The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-08-06
FARMERS ORGANIZATIONS.

organ Tor no clique or faction,
feeling free to warn. advise or criti-
else at all seasons, yet always
heartily interested in any plan or
movement, having as its honest pur-
pose by proper means the betterment
of the producer and the advancement
of husbandry, The Sun joins in well
coming to Padncah the state conven-
tiontion of the Farmers Union and
every single member OF the organiza-
ton present; hopes for better ac-
quaintance and frequent visits, and
wishes them legitimate success in
their enterprise.
While We have so many farmers
from all sections within our sphere
Of influence, The Sun will take adj
vantage OF an unusual opportunity to
express its views and observations on
farmers organizations and the agri-
cultural industry in general. In the
first place, The Sun believes that CO.
operation is the keynote OF the cen
fury. Therefore. The Sun consist
emily stands forth as the champion of
every good organization. and does
not condemn the principle on the one
hand, to maintain its party standing.
and praise specific examples on the
other to gain circulation.
Moreover, The Sun regards these
purely as business ven
lures, and when failure seems immi-
nent, II is time for a resourceful man
to step in and rectify some eaer;
not for lawlessness. II the plan fails
it Is because a mistake has been
made in the organization, or because
the legitimate purposes OF the .organi-
zation have been overstepped. Mis-
chievous schemes of politics and So
cial disorder are always advanced.
whenever a demagogue finds any,
considerable element of community
organized for any purpose whatso-
ever under the shining sun.
Having effected an organization.
which has gone beyond, the expert
mental stage and is proven to be a
success, the farmer must not sit back
and consider himself secure. IL the
Standard Oil company. the meat
trust. the sugar trust or anyone of
a dozen other gigantic monopolies
had done this. they could never have
resisted the commercial forces that
have assaulted them from all sides.
Utilization of by-products, curtail-
ment Of expense and prevention of
waste are elements that have entered
largely into the success of great bust
ness enterprises, and the farmers
should learn this lesson. The day of
wasteful. extravagant. reckless farm
ing is past. Land in the east and
middle west is high priced and its
capacity is reduced by bad
methods OF farming Western land
is mostly pre-empted. A man can
own so much high priced unpro-
Il. and the modern farmer must turn
from the idea OF putting out" as
many acres as possible to the idea of
producing as much as possible to the
acre. This can be done by having
the soil analysed by the state or ma
tional agricultural department, by
learning what elements of the soil
are lacking, and what sort OF fer
tilizer will replenish 1t. the crops
best suited to his farm. and the order
Of their rotation.
Legitimate cooperation of farm
ing interests means much TO the
planter and to the townspeople
dwelling in agricultural communities:
but the farmer who relies on the Or
ganization TO relieve him of the
OF looking after his own
affairs, will be disappointed. We
trust that the organization will en-
courage members to study the mar
ket situation for themselves, learn
the laws of barter and sale, and the
scientific development of their own
business. 1t will contribute to the
ultimate success OF the union.