The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1909-09-01

Gentlemen:-My interest in your
movement was born of profound be-
lief In the solidarity of the race, tle
brotherhood of man, If you will par
don the trite phrases, and that NO
man liveth to himself alone" The
highest values in life come not more,
not even so much, from what a man
has in bank TO his credit as from the
conditions by which he is surrounded.
If tne masses of the farming classes
are reduced to the condition of Il rest
less peasantry, If they are conditioned
| in ignorance and poverty, the reflex
influence Is to subtract from the values
of life TO the man who, having much
in bank, lacks the uplifting influence
lof thrifty, prosperous community.
| For the stronger element TO sur
render farm life rather than to make
the fight for economic freedom may
be only TO find itself in the condition
of Paris In '93. The Fabian system is
only a temporizlng policy-sooner or
later the fight must be made to tne
finish. The masses must be built up
or they will tear down. The problem
of illiteracy In our state is very largely
two causes act and react the one upon
the other and are mutually cause and
effect. My faith in the people and in
the possibilities they represent has
never wayered. The opportunity in
leading them in this movement is to
you not less a high privilege than a
sacred duty.
The Burley Tobacco Society should
ivindicate itself before the people of
this state and of the United States
as the cleanest, bravest, highest-mind-
ed body of men in Kentucky-the
cleanest body of men that ever led
reform. the freest from self-seeking
and from using the weakness of the
weak for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the
strong The Burley Tobacco Society
should be and can be the strongest
moral and educational force in tae
state, since education is a matter Of
knowing what one wants and how to
get It rather than of reading Greek and
Latin.
II is a matter OF the deepest pride
with me- as | am sure it is with you,
that the society remain free from
wheels within wheels, petty jealousies
party factions and all those things that
tend to divide, to discredit and, TO de-
feat. The Burley Tobacco Society
should be the salt that stops the putre.
faction of practices large and small
that have robbed our state, more than
any other one cause. Of its erstwhils
prestige. May the salt never lose its
SAVIOR.
All that the Burley Tobacco Society
set out to accomplish, and vastly more,
can be accomplished IL you can sue
coed IN arousing the best intelligence,
Integrity and business capacity of to-
bacco growers. A quickened mind,
stirred out OF the ruts, becomes more
alive to all truth, so that In preach
ing this particular reform you prepare
the soil for other forward movements.
As I read the papers and note the
lunceasing activity Of the opposition.
II feel not less than ] have always felt
that you must get the ear OF the gen.
eral public If you succeed as you hope
to succeed. The principles that lie
at the foundation of this movemen.
will ultimately triumph whether this
generation lives to see the triumph or
not. But If you who have undertaken
tine work wish to be present at The
final victory. you cannot disregard the
power of the press.
The misconceptions of the public and
the strategy Of the opposition are still
much in evidence. | am not without
the profoundest convictions OF the
Significance Of this movement far be-
|yond the confines of the tobacco grow
Ing interests. am as convinced as
ever OF the power of public opinion
and of the possibility of securing its
Influence for the support of this move
Iment Ultimately the principle which
Itnis movement represents will prevail
and will be as firmly entrenched in
public opinion as the principle Of man
hood suffrage; the present desideratum