The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1905-04-03
FARMERS To
CARRY CARDS
EFFORTS BEING MADE TO UNION
IzE TILLERs or THE SOIL
Federation ef Labor at Muskosee has
q Unique Scheme in view-Would
Make Purchaser and Producer
Garry Cards.

At MIskogee an effort will b. made
during the session Of the labor con.
grcss and the Twin Territorial Fed
Grafton Of Labor convention at South
McAlester In June, 10 bring aboul
some definite union between the Farm
ers' unions Of the two territories
and labor organizations. In Indian Ter
rltoIy and Oklahoma there are 49,.
0u0 members Of farmers unions, and
according TO J. Harvey Lynch, secreta'
rs OF The federation OF labor, Of the
twin territories. new organizations OF
the kind are springing up as fast as
s'glnizers San put them into the
country districts.
THE Farmers un!cus OF Indian r T.
rltory and Oklahoma" said Mr.. Lynch
"are practically organized and operat-
Cd along union labor lines The tim,
g. not far distant. in my opinion. when
the union label will bC placed on al.
lie products n the farm Any indi-
yidual or firm who wishes to buy Of
the farmer will be required to show
a union card and the farm producer
himself viii possess one.
The tendencies Of farmers unions
in The territories is TO do away IS lar
as possible with middi mCn-to sell
what direct TO the mill without at
lowing # 20 pass the hands Of grain
buyers. who make profit upon it
without either producing IL or con
yerdng the product into -four. The
farmers unions hope to abolish the
difference between cents Tor hogs
and IS and 20 cents for the hogs
wrapped up with a piece Of canvass
with a fancy label
Mr.. Lynch says that the farmers Of
O.eer county, Oklahoma, last year
saved over $4,000 in the one item Of
farm machinery. CIltivators that for
merly cost them s54, with 10 per cent
added. the, purchased for S32 with
10 per cent added. They accomplished
this by buying their implements. di-
rect. through the union, from the man
ufacturer, allowing the local merchant
to make a fair profit.
The labor leaders of the territories
claim that the farmers unions are
now practically operated along labor
uni9n lines. and that the closest sym
pa,hy exists between organized labor
and organized farm producers
Tho Farmers unions may never
be Cirectly affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor" said Mr..
Lynch. "A number OF influential la
Dor organizations now in operation
are not thus affiliated, but they Will
resolve themselves into central body
having all the essential principles OF
mdas unionism. The time is not far
distant in indian Territory and Okla
homa. II the present trend continues,
when form laborers must possess the
card Of the union as we'll a. the farm
employers. These cards will be issued
to owners of farms living in the cit
les but only to the actual tiller of the
soil be he employer or employe. II
IS the aim OF he farmers union TO or.
grni2a 50 as TO get the prices higher
cut of farm products anl 70 enable the
farmer 10 re-purchase them in the q
jghel form where necessary at price
which IL not out OF all proportion to
lhe original cost cf the raw material"
Mr. Lynch predicts that the farm ars'
union will eventually apread TO all the
northern states. As soon as five states !
are covered by these organizations. |
The plan is 70 form central bod. |
Nhisl win cooperate with trades ar
ionism 10 secure the object desired. !
The Federation Of ab1r of the twin 1
territories ana Texas, he says, Is work !
Ing alo2E these lines, and expect 10 |
see II con n~Imated within the noNt /
few months. preachers ana school
teachers are hcing taken into tne
wherever they can be in
lIc1d TO Join it. and Mr. Lynch says
hat many men Of these profe ,sions
'iq'-1 c5'ogiy identified themselves
with the farmers unions.