Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-05-28
ORGANIZATION AND COOPERATION


ORGANIZATION AND COOPERATION
The Farmers Institute programs ar
ranged by Prof. +. $. Cooley for May
and June will emphasize farmers or
ganization for the exchange Of ideas
and experiences. the development Of
social life Of the farmer and his family,
the promotion of confidence among
neighhors and corporation in business
matters.
The Grange with three million mem
bers and strong organizations in almost
every northern state. is not ut present
in Montana. or one or two other adjoin-
ing states. 4 year ago Idaho began
Grange organization and South Dakota
has effected !, beginning during the last
few weeks.
The following abstract from National
Grange Circular No. 4 explains the p,,r-
pose of the Grange in part:
"A factor Of Society: livery man
is factor of society, and as such he
| il accountable for the manner in which
he performs the duties which devolve
upon him.
His Moral ties:--The first is to
hi. home and family. The second to
his government that permits him to
enjoy the blessings and happiness of
his home and family. The third is to
better the conditions and advance the
| interest of his chosen occupation.
Since we are looking ut the farm
er> side Of the question. what should
be his action and what can he do to bet
| ter his condition.
"TIelpess as an individuals: There
are certain conditions existing that must
be met and overcome to obtain results
desired by the farmer. What legislation
| is needed must be secured by his COM
bined efforts. As an individual among
seventy millions Of people he is infinit
e>imally small. and as an individual he
is hopclessly helpless to do one thing to
| obtain relief.
The moment the farmer attempts
| to relieve any burden created by un.
| Just taxation or unequal distribution
| of it. it makes no difference in what
direction. he is met by an organized
| force. No argument is needed at this
| time to convince any intelligent farmer
that such is the case.
1T is not enough that he complains
and wants something done. but he is
| morally bound to do something himself
| and not merely wish it DONE
it is his duty to use that power so AZ
t" make it available and his influence
felt. SO that if he cannot make his
influence felt or his power available
as an individual land | say he can
| not) his duty is to make it so, and that
| can only be done through his organized
| efforts.
His Political Duties: Every farm
er owes it to society to assist in Sc.
curing honest legislators and just rep
resentation. That a lethargy exists
among farmers in regards to political
duties is evident from the class Of
legislators that represent them. COM
posed as it is almost wholly of men
from other professions and possessing
but little interest in the affairs of the
farmer.
confidence Needed: The farmer has
submitted so long to the powers that
be, that in many places he has lost
confidence in his ability to do any
thing. and above all needs the stimu.
lating influence of farm organiza.
ton to awaken his energies and give
him courage. To do the work assigned
to him as citizen he needs an under.
standing of the questions of the day:
he needs a preparation that will en-
able him to act in the management Of
the affairs Of his time. In short. he
must be able to stand up and defend
his interests whenever it is required
and this ability to think quickly and
act couraYeously only comes from
drill obtained in organization. and Il
farm organization teaches him to have
confidence in his fellow-farmers and
Mquaint> him with the vital questions
affecting his interests.
"crcatcd Social Beins:--The farm.
er was created social being and
needs the wholesome influence of or
ganization to keep him so His b,,si-
ness is comparatively one of isolation.
varying i'll degree according to his en-
vironmcnts. The farmer who lives
within the boundaries of 100 acres be-
comes very narrow and is of little use
to his community. His family is cor
respondingly tlwarfed as they are shut
out of society. and are improved IA
their opportunities for assocatio in
creascs. The individual excluded from
society WILL in time. lose his mental
powers and become obliyious to his
own needs as we'll as to the needs of
others. Here again he needs farm
organization where he. with his family.
can meet with freedom and ease and
while cultivating snciability can secure
mental culture and pleasing manners
something that too many farmers homes
have neglected.
THE Grange the Best Without
further arguments all agree that the
farmer needs to organize. and with
ont any hesitation we say the Grange
is his best organization. Its Declare
ton of purpose is as fine document
as we have ever seen written by man.
Its application to farm life and fine
sentiment contained cannot be sur
passed. With its thirty-two years of
existence. in which time it has met the
surveillance of every opposition, it has
not been found wanting in any particu.
lar. 1t has stood the test. while many
other organizations which have sought
to improve upon it have met with
disaster and ruin. The plan of the