The Green Forest tribune., 1911-03-03
FOUNDER OF FARMERS UNION Newt Gresham's Name Will Be Re corded in History as One of the
 Greatest Men of Country.
(By G. H ATFORD1

l Of the greatest men of this country It was he who founded the Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union Of America, the best organization for farmers that the world has ever known
 The corner stone of this organiza- ton is education. Nearly three hun dred years ago, Lord Bacon, the father 1 of philosophy, expressed his idea of 1 the value of an education in the sen tence, Knowledge is power" and since that time the greatest minds of all nations have accepted his idea and acted upon it. It is true that we must toiI; but our minds must be trained to think or our toll will be in vain Ours is a business of action and it al so business of thought as thinking triumphs over action, the amount of manual labor requisite to secure equal results constantly lessens. No amount of knowledge will come amiss, for in no other business is such a variety of questions presented for decision It IS impossible for man to secure max mum results as farmer without thor ough mental training and special study. We must take the advice of our great leader and shake off the stu DOT which has so long impeded our progress and work not only with our hands, but also our heads.
 Humanity is today rapidly entering upon a grand revolution whose battles will be fought with brain power. To the well informed, it is evident that we, as class, are unfit to enter this conflict in which brain power will be the mighty giant that will crush the ignorant millions. Newt Gresham could conceive of but one way to check the power of demagogues, parasites, and harmful corporations and that was to SOW the seeds of sounder thinking and higher learning among the farm CTS.
 Yes, we will take his most excellent advice. We will see to it that our members and their children are edu- eated, then the labor that is now thrown away to cultivate four or five acres to obtain what one will produce will make us rich in a few years; trainlOadS after trainloads of the nee essares of life will leave instead of entering our borders; one farmer by the use of strong teams and labor-say- ing farm implements will till as much land as is now titled by two or three farmers; our cotton money will be kept at home and deposited in our own banks and the rate of interest forced down to say five per cent
 Newt Gresham said in stating the objects and aims of this organization, Let us first discourage as much as pos sible the present mortgage and credit system. He hit the bulls eye every time. The credit system unblushingly sweeps the earnings of toll from the masses into the coffers of the few. It substitutes voluntary for involuntary servitude, ownership by agreement, and poverty by contract for the own ership by birthright and a government by proprietary right. It is the curse of the south. It is the black plague of the cotton belt. It is keeping the farmers of the south in slavery and whipping us unmercifully It's whip is as cruel and merciless as the lash of the slave driver.
 Many thousands of our wives and children toll in the heat and cold from sun-up till sun-down from one years end to another, without recreation or pleasure, to grow and gather a large crop of cheap cotton, not only to pay for goods bought at a reasonable prof it, but fifty, seyenty-fve, and one-hun- dred per cent. is often added as credit profits-princely profits added to the price of high priced bacon, lard, corn, mules, and other products that we can, not afford to accept as free gifts Oh, what terrible sufferings and disap- pointments come to the hearts of these overworked wives and children, when at the end of each year they fall far short of the necessities, and are de- nied the luXuries of life. This is a dis grace to our civilization.
 Now let us not blame the merchants We deserve all of the censure. The too exclusive culture of cotton has forced the price far below an equitable one and established the credit system As long as we raised everything neces- sary for home consumption and some to spare, there was no necessity for the credit system. The too exclusive culture of cotton marked the dawning of the era of the supply merchant, and low priced cotton.
 call upon you to say, I know not what course other farmers may pur- sue, but as for me, free me from the credit system or let me starve.