The log cabin Democrat., 1908-03-19
FARMERS EDUCATIONAL
 AND COOPERATIVE UNION OF AMERICA
A HEART TALK.
President Barrett Appeals to the
 Hearts of Men.


 Friends and Brethren:
 We have just closed at Memphis the greatest meeting the farmers of this country have ever held.
 In numbers, in enthusiasm and in cooperative fellowship it surpassed all the meetings that have gone before and furnishes the most gratifying and conclusive evidence that the Farmers Union is neither at standstill nor sluggard in the progressive march of the times.
 From first to last the same harmo- ny prevailed that has always charac- ferized the organization, and the plans for the ensuing year were agreed upon without dissent or division.
 When we look backward and con template the steady and stately achievements of the past three years all that our great organization has done and all that it's splendid powers make possible for the future-we may well rejoice, and the spirit of amaze ment at the work may give place to thankfulness for the grace that has guided our efforts and the helpful har- mony that has made them win.
 There is absolutely no reason known to men why the Farmers Union should not become-if it is not already SO the greatest business organization in the world. We are marching now sturdily and hopefully toward that goal.
 We must inevitably mold the South, the West and the North into an ire sistible and beneficent company that will sway the nation for the nations good In a great cause that is neither selfish nor unproitable we must help ourselves, and in so doing help our country to larger and nobler plane of happiness and prosperity.
 Who is there among us who doubts our power or capacity to serve this noble purpose in the history of our times?
 The things that we fight for are laudable and logical things. The claims that we make are reasonable and righteous claims. The betterment we seek must and surely will include the betterment of our country and of all the people of every class. God helps those who help themselves, and we are best invoking the divine bless ing and sturdiest when we stand stur- dy and steadfast for the measures and the party which increase our character and enlarge our prosperity.
 Let me congratulate you once more that, in the face of panics and amid prices falling everywhere, we have held steadfast the values of our farm products and sustained cotton at the rim of what we ask, even though the bottom dropped from stocks and bad securities. But for the banded strength of 2,000,000 farmers, cotton would have fallen from its high estate to a 5 cent value The world knows this and the world respects and hears body that can defend its own.
 Two little words of counsel will sui flee for this message of today. It is better to single-shot one idea than to scatter bird-shot suggestions over wide area of advice.
 First-Let us make our farms every where self-supporting, and we can smile into the face of every panic which gamblers are able to manipu- late. Let every farm be province of plenty, a walled city of industrial de- fense. Let us SOW and reap from the soil that is ours the necessaries of life and we can then in any possible emer- gency forget the luXuries and defy the conspirators who would starve us into industrial submission to their plans. Tickle the soil with muscle and touch 1t with brain, and it will furnish every