Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-08-11
What the Farmers Union has
Done

The Farmers Educational and Go
operative Union of America was or
ganized by Newt Gresham, who's,
home was at Point, Rains county
Texas, small railroad station on
the Nj. X. Il T. II. r., situated on a
beautiful prairie.
He was farmer of limited means
and extraordinary intelligence; in fact,
was considered by all who knew him
to be philosopher, and of that sterling
worth that characterized and com
mended him to the public as the very
embodiment of unquestioned honesty.
The first state Union was organized
at Mineola, Wood county, Texas,
August 2S, 1902 Since that time
the organization has reached from
Texas east to the Atlantic, and from
Texas west to the Pacific, and at this
time has | Z state organizations, with
a membership Of approximately 5000
600 members and initiating 5000 per
day with the organized work being
pushed i'll y states of the Union.
The power Of the Farmers Union
can onl Y be realized when we turn to
the south and see the great work in
the pricing and marketing of cotton,
having controlled the price of cotton
for four years in succession at an
average price Of 101 cents per pound
on middling grade cotton that hereto
fore has been marked for 40 years at
I cents per pound, thus showing net
advance OF three cents per pound, a
total saving to the growers of about
$3.50, ,000.0O6 in the four years.
This calculation is based on an av-
erage production Of 11,500,00 bales
annually-the weight being 500
pounds each, while reports show the
average weight of a bale of cotton to
be 51S pounds, thus giving the doubt
ing Thomas $1.S9 advantage in the
calculation.
This wonderful move by the farm
ers Of the south has not only brought
this great volume of money to them,
but the stock-growing states have
been the recipients of the hard-fought
battles of the Union as well, in the
form of advanced prices of stock, hav-
ing almost doubled in value the price
of horses and mules.
Many have enjoyed these benefits
without knowing from whence they
came.
The system Of handling all farm
products through the Union is the
warehouse and elevator system.
We now have 5000 warehouses in
the South, having all been built with
in the past six years.
The report Of the secretary of ag-
riculture Of Mississippi for the last
year showed that the farmers built
one warehouse for each day of the
year 1908 in the state of Mississippi
alone.
The grain-growers of Washington
state have organized into a farmers
Union and have completely destroyed
one Of the strongest grain-deaing
and speculative concerns in the entire
west.
Thus we see the Farmers Union
has controlled the cotton market, and
is fast controlling the wheat market,
also manufacturing their own fertiliz-
er and will soon be in possession
of the tobacco-growing section Of the
country; having controlled six times
as much tobacco this year as they did
last.
The Farmers Union of Kentucky,
while yet in its infancy, owns and
controls three warehouses, situated at
Grand Rivers, Livingston county, and
Tolu, Cittenden county.
Also there has been formed strong
warehouses and stock companies in
almost every county of the state
where county Unions have been or
ganized.
The poultry and produce in each
locality where Farmers Union ware
houses are built is handled by busi-
ness agents of the Farmers Union at
greatly increased profits to the grow
er' so much so that even carloads are
being shipped by the Farmers Union
agents.-Union Advocate Review.
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Mr.. and Mrs. H. r, Freeland of
near Winchester, were in the city