The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-25
BARRETT IN PLAIN
TALK TO FARMERS
National President Sends Out
an Address
URGES BETTER FEELING
Says Every Farmer Should Cultivate
His Neighbors and Work Harmonic
ousIy, for BY Cooperation
Great Things Are Done
URGES BETTER FEELING

4 Local officers of the Farmers union
have received circulars from National
President Charles Barrett which are
being freely circulated to every farm
er in America that each individual
farmer must solve the rural problems
and that everyone should constitute
himself missionary to influence his
neighbor to do better work.
The address contends that by social
recreation and intercourse the rural
citizens will be better prepared to
handle all questions facing them and
that much good will result. The adj
dress follows:
ITO the Officers and Members of the
Farmers union--I have pointe dout
upon several recent occasions that tn e
organized farmer is facing the most
progressive era in American history and
to be those of business methods and
of genuine cooperation.
"There is but one way to hasten and
make national the benefits of that step
forward-and that is in every farmer
in America, whether or not he is af-
Inflated with the Farmers union con-
stituting himself missionary for the
Improvement of conditions in his own
locality.
"The sourdest thinkers in America
are, agreed that the rural problem is
/ the greatest one today facing the
country and that upon it's proper solu-
ton must depend largely the safe
guarding of prosperity and of advance
ment
Each farm In America presents a
rural problem today. Every farmer
in America, whether the lord of 1000
acres or the poorest 'cropper' in the
southern states, must be an indlvlduai
solver of that problem as 1t applies
Z 10 himself and to his friends and his
families.
For though the national govern
ment and philanthropists and conscien
tious publicists may spend millions In
an effort to improve conditions In the
country districts, their united efforts
will be futile unless the fndlvldual
farmer goes about the work of better
ment as though he were responsible
for the whole job.
LET that creed be adopted as ma
tional slogan and the next III years
will see rural America Offering les
sons and models in prosperity and Nv
irr conditions to every nation under
the sun. =,
"To promote this end 1t is indis-
nensab1e that every farmer should make
nm his mind to the fact and act upon
| n that he is his brothers keeper.
"First, look about improving the lot
| of your own family, for betterment'
like charity, always begins at nome
Then when you have adopted such
methods as will make your land re-
turn a maximum of its products, when
Won have introduced science instead OIL
guess work, and given the squarest
sort of deal in recreation, education
refinement and social pleasures to your
wife and children, you can turn TO ana
help your neighbor with his puroen'
Don't get too easily out of patience
with the man next door whom you
NAV think Is a quarrelsome, conten-
tious fellow. Bear with him; maybe
his pessimism and sour looks are oue
to conditions you can help TO am
nrove. Anyway, don't forget that eV-
erv growler in a community, every
knocker or backbiter Is standing In the
wav of progress not only for himselt
hut for yourself, your wife ana your
family
80 you might as well go over ana
,va talk with this neighbor who
NAV he contentious, take him TO churcn
With YOU. take him to the lodge and
,f he doesn't affiliate with either try
~ induce him to joine one or both.
"It paws in the long run not only
q, tbe way of sociability increased
hut of productivity increased Tor the
farmer who Is congenial with his sur
roundings is the farmer who is work
inc like a. horse for the general ad-
vancement. A..
"Tbe force of example Is one OF the
m,ehtiest influences for progress IN
ciy;lization. If you make success OF
- h,,siness and of your life 1t will
he an incentive to your neighbor TO
do likewise. .+or
| "If Won insist upon more and better
schools more and better roads. more
and better social facilities and social
| organizations, an increasing OF inc
rural free delivery service, more ware
houses for the storing of your COTTON
more cooperative farmers enterprises
of every nature, and do your share In
petting them, others will be leo TO
follow the same programme.
eff you see that only competent ana
faithful officials are chosen to admin
| n,unitv YOU will be building an addition
to the superstructure of general ad-
vancement.
IF YOU will send newspapers ana
books to your indolent or Indifferent
neiehbor, or what is better visit him
frequently and talk him out of his
Indifference, you will be adding to your
own bank account as well as his, and
in addition discharging your first duties
as citizen and Christian
"These things l have outlined may
he a trifle difficult for you to under
take If you have been going along
on the theory that progress takes care
of itself and that you have no per-
sonal responsibility in the premises.
But / promise that only as every
farmer in America views the solution
of the little problem at his door as a
part of his own business will the
country population of this country
reach those improved conditions upon
which the highest destiny Of this ma
ton depend.
CHARLES S. BARRETT.
"Union City. Ca. September rs. 1870"