The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-08-08

Farmers Union held at Greenwood
1927 of July, about $50 members
were present in executive session.
These men of the farms wore up
on their countenances a determined
look that means much. They feel
sure of their ability to maintain the
position they have taken in manag-
ing their own affairs in their own
way and their success verifies this
opinion.
National President G. S. Barnette
.sf Atwater, Ga, addressed the meet
lng st 8 O'Clock for period of two
hsars Among other things, he
.said the Union was now more har-
monious han any other farmers or
sssnizstion had ever been IN the
South before. The average growth
of the union Is now over 5000 men,
bers a day some days it reaches 81
900 and 5000 new members. The
enrolled membership now is over one
and q half millions.
None of the State organizations
hss any debts and there is more or
eess money ia the treasury of every
State organization. The national
treasurer has considerable money to
his credit.
One Of the most important things
an connection with the Farmers un.
ion is the tale now current that the
organisation is affiliated with the
Federation of Labor. Much has
been SAID about this matter of afili-
a1ion with the general federation
and the attitude of many good and
conservative men on the outside has
been undecided towards the organi-
zation pending statement of its po-
sltion. President Barrett was ask
ed this question: "Is the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Un-
non affiliated with the American Fed.
serstion of Labor The answer was
.-sNo," and in his address to the
'meeting here he cautioned the MEM
tbers to ''go slow about afiiliatlng
with any organization" He fur.
'ther said: Why should we affiliate
'when the Farmers union is now
strong enough aud powerful enough
to accomplish anything that it wants
ITO, that is just aud right"
The second session of the
Warmers union opened at 9 o'clock,
Tuly %. Pres. o. P, Goodwin
called the meeting to order and in-
troduced Hon. G. M. DAVIS of At
aaata, Ga. State organizer of the
Georgia division. Mr.. Davis was
Ehe sole speaker of the evening and
sspoke for about two hours. He
unade a good, sound, practical talk,
and one that the delegates have
talked about more than that Of any
other. He spoke Of the harmonious
working of the Georgia union and
told of the magnificent appropria-
tion by the State Of. Georgia for ag-
uicultural district schools and urged
hhat South Carolina take steps along
this same line. He said: "You know
everybody says the farmer, won't
stick, but the farmers of Georgia
who won't stick to the Union get
stuck" In regard to the high
price of cotton, he said that 25.cent
cotton would ruin the farming in
terest of the South. 1t would cause
the mill people to quit spinning and
$50 to producing cotton.
Speaking of politics and the
much mooted question of politics
running the organization that allows
pelitics. Mr.. Davis said: "That as
che natural government has institut-
Led strict quarantine against cattle
ticks, so the Farmers union had in
;stituted a strict quarantine against
ea,itics." At the close of his speech
the evening closed.
The first meeting today was called
TO order at 9 o'clock. The court
1...o ,,,o. ,rofl 6llo5