The farmer and mechanic., 1909-09-14

And now, honest didn't a great
many Of our people believe that sort
OF thing? AS matter of fact, don't
a great many Of our people still be-
iieVe that sort of thing? You know
they DO
But their number is growing less.
They are getting to be from Mis-
souri,, whenever politician comes
around with sugar on his tongue, and
tears in his voice. They are coming
10 demand action, instead Of words,
and the day can not come too soon
TOR our own good when every single
one of us will hold by this standard
/ OF measurement.
The politicians aren't the only
| ones who found the method [ have
| described useful. Some of the large
| and the little leaders in our own ranks
| nave IN the past employed the same
pOllcleS to gain q personal following,
or to carry their points. And they
nave also found another method use
| Iul. They have learned it tickles the
ears OF the farmer to abuse some man
| he doesn't like. Once upon a time
tnat was the quickest way to most of
their hearts. And the more vigorous
the 'cuSS-WOrd@, the hotter the lam
guaga, and the more you sweated your
collar down. the better pleased were
I your hearers, the more likely you
were to get them worked up to the
point where they would vote you the
greatest friend they had in the uni
verse Thank heaven that condition
is gradually disappearing"
Mr.. Barrett then related a story of
how a fiery orator who INDUCED in
the old style ''doWntrodden farmer"
| form Of speech making, had been
treated with depressing silence by an
audience, and been taught a good les
son. Continuing, he said
OFT - + tI,a
ranter, and more attention to the fell
low who produces results, who shows
us how to live better, how to handle
our crops with less expenditure, how
to better educate, feed and clothe our
wives and children
And this, l think. is evidence Of
that spirit of progress that will pre-
serve this organization when you and
and our friends at home shall be
mingling our dust with the earth.
speaking Of business methods
leads ne on to the necessity Of the
plans and policies by which we are
century. He had driven the price uI
our commodities. You will remembel
that a few months ago / called meet
ing of wheat and grain growers, a
Springfield Mo, to consider means FOL
introducing method and profit in the
marketing of these great crops. A
that time wheat had been made the
SUBJECT OF speculation Dy one OIL Int
greatest gamblers of the present cen
tury. He had driven the price III
and up and up, until it was enough
to make the average wheat groWe1
: go wild with joy, except when ht
found out that these tremendous prices
didn't do him personally a bit Of good
either he had sold all his product O.
? his early fall crop hadn't matured
? So the only individuals who gained b,
/ this juggling with the market, Were
r the SPECTATORS who care about a.
r much for the farmer as the devil doe
for Sunday.
, We have long been aware of thi
condition with regard to the market
ing of cotton and we are taking step
. to make sure Of securing fair pric,
3 for the staple. We long ago discover
! ed that we could not expect to dumI
our cotton upon the market and get
G just return for it. Spectators are no
t philanthropists and they are not il
l business for their health They stud,
3 our affairs almost as carefully as W.
: do ourselves and they are alway
? anxious to take advantage of the MAI
S who is in debt. the man who has tt
4 sell whether he wants to or not.
, Avoid Debt.
: The one way to permanently as
S sure a fair price for cotton, wheat
a grain or any other product is to piac'
e ourselves in a position where we ar
/ not absolutely at the mercy of tn
G buyer.
e 80 far in history the only methoe
/ discovered for accomplishing the end
is to keep out of debt as religiousl.
e as we can, and, what is even more i'm
: portant, make such arrangements a
+ will enable to hold our crops anC
e ! finance our Indebtedness until sucl
n time as market prices have reached
I a just level.
G Il am grateful to report that w
are making great progress in this di
q rection. Not only are the various
! States erecting warehouse and per
+ fecting arrangements to finance thei
I distress cotton, but they are, as well
e developing a more effective spirit o
cO-ODeratiOn And that is extrem Il,