Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-22
President of Georgia Division
of Farmers Union Defends
His Record in Speech to
Convention
All Enterprises of the Union
Have ProSpered, He De-
cIareS in Answer to Attacks

UNION CITY, Ga, July 19.-The an
nual report of President ]. l.. Lee, of the
Georgia division of the Farmers Coop
erative and Educational union, which
was delivered at the annual conventl III
here today, shows the union to be in
splendid condition and makes many inn
portant recommendation.
The report follows:
REPORT OF LEE.
I greet you all at the close of anothe
year, the most wonderful year In the
history of the organization. Slowly,
surely. inexorably we have fought our
way onward and upward. Step by step
we have forged ahead in spite of all
obstacles because the rank and file of
the organizat ton, true, tried and self
sacrificing men, have stood by their
leaders in SUNSHINE and storm. You,
who know the inside OF our battle and
struggles realize what that statement
must mean to me and your state Off
cials-how II heartened us to give the
best within us to the union.
And as God is my guide, and yours,
I say with all the earnestness and sim
certify Of my being that l have been and
am faithful to my trust. Whatever of
errors ! have committed, and / am but
human, have been errors Of the head
and not OF the heart. l would hold my
self too despicable for notice of decent
mankind had been recreant to trust
put in my hands by such body OIL
men.
You come to the 1910 convention with
exceptional advantages over all previous
meetings. For the first time in history
of the state union delegates have full
opportunity for famiIiarizing themselves
with every act of officials and to clearly
review their work. Through the system
devised each officials record is before
you as an open book, and it is up to you
to determine whether he has been faith
full or recreant to the duties imposed.
This is well, because it puts every mem
bre in the organization in close touch
with legislation and work of the order.
That hould, anG believe will. increase
your own interest and usefulness, be-
cause you know exactly what is going
on at all times. You will go home with
information about your institution and
the good that each is accomplishing that
could not have been obtained had the
convention been held elsewhere.
RECITES RECORD.
For a little more than four years I
have been your servant Mere words
can not convey my deep and lasting
gratitude for such honors as you have
given me. 1t is for you to say IL l
rave proven unworthy. II is lOI HE
to say in deepest sincerity that l have
been faithful to the interest of my ca
pacity. While state organizer, which Of
fee came to me unsought.my one ambition
was to carry out faithfully the wishes
and plans of the convention. You have
but to consult the records to know II
my administration of that trust was n
failure or success. l am free to say that
whatever success obtained in that work
came through the confidence and support
OF the official family. l could not have
had the confidence and support had
not proven myself worthy of It'll
Then you once more showed your
trust by electing me to the highest Office
within the state organization, without any
self-seeking on my part. That you have
elected and reelected brings to me a
sense of deepest gratitud because l know
that It could not have happened had 1