The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-07-13

the state Of Texas until today it num-
bers approximately three million
members. distributed throughout
America, and mainly in the southern
states.
The scope of the conference first
held is admirably illustrative of the
amer in which the mission of the
organization has evolved. and the
practical style in which it is adapting
itself to the trying exingencies of mod
ern industrial regulations and prob
lens.
Many of the southern state presi-
dents are among the delegates, but in
addition there are managers of large
and small commercial enterprises, CO.
operative ventures, Warehousing con-
Germs, tobacco agents and business
agents. These latter. constituting a
unique departure in farmers Organi-
zation work, have played no small
part in materializing the purpose of
their people.
It has heretofore been one of the
fundamental failings of the farmer
that, whereas he was long on honor
and industry, he was short on business
acumen. The partial and complete
isolation Of long standing has produc-
ed it's legitimate results. So that in
his average dealings with the world
of the untaught farmer
was at a radical disadvantage.
The business agents first put for
q Nll liz IoSd VI S4tohiHIiS III
handicap. Members were supposed
to rely upon them in those thousand
regular details that constitute trade
interchange, and the agents were sup
posed, in turn, to cOOpera-
tive dealing between the farmers and
to give the the benefit of his
trained intelligence in buying and the
selling Of their commodities.
The discussion on business agents
led naturalally to the consideration
Of the condition which brought him
into existance, and it's present status.
Ask and SOutherner possessed of
judgment, ordinary powers of obser-
walton and the facilities for broad
travel. He will tell you that in the
last few years the farmers of the
southern states nave appreciated Won
d%erfully in those qualities that go to
make up the successful man of affairs,
fully capable Of managing his own
business and Of safeguarding his in
t~ereStS.
In a recent interview in the Con-
stitutiOn, National President Barrett
declared that this one fact stood out
as the most vivid of his impressions
after a ~protracted national our. He
declared that the farmer was learn
ing wisdom Of experience, gathering
ability to win now pretenSe from per
Torrance, the false from the true, the
friend from the mercenary advisor.
and there are to be one or two of the
He showed hat farmers are now
less Influenced by the fatal personal
equation, and they are beginning to
choose as leaders and counsellers on
the basis OF merit and proved achieve
ment rather than from individual Xix
ing.
More important still, he expressed
the opinion that emotion and preju-
dice were playing less powerful roles
in influencing the attitude of the far
mr. w 4Io~ =: 49,
Where once the farmer measured the
strength Of a leader by the latter's
ability to sway his passions and APP
peal to his class-hOstility, evidences
Of a radical change in the opposite
direction are now apparent.
The substance Of President Barrett'S
expression was that the farmer,
whether in business or politics, was
c~ultivating, slowly but with sureness.
the art and habit Of doing his own
thinking. He forecasted the speedy
approach of the day when demago-
query, commercial or political, would
lose power to harm or mislead the man
of the acres, since the latter was rapid
ly arming himself with knowledge to
penetrate such baneful DISCUSSES.
These shifts in the attitude Of the
rural population are explainable from
two angles:
First, the gradual dissemination OF
education and educative contact with
the nakedness of modern bushes con-
ditions.
Second, the powerful. quiet. but
persistent, propaganda of the organi-
zation whose representatives are now
gathered in Atlanta From the frs
day Of its natural existence, represent
atives Of the Union have preached the
doctrines of Independence, Of coopera-
ton between farmers, Of the vital
necessity of business methods and OF
discretion and analysis in the daily
affairs of rad and traffic.
Wonderful as have been the accom-
plishments of the Union in the pas.
the most magnificent achievements lie
III the future, and since these latter
must be predicted on the awakening
Of the most important class of our