The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-03-15
The Farmers Union.


of the Union at Troy. and was
very much impressed with the head
ing of the article. 'sWho Is Your
Friend?" The farmers are pretty
well organized here (Marmaduke,
Ark. and also in the State.
AS to the purposes of the Union,
as l understand them, they are to
apply the principles of equity, JUS
tice and the Golden Rule. and to
discourage the mortgage and credit
system to assist the members in
buying and selling. and to strive
for more systematic marketing of
the products of the farm to secure
more equitable prices; to educate
the agricultural classes in the sci
ence of agriculture to strive more
constantly for harmony and good
good will among all mankind; to
cultivate fraternity and brotherly
love among the members OF the
Union, and to demand a rigid en-
forcement of the law for the sup
preston of vice and immortality.
That there is not an organization
with more lofty principles than
these, is fact beyond controversy.
We will take up the mortgage
and credit system and see what the
results are. When a farmer gives
mortgage he has put himself in a
system of bondage. He is com
PEELED to trade with the man he
gives the mortgage to and to
pay whatever prices that m an
may see fit to charge, and it is
always above the cash prices. l, as
the Trade Agent of the Union,
don't think it would be best to go
into the mercantile business. The
business agents held meeting in
Little Rock January Is, 20, and
commercial committee was appoint
ed, and the report of the committee
was to not handle merchandise in
any form, except to make up bills,
take bids and get the lowest prices
from the merchants; and as we
need our country merchants, / have
adopted this plan, which ] think is
a good one State to the merchants
that the Union wishes to discour-
age the credit system and would be
glad to have their cooperation, and
ask them if they are willing to give
a premium for cash trade, thereby
making a discount tor cash; and
by this method the man who is
compelled to trade on a credit will
make an effort to get the money
and pay for his goods, and will
economic and be benefited in the
end.
We do not expect to throw off
the yoke of oppression in few
months. 1t will take time and per.
severance to get rid of the oppres-
sion that has been forty years or
more coming upon us. There is
one class of merchants who Cypress
the Union, and it is those who have
become wealthy by the credit sys-
tenn.
The world is full of corporations,
and there is only one way to meet
them, and that is by cooperation.
We are told that the farmer
makes good Odd Fellow, Free
Christian, soldier. sailor,
citizen; but when it comes to form.
ing a business organization tor pro-
lection against "Shylocks" and mo-
ney sharks, he is dismal failure.
BY cultivating the mind we hope to
reach a higher degree of intelli-
gence, thereby dissolving ignor-
ance, prejudice and sectional and
class hatred in the sunlight of in
telligence.
We will now take up the gin and
warehouse question. The District
Union Of Marmaduke has organ
zed warehouse company, and has
Iii the stock made up and will build
/ warehouse, and will no doubt
build a cotton gin before another
.otton crop is gathered. The gin
ind warehouses are essential.
,tten hear the remark that the
armer is the most independent
nan on earth and makes the easiest
living OF anybody, Under the pres
mt conditions deny the statement
md will produce few facts to
-erify my denial.
First, he receives the smallest !
for his labor Of any !
lass Of laborers, and when he has
to sell he is compelled to
lsk what the dealer will give. and |
he wants to buy the necessaries