The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-08-16
POLITICAL FIELD
FOR FARMERS
Is Urgent Suggestion Of Tom Wat
son in Campground Speech.
UNEARTHS OLD CRFEDS
Farmers Alliance and 0cala Platform
Brought Into Light as Precedents
for the Later Day Union.

THE Farmers Union is going 10 de.
clare The same principles and make
the same fight attempted by the old
Farmers Alliance, and in that fight
am going to help" -aid Hon. Thomas
E. Watson, addressing an audience Of
some ] 900 or 1900 people in the main
tent at the Whiteoak campground,
seyen miles from Thomson Ga, Wed
nesday The audience included people
Of five counties, McDuffie, Lincoln,
wilkes, Columbia and Warren. They
had met under the auspices Of the
Farmers Educational and Co-Opera-
tive .Union, and Mr. Watson was the
principal speaker OF the day.
The whole burden of Mr. Watson
addr SIS was that the Farmers Union
must have national purpose lie
is convinced that the time has come
or win soon come when this otgani-
zation, embracing in It's membership
100000 farmers, cannot be held to-
pe,her by The restricted plans and
marrow purposes which now prevail.
He wishes the organization TO broaden
out, TO take more comprehensive
view OF things and to support with
their united influence a national cam
paien. or a campaign for national Of
acsrs, having in view the repeal Of
all laws granting special privileges,
aud especially those which operate
against the farmer This program he
will actively urge in his periodicals
lie finds this platform already fran
ed and these principles already enun-
ciated in the Ooala platform, which
was adopted by the Farmers Alliance
al Ocala Fla. That platform contains
The following declarations:
The income tax.
The removal OF tariff taxes from all
she necessaries OF life.
Direct election Of United States SEN
ators by the people.
Abolition OF national banks and gov
ernment loans 10 the people on good
security at 2 per cent interest.
No favontism or class legislation.
Mr. Watson repeatedly drew compar-
sons between the Farmers Union of
today and the Farmers Alliance of
yesterday, and insisted that their pur-
noses were the same The Farmers
Alliance was The greatest educational
qactor this country ever knew be
said.
Taking up the warnings and admo-
BlIions against plunging the farmers
Hnlon into the maelstrom Of politics
In which the old Farmers Alliance
mad gone TO wreck, Mr. Watson said:
politics. meaning indorsing this
man for this particular Office, should
he avoided. But politics in its last
ana Hottest definition means the re-
Batunshlp that exists or should exist
between the government and the PEG
Ple. Even the churches are not too
good 10 take an occasional hand in
practical politics
The Farmers Union will not reach
he point OF its greatest usefulness
aud achieve the hope It entertains
uatu the organization brings pressure
10 hear upon the politician and the
statesman and tells them certain laws
are oppressive and must be repealed,
Certain other laws are needed and
must be enacted"
Mr. Watson paid his respects to
Hhe politicians in no very compliment
tary way. lie assured his hearers that
when their united voice was raised for
reforms the politicians would fall over
themselves TO give heed, as they did in
the case Of The Immigration discus
sion.