Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-08


serving the farmer, whether as leader
or as mere member. in the face of nay
and every disappointment. Then he must |
let the farmer rub IL in as hard as he !
wants to, grind his face in the dust,
swipe the everlasting life out of him
but he must always console himself with
the reflection, L expected this would |
happen sometime; these poor devils need |
me; and sooner or later they're going
to see 1 meant well by them and call on
me for help
IF l believed every promise made to
me by a bowling, shouting convention
of farmers, / would have been in the
cemetery OF the asylum long ago. You've
got to discount what they promise-and
discount II literally. You can never af-
ford to be surprised. If they lose their
temper, don't lose yours. II they are
suspicious and critical, and believe gos-
sip and Islander about you-and the far
mer is still given a little that way
just go on fighting the harder, and the
more intelilgently. 1t will come out all
right in the end. And, in the meantime,
you've served a body OF people who need
more serving, and more federation and
more forbearance than any similar class
in history Isn't that a reward in itself?
Remember that evry great movement
or enterprise in history. every great
business or movement in the civilization
of today, was handled and is being
handled by few capable, carefully chos-
en- men, The movement OF the farmer
is no exception to this rule. You can
lay this down as an absolute guide:
Spend nine-tenths of your time and en-
ergy IN conventions looking for the right
kind of leaders; then spend the rest OF
your time following them UP, co-operat-
ing with them. realizing they are human
and not kicking them out the first time
they make an error, but demanding that
they give you good and faithful service.
I'VE still lean too much to the man
who pleases us by abusing the people
we don't like and fiattering us about
ourselves, and shaking our hands, and
putting a hallulejah feeling on us. We
must stop that, altogether. 1t was
men of that size who put the Alliance
and every other farmers movement out
of business. You must choose for aOility |
and ability alone. t
SURRENDER YOUR RIGHTS"
''Then when you've found the right
man, you must surrender yourself, your
opinions, many of your so-called rights,
and your independence to him absolute
ly. But be sure first, that you've Sc
lected wisely, otherwise your surrender
will be In vain. and the work will re-
ceive a backset.
you may ask me for definition OF abil-
fly. reply, when you have a product to |
handle. select a man you know is capable
of handling that product and what's
more, of handling the producers them
selves.
1T is only when the man you choose |
is capable OF handling both product and
producer that failure comes Search back,
and you can trace every backward step
in the organization to the absence of the
man who can do these two things.
BE LENIENT.
1.-THE final test that you have picked
the right man is when that man can and
will make you do the right thing. Give
him time. and make human allowances
for him when he starts out. You ex-
pect him to give you square deal.
Give him one! Then IL. after you've
both had a square deal he falls down.
or betrays you. or is unwilling to oner
up his blood on the altar of your well
fare-get another man.
Securing the right leader is, after all,
a matter of cooperation, which is one
of the principles of our creed. Cooper
alton between the man chosen and the
members. He must remember that he is
not chosen to bulldoze you. and to i'm
pose his will on you unduly, or to use
you for his advantage, or to use your
influence simply as a means for making
meat and bread. The man who aspires
to lead his local or his state, or an en-
terprise in either, and who views his
job simply as one to keep the wolf from
the door, has mistaken his calling. His
motive must be higher, nobler, more
sacrificing than that.
ION your own side, the side of the
member. the obligation of cooperation
is equally compelling. You may not like
a leader personally, but you are un-
faithful to your oath if you let that in
terfere with unfolding him in wise pol
icies. Success in the Farmers union is
not a matter of personal likes or dis
likes. It is the triumph of the good
of the cause and that means that under
every condition spite. envy, malice, must
be subordinated to the progress and well
fare of the idea back Of this organiza-
ton. |.
'.I rejoice that our people Increasingly
realize the truth of these principles, and
that their efforts are constantly directed
toward first finding then UNFOLDING the
correct brand of leaders. But am so
absorbed in the permanent success OF this
that / want that condition
10 rule universally, and wherever our
work IS organized. / look about me in
every religious every industrial, every
and political direction,
whether in our time ora thousand years
ago-and I see that the success OF every
great movement is founded upon the eff
'orts of a few conscientious, devoted and
capable leaders. have discovered that
hat is the secret of success, wherever
arge bodies of men are concerned. 1t
s emphasized by the farmer, for the
.eason that the condition under which
le lives are like those governing no a
,ther class of people in history.
"A leading principle in the Farmers
lnion leader must Der in mind is that 3
he is chosen, chiefly, to secure scien-
ific, profitable marketing Of the prod
tets of the farmer We all believe in :
county fairs, In good roads, in swamp !.
in every issue that pertainsd
% the welfare OF the country, But the
of this organization is paying his
money for men who can develop the .
,orce and skill to place his products on :
he market at an equitable price. Re- :
member this is your first duty. II you
have any time left if you do this work :
can sandwich in ticks for .
these other things. But the first obli-
cation is for the principles which were
In the minds of the founders of the or
Ter. and IL you will consult the consti-
tuition you will find these principles were
scientific distribution and features of an .
allied nature Moreover. the members are