The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-10-15

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lily we must notice something of
the origin and principles of the
Farmers Union.
AS to the origin, we call at
tention to conditions that gave
rise to this institution. BY a
retrospective view of the past few
years, we find that the farmer,
in the main, was Flooding along
in the same old paths our fathers
trod, doing the same things and
in the same way, almost as the
horse of today, by instinct, does
Just as the horse of a century ago.
The farmer was plodding along
in that old rut, giving but little
thought to ways and means of
improvement, Notwithstanding
the progress and advancement
along other lines, disregarding
the fact that different inviron-
ments of civilization exact of him
a much greater outlay of means
than our forefathers required.
He never stopped to ask why, III
spite Of these increased demands
upon him, the products of the
farm were gradually decreasing
in value, thus wiping out the
margin of profit and finally re-
sulting in loss rather than profit.
He had never inquired into the
cause of the wealth of the land
slipping from his hand and con-
centrating the hands of few who
toll not. He had not dreamed
that he had the right or power
to price his products; but went
on in the even tenor of his way,
as it were, by instinct, doing as
he had always done, until the
conditions became almost un-
bearable, until he was almost in
commercial bondage, having
scarcely more to say of his rights
in the marts of trade than had
the antibellum slave in the man
agement of his masters business.
Finally the principles and pur-
poses of the Farmers Union
found birth in the fertile brain of
Newt Gresham and few of his
associates scarcely six years ago.
The principles, equity, justice
and the Golden Rule were laid
down. Its declaration of pur-
poses promulgated, and education
and cooperation selected as the
vehicles upon which to carry it
to success.
"In Union there is strength. "
Why? How does this result?
By cooperation, concert of &C
ton. How can this be brought
about? BY cooperation. We
must educate to know how to
subordinate our selfish and indl-
vidual interests and opinions to
the interests and opinions OF
others for the general good. In
short, to cooperate.
We must learn how. Without
education there is no co-opera-
ton. Without cooperation there
is no Union, and all our efforts
at organization, vain and futile.
So, we see, education is the
bedrock upon which the whole
structure is builded. We must
educate to know our rights, our
power, and we must educate to
know how to maintain our rights
through our power. We must
educate to know how to execute
the purposes of the Farmers I'm
Jon, viz - to discourage the
mortgage and credit system, to
diversity our farming interests,
getting away from the one-crop
idea, to systematic marketing
and the control of prices, to fos-
ter fraternal relations between
man and man, especially among
the membership, and to aid civil
authorities in the execution of
the laws of our country, and the
suppression of vice and immoral
ity. (Here we find principle
that condemns the practice of the
night-riders, laid at our door by
some. Their conduct is wholly
antagonistic to our principles,
and violates this one declaration
of .urnoce aud hence cannot