The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06
Marvellous and Widespread Growth
of the Union in North Carolina
By }. L. Green, State Organizer-Lecturer

The annual official reports at our ap-
oroaching meeting at the State Nor
NAL and Industrial College will show
the most marvellous growth Of the
Farmers UnioE ever recorded In this
State, IN a like period of time since
the organize ton was planted in North
Carolina, This growth has not been
confined to any one section. The
mountain counties have been lining
with the union and the membership Is
assuming such proportions in the
western part of the State as to justify
the holding Of district meeting this
week at Asheville to see if a more
satisfactory plan of business co-opera-
ton may be devised for the benefit
Of the members in the mountain
counties, The most remarka BILE
growth Of the organization during the
past year has, perhaps, been in some
Of the tobacco counties of the north
Piedmont section, and the membership
N the tobacco counties have already
invested many thousand dollars in CO.
ness is Identified In such way as to
make it necessary to hold district
meetings occasionally to bring about
q more uniform plan OF cooperative
marketing, The eastern counties are
nanifesting growing interest In the
union and the demand for organizers
in the eastern counties has come
faster than ,the supply, and within the
past two or three weeks organizers
who had not had the benefit of for
Ener experience in the work have sue
ceeded in organizing at nearly
counties near the coast. While the
organizing work has been progressing
with gratifying results in new terri
tory, good results have also been re-
ported from some Of the older organ
ized counties where men who haS g
been standing out Of the organization
all these years. have this year be-
come active members of the union.
The series Of Farmers Union rallies,
picnicS, and barbecues, which began
in early summer and which have con-
tinued almost up to the winter
months, have been attended by crowds
numbering all the way from few
hundred up to five or six thousand
people, and these rallies have been
sources of Information. social recrea-
ton and inspiration that have nerved
the membership to greater devotion
to the union and have aroused an in
terest among non-union farmers that
has resulted In hundred OF accessions
TO the organization. Intelligent farm
ers everywhere are at last realizing
that business cooperation among
Garmers is not mere theory. but
that it is practical even beyond
the dreams Of many of our most en-
thusiastic members. 1t Isn't a Gues-
ton as to what farmers may accom-
piish through business organization
and cooperation, but the only ques-
ton is whether we will go ahead and
do it or not. Being the only class
Of people who can produce living az
home it places US in a stronger posi-
ton to cooperate in the sale OF our
S04 pAuS pIOuuCIS liiaiA <@Aiy o'AioA oA~~"'~
Of business men, because II We i've
up to the stay-out-of-debt, live-at-
home Farmers Union policy, we do
not have to sell our surplus products
under either necessity to either pay
debts or by living and We can hoid
them until we get good and ready to
Sell. Through the educational infiu-
ence Of our organization our mem
oers are being rapidly educated up to
the Fundamental! idea Of a living at
h0ma, which must be done not only to