The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-04-06
BARRETT WILL RETIRE.
President of Farmers Union Yearns
For Simple Life-Kas Written
Book.

Charles S. Barrett will not serve
again as president Of the National
Farmers union.
When the national meeting Of the
union assemblies in September, prob
ably in Seattle or Walla Walla, Wash.
President Barrett will preside for the
last time over the deliberations of the
greatest organization Of farmers this
country ever saw.
He is fixed and immovable in his
determination to retire and not even
a unanimous reelection would move
him to acceptance. In this determi-
nation he has the backing Of Mrs. Bar
rett, the good wife who has been. ac-
cording to Mr.. Barrett, the strongest
and most helpful factor in every sue
cessful undertaking Of his life.
For five years Charles Barrett has
given Of his time and talents unstint-
ingly to build up to wise and sane
basis this organization. Himself
teacher and farmer, he knows the
men of his organization as few men
do or can. Strong and wiry as tenn
pered steel spring, he has toiled night
and day, travelled thousands upon
thousands of miles. worked, talked,
organized, left his home, with the
sweet-faced mother and the five fine
boys, for months at a time But not
even sinews Of steel and nerves as
steady as rock could stand the
strain always.
So, new lines have come into his
face, and those who know him best
and love him most see that he some
times combats himself to prevent
breakdown, even harder than he COM
bats the things he knows are wrong.
He doesn't talk about it himself. He
is made Of sterner stuff than that. His
reasons do not concern directly him
self.
ut is time for new blood to take
hold and push things along,'' he says.
"Besides, I think I owe something to
my family. For five years practically
my entire time has been given over
to the cause of the union. Three
years I have spent as the head Of the
union, and that work has taken me
away from home more than two-thirds
of the time. In these years five lusty
bows have fallen to the care Of my
wife. She is strong and brave and
capable enough to hold them down,
but T think they are getting up now
where they need the curb Of a mans
hands. I don't think they are bad
boys, but all boys need the check
rein.
Will Still Work, of Course.
"In all these years my. wife has not
murmured. She has lived much of
the time alone with her little ones,
has cared for our property and has
been at all times my wisest aid and
counsellor. But my duty lies at home
now, I feel assured, and it is time for
me to give the lines over to some one
else. I do not wish the impression to
grow that I shall cease my interest
in and work for the union. [ shall
work just as hard and just as earnest
ly as ever for the cause, because l
know that the organization is right
and the most significant uplifht move
ment this country has ever seen for
the tillers of the soil.''
For three successive years Mr.. Bar
rett has been the head of the Nation
al union. and thrice he was elected
unanimously. The authoritative state
ment that he is to retire Is sure to
bring a storm of protest throughout
the wide sweep Of land where the
union Is organized. MAT ne coulo
and would be reelected unanimously
is believed by every one. But he Is
going to retire. And when Charlie
Barrett says so, YOU may count on it.
He left home Thursday for Jackson,
Miss, where he will meet State lead
ers in an important conference. He
will also meet there delegation OF
union members from California. who
90 there to confer with him.
President Barrett has completed
book on the history Of the Farmers
union and the manuscript is now IN
the hands of printers. It will be IS
-no1 ear1y in Nav and will be a most