The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-10

who has an ax to grind, but this is mis- taken idea. The farmers institute is or should be, an experience meeting, where everyone present may take part and give his experiences for the benefit of all present, and in this way a vast amount of valuable information may be dissemi- mated
 That farmers organizations have proved failures and have Been broken up in many sections can not be questioned but the question is who is to blame for these failures? In the first place they attempt to do too much at once. As soon as or ganized, in many cases, they set to work to try to change the whole system of things. They fail in this, and with these failures comes dissatisfaction among the members and they begin to drop out. fail to attend the meetings, and soon the at tendance becomes so small and so little interest is taken that soon the whole thing goes to pieces That farmers can do much through organization to better their condition there is no question, but the needed reforms will have to be brought about by concerted effort and education, and then, too. much time and patience will be required to bring about these great reforms.
 Advice to Hold Cotton.
 
 which many of us gave the farmers to hold their cotton for 10 cents. This ad- vice was given by many of the best thinkers of the country and given. too, through no personal interest. As to the wisdom of this advice time alone will de- termine. There seems to be something wrong somewhere besides that of over production. Careful estimates were made on the crops as we'll as on the sur plus stock of cotton goods held in re- serve and from these estimates our ad- vice was based and given. I am not ready to retract this advice. nor am I dis couraged, but I fully believe. as stated before, that the farmer who is able to store and hold his crop whl be able by March to realize 10 cents per pound for his cotton. and go to work preparing their lands for other crops, and fully determine to reduce the acreage of cotton. This plan will force cotton up faster than any thing else. The specuators know that they can depend upon the disorganzed condition of the farmers in promoting their interests They know that farmers will hold meetings this winter when they will pass resolutions to plant smaller acreage of cotton next year. and they know. too, that when the farmer gets out of these meetings he begins to reason with himself this way. Now all these fol- lows have agreed to reduce their acre. age of cotton. l will go to work and plant big crop and I will hit it rich next fall and the trouble is they all reason this way and the result is that if there is good season there is likely to be an oyer-production. The spectators under stand all these things and they know that the farmers can be trusted to work to their interest.
 T terest in this matter. only I should be pleased to sec both the farmers and the mill men getting q profit out of their investments. No one industry should be builded up by the pulling down of an- other. The farmer should and must have profit for growing his cotton. and the mill men must have a profit on the goods they manufacture from the cotton, and when this is the case both will pros- per.
 Now I am going to volunteer to give little of this free advice with the be- ginning of this new year. and my only apology for doing SO is that I see the need of just such advice all along our line and all over the country for that matter.
 The first advice that I will offer Is that farmers spend less time loahng in towns; that they get together at once and organize farmers institutes strictly for educational purposes and not for the purpose of boycotting any legitimate business; that they use the time which has been heretofore spent in loahng around the stores. saloons and billiard tables in the farmers institutes, edu- eating themselves up to the requirements and progress of the age. That they re- frain from joining any organization which requires closed doors or that bars from its proceedings any citizen of good standing. business men. merchants. bankers, lawyers, doctors, ministers every profession-and even the ladies should have free access to the meet ings and all allowed to take an active part. We are all alike interested In the success of the farmer. for upon his suc- cess depends the success of every other business There is nothing else that will help the farmer more or as fast as will well regulated farmers institute, and there should be one In every school