Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-05-03
FARMERS UNION
OPENS BIC JOINT
MEET IN ST. LOUIS
American Society of EQUITY
and 400 Subsidiary 0rgani-
cations Take Part-Barrett,
Bryan, Gompers, Speakers
G0MPERS TO OUTLINE
PLAN FOR NEW PARTY
.CBy Associated pres.)

opera tive Union of America, the Ameri-
can Society of Equity and 400 subsidiary
| organizations. opened in. this city this
morning.
Ninety addresses are on the program.
which concludes Saturday night with an
address by W. ]. Bryan.
Samuel Gompers. president !, Of the
American Federation of Labor. will speak
this afternoon. and it is expected he will
outline his plans for bringing about
new political party through an affiliation
of the farmers with the laboring men,
Other speakers on the days program
are Mayor F. II. Kresman. c. S. Barrett.
Union City, Ca. president of the Farm
ers' union; c. o. Drayton. Greenville. Ill.
president of the American Society OF
Equity; o. F. Dornblazer. Texas; Don
Farnsworth. Chicago; w IL wrightson.
California; Nathan B. Williams, Fay
etteville. Ark; Clarence Poe, North Caro-
! lima; Curtis Hill, Columbia. Mo: John c.
White, Chicago. and W. II. Jackson.
Parcels post. good roads and scienrific
farming are among the subjects to be
discussed.
PRESIDENT BARRETTs SPEECH.
! % pIcSfQe0I. OF IQ8
Farmers Educational Cooperation union,
was speaker at today's session of the
organization. After stating that vandaI-
ism and graft are being eliminated from
our political life. Mr.. Barrett said
We are standing more resolutely each
cay for literal Interpretation of the doe
trine of the square deal We are deter
mined that the people. and not the politl-
clans, shall rule The Farmers union Is
trac hafh fnv- al<nw& g.
er and the awakened nation, as regards
the farmer.
Our principles and our way OF apply
/ ing them, must be sound, for we have
increased from less than $1,000 member
ship six years ago to membership today
rising 100000. Throughout the southern
states, we are well organized. In the
middle west we are formally organized
and our numbers are rapidly growing.
| This year we have perfected Organizations
in several OF the western and Pacific slops
| states. and we shall soon invade New
| England.
I'm the south, we have succeeded in
obtaining for the farmer reasonable
price for his backbone staple, cotton
That means we have ,ministered to every
phase of southern commerce. that we
have laid every southerner under obliga-
ton to u.s. for cotton is the financial
barometer OF the southern states. In the
middle west, we are recording Roadway IN
handling in a scientinc~ and equitable
manner wheat and corn In the far
west, we are accomplishing results in the
systematizing of the fruit industry, and
of general agricultural products.
THE financial success of our program
is important but II is exceeded by our
moral and intellectual progress and evo-
luton. Through our national, state and
local organizations, we have been persists
/ emily preaching scientific agriculture, d.
versifed agriculture, conservation OF
soil resources and rotation of crops.
Our warehouse system in the SOUTH
our warehouse and cooperative business
enterprises throughout the middle and far
west are revolutioniZing the viewpoint OF
the farmer"
Pleading for sincere. constructive Lead
ership among the farmers, Presidents
Barrett said in the degree that this pre-
walls, now and in the days TO come, we
snail solve the agricultural problems per-
picking the best and most consecrated
thought of this country
/ SELFISH LEADERSHIP.
He said the selfish leadership is newt
able incendiary and destructive. For its
almost criminaly selfish aims. IT is will
ing 10 turn the farmer against his neigh
bor against the merchant. against the
banker, against the resident of the city,
1t is leadership-for-revenu without
one redeeming aspiration.
"A distinct part of the rural problem
is the cultivation of a better, and 4
more cooperative spirit between the city
man and the country man. After all. they
have almost everything in common We
are both interested in the curbing and
purging not the destruction. of great
agencies of civilization. We are both
interested in building up more stanch
American citizenship. free of pollution
from damaging alien strains. bred and
brought up to fulfill the idea of pure and
militant Americanism. And unless we
realize this close mutual relation. we
shall both suffer.
Speaking of the campaign of the Farm
ers' union for the enactment OF certain
national legislation, Mr.. Barrett said:
Politicians in general have paid and
are paying more attention to the farmer.
and that is because the farmer is paying
more attention to the politician. Once let
the public officer conceive the idea that
he is being watched continually by his
constituent and that the latter is. care
fully comparing promises with performs
ance and we shall elevate the standard
of public service in this country. I have
urged upon Farmers union members to
refuse ito let their attitude toward their
congressman be colored by any trivial
gifts on the part Of the congressman.
the bribery of petty Office for rela-
tive. or a cordial handshake from the
great man himself The test of worthi-
ness of continued Endorsement at the
polls is deeds. not fiattery. and that man
is a traitor to his country. and TO his
ideals. who betrays his fellows by con-
sidering a public obligation cancelled By
private favor.
Continuing he said: THE farmer has
gained but a small fraction of his share
in the benefits of American development-
because he deluded himself or was de-
luded into believing he had no control
Today in the midst of his interest, and in
the strength of his organization, irresis-
tible in it's increasing numbers he Is
master of the situation. The farmer Is
no longer asleep, In his waking. he Is
:nvincible, He demands to be treated. not
as the easily >deluded. the easily CONTROLS
ed or easily pacified farmer. He demands
to be treated as an American citizen,1 Ike
every other class of American citizen. He
is no longer pleading. He is commanding.
As an American citizen, he knows his
rights, And knowing. the Lord God All
mighty has given him the courage 70
maintain Them