The Green Forest tribune., 1907-11-29

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 s';::;ii:s .::: ss's5s'ss <, ! FARMERS EDUCATIONAL j
 AND ] COOPERATIVE UNION [ : OF AMERICA - Z
 These are mighty hot and dry days now, and 1t cannot be too strongly impressed upon the minds of all who have charge of any living things that shade and water are absolutely essen tlals ot life, and their plentifulness are essential to comfort and well-be. ing.
 Educate and cooperate are the ba- sic words in the code of the Union man. If you have piece of knowl- edge that others should know, go to the Union and tell it; if you are losing out in the race, ask of the successful Union man, and don't be too stiff necked to take his advice, and then pass 1t on to your neighbor.
 If some of our Texas brethren could drop in on some of the meetings that are now being held in North Carolina they would be surprised at the in terest of the good old Tar Heels. who have an idea that Texas is only home for the long-horn and the horn ed toad, and not the place for the birth of the grandest and best order that farmers have ever had.
 The thing that is of primary i'm portance to the local Union is it's own harmony. This is apparent to the thoughtful man, because it is from things local that the major part of our happiness and advantages in material matters come. It is at the home that all interests center, and the near things to that center are of most vital interest and value.
 The extremely good results that have come to many of the schools all over the country from consolidating. thus enabling the building of more commodious and comfortable houses and the employment of more able teachers, shaving the effect of mak- ing friends to consolidation and to the building of better roads, which is con committant with the consolidation plan.
 It is the business of the Union to teach good farming in all that this word means. It means good planting. good seeds. proper laying off of the crop, proper sorts of things to plant. proper cultivation, harvesting, and above all, the proper marketing, flor what profteth it a man if he maketh hoss-lot full of stuff, and the Philis- tine gets it for a song." That is not exactly according to the words of the Scriptures, but it fits the case all the same.
 The fact is, the Union has no eme- mics, or at least mighty few. It is no doubt true that there are some who have sought for place or power and have fallen down in their ambitions. Some of these have little enough sense and manhood to want to destroy what they cannot control, but these are few, and of comparatively little influence That man who has little or no influence inside of the order will have but little more outside of 1t. Don't worry about that sort of people.
 More and more we see the growing need of some new landholding system thousands upon thousands of acres of land have been grabbed by speculat- ors and land-grabbers and held until the settlement of adjoining lands have made them vastly valuable, and then sold at outrageous prices to men who had to have land, the original owners having done nothing to make them valuable, and having gotten them simply because they happened to get there first. It is as true as that the day follows the night that the land is a gift of God to all His creatures. and some day they are coming into their own. Land and air and water are na- ture's gifts to all her children, and to all alike, and that one who flinders her design is in imminent danger.
 The Farmers Union is not in poli- tics, in the partisan sense. but it is in politics all the time. in the sense that it is the farmer who "pays the freight" and is entitled to the deliv- cry of the goods he pays for It is the business of the Union to see that he does get the goods. The partisan vote of the members of the Union is a matter for each individual to settle for himself, and is matter that the Un- ion will not meddle with.
 The two million farmers that will form the membership of the Union be- fore the frost fails. will by the tre- mendous power of it's united numbers be an inspiration to all to nobler view of life and its responsibilities. Two millions of the men who make the sustenance of the people of this and many other countries is an army, which, if inspired with the right thoughts and lead by wise and con