United labor bulletin., 1910-05-19
THE FARMERS CONVENTION.
American Society of Equity and Farm
ers' Educational and Cooperative
Union United.

The following report of the st. Louis
by George B. Lang, appeared
in the Colorado Industrial Review under
date of May 49,
The st. Louis meeting, comprising
200 delegates from the Farmers Edu-
cational and Cooperative Union of
America and the American Society of
Equity, will, so far as practical results
are concerned, go down in history as one
of the greatest farmers meetings ever
held in this country.
1t is the first organization of farmers
ever addressed by president of the
United States. Six days, each with three
sessions, the attendance numbering from
1000 to $4,000 at each meeting, adj
dressed by men of every political faith,
and all breathing the same thought,
Correct the industrial conditions, and
the political conditions will taxi care of
themselves"
President Taft spoke on conservation.
and while his address did not strike a
responsive chord, it was thoughtful, and
to students of sociology was interesting
and instructive.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson gave
an able and appreciative address.
Governor Hadley of Missouri made one
of the stirring speeches of the session,
second only to the address of William
Jennings Bryan, who discussed THE
Farmer In Business, Society and Poll
tics" as only he can discuss it.
Ex-Governor Folk, in his Farmer and
the Tariff presented the subject in a
non-partisan manner much appreciated
Coleman Drayton, president of the So
ciety of Equity, made one of the able adj
dresses of the session. as also did DR.
Long, Socialist candidate for governor OF
Wisconsin.
United States Senator Owen of Okla
homa struck responsive chord when he
showed the effects of monopolization OF
natural resources, and the restrain OF
trade by the trusts and Alfalfa Bill
Murray was cheered to the echo in his
arraignment of corporation judges.
President Barrets opening address
was masterful presentation and John
Temple Graves gave the results OF six
years of Farmers Union effort.
Many of the addresses of men not SC
well known were fully up to the high
standard set by the prominent speakers
Steps were inausurated to closer affil
late with all union labor organizations
and the resolution pIedging the Farmers
cheered to the echo and unanimously
adopted.
The Farmers Union store system of
Colorado was endorsed and recommended
to all of the states.
The warehouse system of the Missis-
sippi state union was recommended to
all cotton states.
The amalgamation of the F. E. & c. U.
and the A. S. E. was agreed upon, and
all will become members of the Farm.
ers' Union soon as the referendum vote
can be taken by each organization.
Every state in the Union except the
New England states, Pennsylvania, Della
ware, Florida, Utah and Nevada, were
represented in the meeting. Twenty-one
Farmers Union states being officially
represented and IL Society of Equity
states were officially present, making 80
state organizations in attendance
The reports of accomplishment of &C
tual results by the organization were
compiled by a committee consisting OF
VI hdhSdSs WeSl Vi NllSSlSSlDDl
and Lang of Colorado, and showed that
the union has over 1000 warehouses
over 100 stores, coal mines, Touring
mills, factories of all kinds and produce
exchanges by the score.
BY the efforts of the union the mort.
gage Indebtedness in Texas has been re-
duced more than one-half, and several
million dollars has been saved to the
members in the various states.
Throughout the country the member
ship is increasing at a satisfactory rate
and whatever the cause, the farmers are
sticking together
1t was essentially a business meeting,
and those present were not only i'm
pressed with the magnitude of the move
ment, but proud of it's achievements and
elated over its future prospects