The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-11-05

| IOinl, leAdS, 10 an american army
varying from two million to two and
a half million members, covering
men engaged in every species of ag-
riculture in the United States.
think l can detach myself suffi-
ciently from my love for and inter
est in this work to realize what this
expansion represents Achievement
| and phenominal achievement at that
l cheerfully venture the assertion
that no agriculturA organization in
the civilized world has ever recorded
so marvellous a growth. The best fea-
| ture is it's stability.
We have organized the American
| farmer for keeps"
Yet even in the face of this no.
table achievement, and the shadow
of greater things to come, we find
here and there within the order, and
here and there from carping critics
without the order, Questioning as to
why we have not made vaster strides
|
ternational organization is the most
arduous and gradual task in the
range of humanitys endeavors.
might cite two overshadowing or
ganizations from the industrial world
as illustrations:
The Standard Oil company and the
L IT,oit
their way and in their peculiar
| spheres they are models of organ
ization--at least the average citizen
who feels the effect Of their forces
will not deny the fact.
Now the Farmers Union has no de-
sire or intention to rival these over
reachinv mOnopolies. but their match
less triumph Of organization can
! teach us something beneficial. We
can profit from the instructive les
sons they have to offer and reject the
practices that have placed some Of
their promoters upon an evil emf
nence in this country.
Now. then-it took decades and
decades to perfect these two great
organizations. 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
unwavering courage.
Another thing-these two concerns
nave always, or nearly always, had
at their disposal all the advantages
afforded bp command Of 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 discour-
agements and panics, until today
they stand as the supreme embodi-
ments OF organization.
The Farmers Union has made
progres even more phenomenal than
these two organizations, and that
without the advantage conferred by
money, for the reason that our guild
ing principles have been righteous
where theirs have been those rising
from Greed.
But on the side Of patience and Of
the value and efficiency Of organiza-
ton. and OF the spirit that is willing
TO 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 tomor-
row as we'll as for today; for our
children's children as we'll as for our
selves; that we are laying a solid
foundation for the solving Of prob
lens that will test American mettIe
decades after va are dust.
look forward t. the day when
every American farmer belongs to an
agricultural organization as one OF
the brightest days in the history of
this country. 1t may not come in
my time, nor in the time Of my chill
dren But / know it is destined. and
that at the rate the Farmers Union
is growing we Will not have to wait
an indefinite number OF years for
the consummation.
Let us, first, concede that the farm
er is the most important element In
the national life. Let us. next, con-
cede that he has been systematically