Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-11-22
ABLE LEADERS J,l ARE NEEDED
President Barrett rells Shawnee Con-
ventlon Of Prosperous Condition
of Farmers Union.

Okla:
At a day when the Farmers Edu-
cational and Cooperative Union is
more powerful than at any time in Its
existence, it gives me pleasure and
profound pride to greet its representa-
tives In annual convention assembled.
You are the authorized spokesman
for the most important farmers Or
ganization in all history. You gather
at time when we can view battles
won, and battles yet to be won, in a
degree that is new in the annals OF
the producers Of any nation. / am
sure you share with me mighty thrill
as we look backward upon the long
and hard road we have Travelled and
the obstacles we have overcome; and
that, with me, you feel no less call
to action when we consider the prob
lens yet unsolved by the American
farmer.
During the past year, and especially
during the past summer, have visit
ed personally all the important state
organizations and all the state conven-
tions. And / come to you with the
message that the Farm RS Union is
stronger, better drilled in discipline,
In finer financial condition and more
inspired with the stern enthusiasm OF
sacrifice, of brotherly love and OF CO
operation than since that never-to-be-
forgotten day when Newt Gresham
launched its first great principles.
States that were previously Indifferent
or laggard are going forward by great
strides. State treasures that once
suffered lack of funds. are being
placed upon solid basis, everywhere
north, south, east and west-the
farmer is waking. to the opportunity
and the duty Of afaliating with his
brethren, and is learning the true
meaning Of the creed to which he sub
scribes when he takes the obligation
of membership.
We have accomplished all, thus far,
that the reasonable man could expect,
and much more, than our secret enc
mics and the pessimists hoped. We
stand upon record that no similar or
ganization has remotely approached.
And 1 bring to you the further import
ant message that America is 30 wax
ened to the significance Of our move
ment that limitless financial assist
ance will be at our disposal. the mo-
ment we bring this organization to
the high state Of perfection 1t Is now
rapidly approaching. The day may
come this year, or next year, when the
member of this order will find him
self backed by such large capital and
so many resources az to remove his
last wavering doubt as to the coun-
try's appreciation of the role OF the
producer, so long neglected.
AS an instance of the national atti-
tude toward our cause, 1t Is q pleasure
to report that more than 5000 papers
print regularly the statements issued
from national headquarters. Each
mail brings requests from more pub
lications to be placed upon our mail
ing list ind I am in receipt OF In
quiries regarding our work and its
progress from practically every coun-
try in civilization. / tell you this. that
you may realize the momentum this
movement has attained, and the grave
responsibility resting upon all Of us
to see that in no wise do we betray or
disappoint the trust the nation and
the world begin to repose in our mis-
sion.
The greatest need Of the American
farmer today, whether within or with
out this organization, is effectual lead
ership. l know that for the so-called
rural problem" there are thousand
and one remedies and solutions sug-
gested, some of them good. some abb
surd and some absolutely vicious in
intent and principle. None Of them
touch the core of the situation. We
need not remedies but leaders. Give
US proper leaders in every state. and
we shall soon find the remedies. and
apply them. The machinery for re-
form, for progress and prosperity; the
greatest plans outlined by the brains
Of the most accomplished experts;
capital in unmleasured proportion. are
all at our disposal. All that is lacking
Is leaders to administer and keep ad-
ministering the great and the little de-
tails that underlie the welfare Of 30
mighty an organization.
Some OF us think we need more en-
thusiasm, more plans, higher or lower
dues, constitutional amendments. to
go into politics, to let politics severely
alone. All these considerations are
more or less vain. We do not need
prescriptions. We need not doctors to
see that the patients take the pre-
scriptions and keep on taking theb.
II you ask me the proof Of these
statements, point you to the history
of every farmers organization that
has been born, risen to dizzy height
in some instances, and then fallen to
an inglorious death. Whose was the
fault in every case? That Of the lead
ers. The Wheel, the Farmers ALI
ance, are they the mighty powers that
once made the nation tremble? You
know they are not. Selfish leadership,
cowardly leadership. inefficient leader
ship Is responsible. I know az well as
anyone else that ths Alliance had
some splendid. unselflsh leaders. But
there were not enough Of them to save
the organization.