Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-19

Efforts to organize the farmers of the
country into offensive and defensive In
dustrial alliances have not met with the
success which has attended similar ef-
forts in manufacture and commerce
strangely enough the impulse toward OF
ganization became manifest at about the
same time-just after the civil war-out
the subsequent history of the two move
ments has been entirely dissimilar. Just
now there Is a recrudescence Of the spirit
of cooperative organization among the
farmers OF the country, and it Is resulting
In a movement which may affect the
whole future OF the country.
During this week the American Society
Of Equity will hold its national eonven-
ton in Indianapolis; the National Grange
Patrons OF Husbandry, will meet In Des
Moines, and the National Farm Land
congress will be held in Chicago The
Farmers union held it's national conven-
ton the fret week in November at Ra-
leigh, N. c. These meetings represent
come OF the larger organizations OF farm
ers each differing from the others In de-
tail, but each aiming at the principal
business Of Incorporating the farmer.
The Patrons of Husbandry was the
name OF the hrst farmers organization.
1t was planned on secret society models,
and each lodge was a Orange. Thus
the name "Grangers" came to be applied
to the members of the order ana TO the
order itself The meeting OF the National
Orange at Des Moines this week will cell
citrate the 41st anniversary of the foun'
dalton Of the first grange at Fredonis,
N. 7. The father of the movement was
o. H. Kelly, OF Minnesota He became
clerk in what was then the bureau OF ag-
rlculture in Washington Just after the
close of the war. In 1885 he was sent south
to make some statistical inquiries. and
1t was the sad estate of southern farmers
in those troubled days which impressed
upon him the need for farmers organi-
zation.
The granger movement spread over. the
country like wide fire, and soon became
of national Importance. Oranges were es-
tablished in every community, co-opera-
tive stores were opened. and some effort
was made to control prices OF farm pro-
ducts. At the same time the social side OF
the grange was developed. The invasion
and capture OF the machinery of the
grange by politicians resulted In
III eclipse, but It's social fea-
lures and its recognition OF the equality
of woman on the farm, saved the order
from extension. The grange is no longer
a great national factor as an organiza-
ton, but II must be credited with some
excellent work. Monuments to the grange
are the numbers of cooperative farmers
insurance societies over the country. Tho
grange initiated the movement which re-
suited In the efforts to regulate railroad
rates and abolish rebates and discrimina-
tory freight charges Rural free delivery
Of mail had its origin in the grange, and
It's successor the Farmers Alliance. Pure
food laws owe much to the support and
early championship of the grangers.
After the occultation Of the Grange, the
next considerable movement was the
Farmers alliance. This organization be-
came very powerful In the west and
south. Although It aimed at control OF
crop prices and cooperation in business,
its chief mission and purpose was politi-
cd. It arose to supreme power In many
western states, controlling Kansas and
Nebraska. It maintained the balance OF
power in such states as Illinois and In
diana. The Farmers alliance is the
only political organization which has
been able to unhorse the Democratic
party in the south since the war. 1t
carried openly North Carolina, Georgia
and Tennessee, and in every southern
state It changed absolutely the current
OF political thought. The Farmers al
lance rose during the late SOS, fiourished
In the early 9O's, dissolved into the Popu-
list party and was swallowed up in the
campaign of 1896.
Since that time there has been no ma
tional organization of farmers which has
invited the attention of politicians. The
organizations now building are making
the business of controlling prices their
first consideration, leaving politics and
kindred questions to secondary consid-
Grafton.
The American Society of Equity is an
example of this kind of organization. be-
ing similar to the Farmers union of the
cotton states and other new organiza-
lions. The Society Of Equity avows the
purpose OF controlling prices of farm
products as it's chief aim. Declaring
that the farmer must buy his supplies
from a highly organized market, repre-
senting trust controlled manufactures and
union-controlled labor; declaring that the
farmer must sell his products to highly
organized market which is able largely
to regulate demand; the Society of Equi-
ty proposes to meet organization with or
ganization. 1t is its purpose to organize
the farmers, institute a system of crop
control fix prices, and regulate the sup
ply as the buying market regulates the
demand. If the ultimate consumer de-
sires to know where he comes out in this