Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-14
The Farmers and Union.

1t Is a very popular saying that the
farmers will never be able to maintain
an effective organization for the rea-
son that they will not stick together;
but as we see 1t, there is very little in
this proposition except rather plaa-
sible encouragement to those who do
not think very deeply.
or course, the farmers do not stick
together" If by stick together, we
mean all think one way. From that
standpoint, what people do stick to-
gether? Do the merchants, the law
yers, the doctors, the mill workers. or
anybody else? If so, We have never
had proof Of it. Form an organization
among the merchants, and there are
some who will not join. All the law
yers are not members Of the bar asso-
citation, and If all the doctors belong
to the medical association, there are
many among them who will not live
up to the rules and regulations.
There is no use to claim that all the
farmers will stick together. Nobody
wants them all to stick together. II
all should stick together, that fact
alone would be the best possible EVIL
dence Of the uselessness Of their or
ganization. Where all men are Of one
mind, organization is unnecessary.
All that is wanted, is that the best OF
them stick together and those who do
not stick with them will serve a good
office in making them do the right
thing. Even the best Of people need
opposition to keep them up to their
best.
An organization with high purposes Is
bound to accomplish good, rather than
evil. Its constitution and bylaws will
necessarily be the key to its activities.
There may be members Of that or
ganization who are moved by improper
motives, and even If these members be
in the majority, they cannot prevail
over a minority that stands by the
constitution and bylaws.
Not only does every organization in
clude Indifferent as well as good men,
but it includes men Of greater ability
as we'll as men of less ability. What
organization member who reads this
does not remember to have been pres
ent at meetings on occasions when the
leaders were absent, and to have been
impressed with the utter lack Of ini-
tiative of ideas that characterized the
balance of the assemblage, however
large? That proves, If it means any
thing at all, that intelligence and in
formation rather than weight of men,
bers, always control.
There can be no successful Union in
any neighborhood, unless the most in
telligent and progressive farmers of
that neighborhood are members OF
it. II the most intelligent and pro-
gressive farmers remain out, there Ia
a handicap to the work of the others.
And If the most intelligent and pro-
gressive join hands with the others,
they will lead and control, If not as
executive officers, then as privates in
the ranks.
The local Unions Of York county
need to be re-organized. The principal
reason Of 1t is that many of them
were not organized along correct lines,
in the first instance. The men who
could have made them successful
were not, for some reason, induced to
join. The thing now Is to start over
anew and get the most intelligent and
progressive farmers to take the lead.
If this is done, there is no reason why
the York County Farmers Union
should not at once be placed on a solid
and substantial basis, and we promise
that when once the Union Is organized
along the lines Of its fundamental prin-
ciples, 1t will prove Of great value, not
other citizen Of the county.