The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-07-07
BARRETT TO FARMERS UNION
More Honor in Service Than in Title
Asks Leaders II They Have
Kept the Faith.

To the Officers and Members Of the
Farmers Union:
Selfishness is the bane of politics
| and of every organization, the Farm
ers' union not excluded. We are
| gradually scourging 1t from the Farm
ers' union. There's less of it among
the leaders than ever before. But the
purging must be complete before the
order reaches the effectiveness des-
tined for 1t by the national needs 1t
seeks to supply.
Here is an illustration: | know poll
ticians high in favor and in office who
could have served the people with
twice the efficiency had they stayed
out Of office. The minute a man be-
gins to run for Office, his nobler and
broader qualities are likely to suffer.
He finds himself compromising with
his convictions, when they run coun-
ter to his opportunities. He finds his
mouth closed in denouncing abuses
that work to the harm of the people,
because those who perpetrate them
may be able to injure him. He makes
countless enemies of powerful and
good individuals that otherwise he
could have kept in line for the public
good, had he not injected the bitter
virus of partisanship.
The man who would serve the farm.
er cen most often do it best by remain
ing out of politics. You will have no
difficulty recalling men of powerful
mentality who could have been of in
estimable service to the public veal,
had they not tied themselves to the
wheel of politics.
There Is such thing as statesman
ship In private life. The leader Of the
farmer, in or out Of organization, must
train up to that sort of statesman.
ship, the first requisite Of which is the
submergine Of selfish ambitions for
the general welfare.
You leaders among tho farmers,
have you kept this faith? Has your
every effort and energy been directed
toward lettering the condition of the
farmer or yourself? Would you make
for the farmer the sacrifices you have
made for yourselves? If you have not,
and would not, II is unlikely you will
ever be able to give the brand of
service that will be truly effectual
and that will write your name in his
tory.
Are you in the order for glory and
selfish advancement, or to so strength
en- it by your devotion and abilities
that 1t will further the interests of the
farming masses Of this country? You
would not allow yourself to become
easily discouraged if you were work
ing for your own aggrandizement or
prosperity. Will you allow yourself to
become discouraged when you are
working for the aggrandizement and
of the farmer?
Here is this man of the acres who
has suffered and been neglected these
centuries, and who is just coming into
his own. Are you able to point out to
him his frailties, and have you the
courage to do it? Have you the
bravery to stick to his cause when, in
misunderstanding and temporary pet
tishness, he smashes you? Are you
bread enough to remain fighting by
his side. when you believe he IS In the
wrong, but know he needs you none
the less?
We have solved some big problems
for the farmer in the past six years.
We will need to solve still larger ones
in the future. You must strip for the
battle. Unselfshness must be your
motto. Self-control must be your
guidon. Hanging on in the face of de.
feat and keeping your head in the
flush of victory must be your program
| admit the program is a hard one.
But when you consider the immensely
of the field you are working in, and
that in this particular vineyard the
"laborers are indeed few" you will un.
derstand more thoroughly the neces-
sity of the qualities have outlined.
CHAS. s. BARRETT.
Union City, Ga.