve, One of the big
gest problems which confront us today
Is the range and watershed question.
what are we going TO do about 1t with
out organization? Nothing
We read almost every day Of Grim
inal conflicts being waged between the
two leading livestock industries, Fight
ing for what? Something they think
they own They We're never more mis-
taken. The ranges with few exceptions
are watersheds and in the arid region
hNlNiAE W lllt NliitlN VI wv sun lNtl
are ours by right Of priority by occu-
pancy, yes, and ours by heritage,
In this intermountain region We have |
a peculiar condition foreign to any 9TH
or locality In the United states, in the |
matter Of artificial irrigation. Here !
We own streams originating on the pub !
lie domain, the titles of which are |
vested in the government The fact |
that "a aurfIlNs h.IliRmu 81. a.
pendent on the preservation Of the pub |
lie domain as natural reservoirs, 10 in |
sure the productlveness OF our lands, |
should alone stimulate US to a sense OF |
action. Especially so when we see the T,
and trespasses that have |
been and are still being made by the |
non free holding livestock owners and |
miscreants who are Wilfully |
In the starting OF 70 many |
forest fires for their temporary benefit. |
Would we have started farming and |
bringing the arid lands under cultiva-
ton going to enormous expense in d. |
Verting the waters from the mountain |
gulches and rivers under the old Pio-
neer hardships, the pictures Of which
my pen is all too weak TO paint, If in
the end We should have to become sub
ordinate TO the wishes Of a few live
stock owners? We claim we own these
streams of water. The law says So
every one says go. There Is no dispute
as TO that. We make our canals and
reservoirs. Should any one 30 above us
and divert water by canals we would
place an injunction and stop them
quickly. Shall we quietly sic by and
see our streams deterIorated in quality,
lessened In quantity, see the vegetation
which draws moisture from the heav-
ems trampled out by the constant band.
ing and training Of sheep, rayaged by
the lncendlarism Of aagrantly careless
livestock owners and their herdsmen
and the entire mountain parks and
ranges made a barren desert?
There Is but one way TO combat this
menace. and that is by con-
rerted action on the part Of the farm
ers. United the farmers can dictate
the policy Of the state. We are the
majority. We bear the burdens. We
are. In fact, the state, in a sense But
we cannot expect legislation In our aid
when one-half OF US send peti -i1l for
d certain thing, The other half reinon-
by equally prominent men. To get re.
lress We must organize, and IN our or
yaui2ation agree to that when we
hink best for us and our stlta, then
insist upon getting q. There win never
be more opportune time than now.
With a president thoroughly uibued
With the true western spirit believing
absolutely IN the perpetu8tion OF our
mountain homes, we can depend upcn
lie coming TO our aid,
4 a.. g.. nfN 80 Al.