The Tupelo journal., 1908-03-13

and all friendly papers to make the n
~nouncement, and urges uponae ell to join
and make the occasion one to be re-
membered. And the idea Is undoubt-
eddy an excellent one. Suppose that
one-half of the 10000 members Of the
Union in Mississippi and ten thousand
who are not members meet on that day
and carefully discuss and consider the
advantages of Investigation, would it
not be the greatest farmers institute,
ever held in the United States? IT
would. Then let's do it, and not in a
h~alf-hearted way, either. 1t is sug-,
gested that dinner be prepared and
served in picnic style, and all, be they
members of the Union or not, be in
vited and urged t attend. The dis
cussion OF every question pertaining to-
diversified farming is suggested, and it is
expected that all who so desire give their
views and the result OF. past experience.
The crops best suited to the soil OF
communities where the meetings are
being held. fertilizers, rotation, live
stock, roads, marketing and holding;
for a minimum price, as well as dozens,
OF other matters of Importance to our
people. :,
This is a capital idea and President
Hightower is to be congratulated upon
his foresight. Our people in Missis-
sippi do too little of this kind of work.
They get together too little for the ex-
change OF experiences and counsel with
each other as has been said dozens of
times in this department. 1t is to be
hoped that the local unions all wei the
State will take to this suggestion kind
~ and begin preparations right now to
make "Diversifcation Day" the great
est of its kind eve seen in the country.
1t can be done if the members will
make an effort. OF course local speak
ers will be relied upon principally,
there being only a few of the lecturers
to divide between the 1900 locals, but
this need not deter one whit from the
profitable carrying out Of the plan.
1t Is also suggested in the personal
letter referred to that particular stress
be laid upon the evils growing out of
the prevalent credit system in our State;
that the members be urged to do all in
their power to discourage the system
wherever possible, and that if it cannot
be done away with altogether that not
more than 500 per bale be pledged. In
dependence from the system of COM
mercial slavery is one of the strongest
features of union teachings, and should
appeal to tho non-union man as well as
the union.
Don't forget the date, Saturday,
March q, and begin preparations now
to make it not only the grandest event
in the history of unionism but among
the agricultural people of the whole
South. The good ladies will enter into
the matter cheerfully and willingly,
and with the assistance of the men it
will be a success without a parallel.
Some time since mention was made in
some of the newspapers that the legis.
lature had invited representatives of
the corporations to appear before the
bodies and present their side of the
matters in controversy between them
and the people, and asking if the farm
ers had been invited to do likewise
where their interests were at stake. 1t
is a fact that the representatives of the
two great organizations of farmers
were invited to appear-the Cotton AS
ISOLATION and the Farmers Union-but
at the time it was not possible for either
Presidents Hightower or Clark to be
present. This was done by concurrent
resolution as in the case of the railroad
men.
The present legislature has SO far
shown IN inclination to grant a hearing
to the agricultural people of the State
and their representatives that is COM
mendable indeed, and there are a num-
Der OF measures pending in which they
are vitality interested. The live stock
sanitary board is one of them, and it is |
to be sincerely hoped that it will be
given careful consideration before the |
bodies adjourn. 1t means something to |
every person who owns live stock and
would be of in~calculable benefit to the
people of the State. The bill to pre- !
vent bringing diseased fruit trees into
the State is also OF much Importance,
while the measures to protect cotton
from the weather are deserving of as
much consideration at the hands of the |
legislature as anything before them at
present. One of the most expensive !
features of handling American cotton
is the tare that is exacted in foreign
markets for damage by weather. Our
people have attached far too little i'm
portance to the protection of their cot
ton, believing that any old treatment
was good enough for it, and the conse-
quence has been that every bale loses
from ten to thirty per cent in damage
of this character. These, as well as a
number of other matters of the great
est moment, are before the bodies for
final action, and it is to be- sincerely
hoped that the members will stay until
they have been intelligently acted upon.
The rains that fell during February
intensified the great need for improve
ment in road conditions in Mississippi.
A large per cent of them have been alb
solutely impossible, yet there are peo-
pie who are willing to let Dresent ron.