The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-03-20
farmers EDUCATIONAL
AND
COOPERATIVE union
OF AMERICA
a HEART TALK.

Hearts OF wen.
lands and Brethren:
' 10 have just closed at Memphis the
test meeting the farmers of this
.,rntry have ever held.
n numbers, in enthusiasm and in
.rorative fellowship it surpassed all
% g. meetings that have gone before
nd furnishes the most gratifying and
'1clusiye evidence that the Farmers
Talon is neither at standstill nor a
.nrgard in the progressive march Of
be times ,
From first to last the same harmo-
a. nrevailed that has always charac-
ts,ized the organization, and the plans
n, the ensuing year were agreed upon
=, Titbout dissent Or division.
When we look backward and con-
4smplate the steady and stately
srbieyements of the past three years
Al that our great organization has
dime and all that its splendid powers
make possible for the future-we may
veil rejoice, and the spirit Of amaze
ment at the work may give place to
tbsnkfulness for the grace that has
gnided our efforts and the helpful har-
mopv that has made them win.
There is absolutely no reason known
n 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
slstible and benefcent company that
will sway the nation for the nations
good. In a great cause that is neither
selfish nor Improbable we must help
ourselves, and in so doing help our
country to larger and nnDler 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 hest invoking the divine bless
ing and sturdiest when we stand stur'
DIV 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 amlc
prices falling everywhere, we nave
held steadfast the values OF our farm
products and sustained cotton at tire
rim of what we ask, even though the
bottom dropped from stocks and DaC
securities. But for the banded strength
Of 100000 farmers, cotton Woulc
have fallen from its high estate TO
cent value. The world knows TINS
and the world respects and hears
body that can defend its own.
Two little words of counsel Will SUI
fee for this message of today. IL II
better to single-shot one idea than u
scatter bird-shot suggestions over
wide area of advice.
First-Let US make our farms every
where self-supporting, and we cal
smile into the face of every panl'
which gamblers are able to manlpu
late. Let every farm be a province o
plenty, a walled city of industrial DE
tense. Let us SOW and reap from TN
soil that is ours the necessaries OF ll1'
and we can then in any possible emer
gency forget the luxuries and DEFY LII
conspirators who would starve US int
Industrial submission to their plans
Tickle the soil with muscle and touc'
1t with brain, and it will furnish every