Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-08-07
HISTORY Oh, FARMERS UNION.
Organization Has Had Marvellous
Growth Since 1908. !.

in session at Greenwood, Is worthy OF
a short story of that order in this
State.
The union is only four years old
aud was organized in Texas in 1908,
and It's growth has been marvellous.
1t has attempted to profit by the mis-
takes Of the Alliance and other far
mers' organizations, and to build on
q better foundation. The mud sill Of
the organization is cooperation in
buying and selling, and among its te-
nets Is mutual help to, members Of
the union, to promote better methods
OF farming and an improvement of
farm life.
The union is organized In % States
and the South Carolina branch was
organized three years ago. 1t re-.
Quires 5000 members to secure q
State organization, and the South
Carolina State organization was only
instituted last year. Anderson coun-
ty is the stronghold Of the union for
this State--the first union In South
Carolina being Septus Union, No. 1,
with T. r. Wakefield president. The
union now claims 10000 members !n
South Carolina, all located above CO.
lumbia. They have no organization
in the low country.
The Farmers Union Is a secret or
der, and usually holds monthly meet
ings. The dues are normal, only 60
cents per year for all purposes. There
are the National Union, State unions,
county unions and local unoins. All
matters Of legislation or the order has
to go through all these channels be-
fore 1t can be determined, and ma
jority rule prevails on all questions.
In addition to regular officers, such as
president, vice president, ETC., the
local unions have a business agent,
and then there is head business
agent for the county. The main work
of the union in this section has
been the marketing Of cotton. A
member OF union, or an outsider
for that matter, puts his cotton in the
hands Of the county business agent
for sale. The owner of the cotton
makes his M3Ge he is willing to take.
When the eess agent can secure
that price he!lnls the cotton.
The unions have in this section q
system of warehouses built by men,
bers Of the unions, but the warehouses
are not union property, but are orga-
nized corporations, each separate, un-
der the laws of the State. Regular
rates of storage and insurance are
charged, and a fee Of so cents a bale
is also charged for sampling and
grading the cotton. These are the
ouly charges made in the handling
of the staple. Several thousand bales
of cotton were handled the past sea-
son In this manner, and to-day the
business agent sold lot Of 5S bales
for 13 y cents. When Il member
places his cotton with the business
agent for sale he must abide the act
of the agent, and whether the cotton
Is in warehouse or not, If he in
structs the agent to sell his cotton at
stated price, and the agent does so,
he must deliver the cotton at the time
stated under penalty Of expulsion
from the order.
Thus far, the unions have not
bought a great deal in bulk. They
state they only cooperate in buying
trust controlled goods, such as ferti-
lizers. though in some cases they
have bought -four, ETC., in large lots.
Partisan politics are forbidden by
the constitution to be discussed in
local unions, but leading union
member said he would always vote
Tor the man representing his princi-
pies. So while the union may not be
In politics 1t is closely identified. Dur
ing the past session Of the South Car
olina Legislature the Farmers I'm
ion of this county made an effort to
have the lien law repealed, but failed.
The unions disclaim any. connection
with the labor unions or any other
organization whatever, and claim to
operate independently This was
impressed on the founders of the
order by the fact of the wreck Of the
once powerful Alliance. But If my
memory is correct the National Union
last year adopted a resolution endors-
ing the union printers in their strike
for eight hours. AS the members of
the Farmers Union are mostly en-
ployers themselves this is likely to
cause some awkward complications
should it be brought too close home.
But the union will steer clear of these
matters when they come too close.
The great fight OF the union now is
the abolishment Of cotton exchanges
and cotton Spectators They believe
the New York Cotton Exchange Is
against their interest and are fighting
for It's adjustment. In this matter
they unite with the Western unions
for the abolishment OF the grain ex-
changes. They claim it is for the
producer to say what he will take for
his produce and not the speculator,
and the advance in the price Of cot
ton the past season has greatly
strengthened the union and the faith
OF It's members. Cotton has brought
better price sold in round lots than
In smaller quantities.
Warehouses are being built at many
points in this section, and the day Is
not far distant when all cotton will
De sold through warehouses, the same
as tobacco Is now. Here Is where one
OF the objects Of the union comes in:
to bring the grower and spinner closer
together and eliminate the middle