The Comrade. (Winnfield, La.) 1890-1914, 1910-12-09
GROWTH OF FARMERS UNION
President Barrett Issues Statement
Setting Forth Rapid Strides
Made by Organizatl n.

seven years it has grown from
handful of energetic and hopeful men,
captained by Newt Gresham at Point,
Tex, to an American army varying
from 100000 to 100000 members,
covering men engaged in every spe~
cies of agriculture in the United
States.
| think l can detach myself suff1-
GENTLY from my love for and interest
in this work to realize that this ex-
pansion represents achievement, and
phenomenal achievement at that.
cheerfully venture the assertion
that no agricultural organization in
the civilized world has ever recorded
so marvellous a growth. The best
feature is it stability.
We have organized the American
farmer for keeps"
Yet in the face Of this notable
achievement, and the shadow Of great
er things to come, we find here and
there carping critics questioning as to
why we have not made vaster strides.
The perfection of national or inter-
national organization IS the most
arduous and gradual task in the range
Of humanity's endeavors. I might cite
two overshadowing organizations from
the industrial world as Illustrations:
The Standard Oh company and the
United States Steel corporation. In
their way and in their peculiar
spheres they are models Of organiza-
tion-at least the average citizen who
feels the effect of their force. will not
deny the fact.
Now the Farmers union has no de-
sire or intention to rival these over
reaching monopolies, but their match
less triumph of organization can teach
US something beneficial We can
profit from the constructive lesson
they have to offer and reject the prac-
tises that have placed some Of their
promoters upon an evil eminence In
this country.
Now, then-it took decades and de-
cades to perfect these two great or
ganizations-they begun first with
struggling and struggling groups. At
various stages in their history they
were dealt blows that WOULD have been
deadly had not the men behind been
actuated by fixed purpose and I'M
wavering courage.
Another thing-these two concerns
have always, or nearly always, had at
their disposal all the advantages af-
forded by unlimited capital and the
best order of trained brains in the
country.
| Yet they have grown piecemeal, so
to speak, by process Of evolution,
through infinite backsets and dis.
couragements and panics, until today
they stand as the supreme embodi.
ments Of organization.
The Farmers union has made prog.
ress even more phenomenal than
these two organizations, and without
the advantage conferred by money
for the reason that our guiding prin.
ciples have been righteous where
theirs have been those rising from
greed.
But on the side of patience and OF
the value and efficacy Of organization
and of the spirit that is willing tc
wait for results, perfectly confident
Of ultimate success, they abound in
object lessons.
want every member Of the Farm
ers' union, however obscure, to re
member we are building for tomorrow
as well as for today; for our child
rens children as we'll as for our
selves; that we are laying a solit
foundation for the solving of prob
lens that will test American mettle
decades after we are dust.
look forward to the day whe1
every American farmer belongs to al
agricultural organization as one of thu
brightest days in the history of thi'
country. It may not come in my time
nor In the time of my children, but
: know it is destined, and that at tn,
rate the Farmers union is CROWN,
; we will not have to wait an indefinit,
number Of years for the consumma
ton.
Let us first concede that the farm
er is the most important element II
the national life. Let us next conced
that he has been systematically neg
lected, in the way Of legislation an
social viewpoint since the .foundin
Of the republic. Let us next conced
; that the day he is formed into on
compact, unanimous national organ
: cation he will be able to secure hi
rights, to redress his wrongs and t
, inject sanity and equity into the n;
: TONS government in degree tina
; has never been appropriated in Anne,
lean history.
: These are some Of the ends t
which we are working. While we |,
Dor for the farmer, we labor for tn
> entire country, for the country is n
y greater, no more prosperous, no NOR
= moral or safe from canker Of dish
y 4norotion fhoo 10 u,,-o1 -.