The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-05-06
Lecture Delivered TO the Union at
F1ermanvilIe.

tury. 1t was he who founded the
Farmers Educational and Co
Operative Union of America, the
best organization for farmers thai
the world has ever known.
X The corner stone of this organi'
cation Is education. Nearly three
hundred years ago. Lord Bacon,
the father of philosophy, expressed
his idea of the value of an educa.
ton in the sentence: knowledge
power" and since that time the
greatest minds of all nations have
accepted his idea and acted upon
1t. It is true that we must toll; but
our minds must be trained to think
or our toll will be In vain. Ours is
business of action, and 1t is also a
business of thought. As thinking
trumphs over action, the amount
of manuel labor requisite to- secure
equal results constantly lessons.
No amount of knowledge will come
amiss, for in no other business Is
such a variety of questions pres
ented for decison. 1t is impossible
for a manto secure maximum re-
suits as farmer without thorough
mental training and special study.
We must take the advice Of our
great leader and shake off the stup-
or which has so long impeded our
progress and work not only with
our hands, but also with our heads.
Humanity is today rapidly enter :
ing upon grand revolution whose
battles will be fought with brain
power. To the well informed, it
is evident that we as a class, are
unfit to enter this conflict in which
brain power will be the mighty
giant that will crush the ignorant
millions, Newt Graham could con-
ceive of but one way to check the
power of demagogues, parasites,
and harmful corporations and that
was to sow the seeds of sounder
thinking and higher learning
among the honest farmers.
Yes, we will take his most ex-
cellent advice. We will see to it
that our members and their chill
dren are educated, then the labor
that is now thrown away TO culti-
vate four or FIVE acres to obtain
What one will produce will make
this State rich in a few years;
trainloads after trainloads Of the
necessaries of life will leave in
stead of entering our borders; one
farmer by the use of strong teams
and labor-saving farm implements
will till as much land as is now
titled by two or three farmers; our
cotton money will be Kept at home
Rnd deposited in our own banks
and the rate of interest forced down
to say FIVE per cent; more farmers
will be sent to the legislature and
to Congress to advance the farm
ers' interest and thereby best serve
their country.
Newt Gresham said in stating
the objects and aims of this organ
ization. "Let us first discourage
as much as possible the present
mortgage and credit SYSTEM He
hit the bulls eye every time. The
credit system unblushingly sweeps
the earnings of toll from the mass
es into the Golfers of the few. It
substitutes voluntary for involun'
tary servitude, ownership by agree.
ment. and poverty by contract fol
the ownership by birthright and
government by proprietary right
It is the curse of the South. It Il
the black plague of the cotton belt
It Is keeping the farmers OF the
South In slavery and whipping u:
numerically. It's whip Is as cruel
and merciless as the lash Of ths
slave driver.
Many thousands of our wives
and children toll In the heat anC
cold from sun-up till sun-dowf
from one years end to another
without recreation or pleasure, t.
grow and gather a large crop o
cheap cotton, not only to pay fo'
goods bought at q reasonable profit
but City. seventy-6ve, and one
hundred per cent Is often added a