New-York tribune., 1908-11-16
oRc4yJz4TJoE AMONG F4RuERs.

Two agricultural associations of the sort that
is now prevalent among the farmers OF the
country have Just been holding e0HveRt0ns-the
Farmers Union in New Orleans and the Cotton
Growers Association in Memphis. Both of these
bodies were largely Southern in their makeup
and both devoted themselves TO the question 0f
getting a higher price for cotton. Nothing new
was evolved as result of the discussions
which followed the usual line except that the
Night Riders were defended on the hOor of the
Memphis convention. Further organization
recommended. the cotton growers determining
to rry To interest even those who were only in
directly concerned with cotton Holding back
the crop union warehOusing of il. fighting spec
uation and reducing the acreage tU be planted
were the remedies urged. they have been mt
every similar gathering for several years with
out as yet any appreciable result.
These farmers organizations are not over
popular here in the East. especially in the
cities where there is q disposition both 10 re
gard them as dangerous and 10 ridicule them
for their i'll success. Movements whose pro-
fessed object is 10 put up the price Of staples
like wheat and cotton would naturally not be
regarded with favor here and such Incidents as
the defence and applause of Night Riding awaken
the antipathy Of law-ahidiug men everywhere.
while the terrorism re- which a tobacco growers
association of Kentucky has resorted To carry
out It's object is clear enough indication of
the danger Ill these agricultural combinations.
The sooner farmers organizations set their
face against the use of violence in accomplish
ing their purposes the better for them in The
end But in employing illegal cOnstraint they
are only initiating the methods of some labor
unions and some of the big combinations of
capital which were earlier in the held OF com
bination than the agricultural societies Their
aim too like some of their methods. is very
similar 10 that of big Industrial and manu-
featuring combinations, namely. TO do away
with the anarchy OF production, TO limit The
supply 50 as to fix prices and to get rid of the
Profits of the middeman. and some Of them
even apply the principle of cooperation 10 pur-
ch;ses as well SIS TO sales in order to save
money by acting together
They cannot be said to have produced any
substantial result rs vet. The spirit OF organi-
Zati0n has not really taken held af the Ameri-
can farmer The annual agreements among he
Southern growers 10 reduce the acreage planned
have never been carried out. The advice 10
hold cotton for certain price is impraeticebe,
unless the cotton growers are ready TO resort
TO the measures of the hurley tobacco growers
OF Kentucky and plant none of their staple
for year rather than sell below the price they
are holding for But such organizations as
those which have Just held their conventions,
even If they do not achieve what they set ont
to do may accomplish something for the farm
ers IN the South. for example. the annual
recommendation 10 cut the cotton acreage may
SET she farmers to thinking what they can
lut their surplus acreage to If they do limit
their GOTTEN planting Thus farming may be
come diversified there. and that will be real
gain No deuht the present dissatisfaction uith
the results of cotton raising Hould bring tHai
about anyway. hut tie agitation If the asSo,ia
fious for reducing the acreage viii probably
hasten the process
The efforts of thase various unions and aase-
and cooperation among American farmers will