Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-07-07
BARRETT ON FARMERS UNION
President Points to Part Of What
Powerful Agricultural organiza-
tion Has Accomplished.

can history Wnen the FARMERS uniOn
became a truly national organization.
Other associations Of farmers had
preceded 1t. But they had fallen by
the sword of partisan politics or had
failed to hitch enthusiasm to the har-
vest-so they fell.
l speak advisedly when say that
the Farmers union Is the first or
ganization in history to successfully
join theory with practice. to begin
the movement of wedding the politi-
clans from the innermost councils OF
the farmer, and to impress upon the
latter that the Improvement OF his
lot rests not In the hands Of some
faroff "uplifter" or fiy-by-night reform
er, but with himself.
Today the world asks less for
rhetoric and more for results. This
is a very slight summary of what we
have accomplished; together with a
statement of what we yet hope. with
the aid of the Almighty and our own
courage. to accomplish.
We have 1928 warehouses. mainly
for storing cotton. Mississippi leads
the warehouse movement, with mil
lion-dollar corporation.
We own and operate large num-
Der of elevators and terminal agencies
for the handling of grain.
We own and operate 245 packing
houses.
We own and operate dozens of
newspapers.
We own and operate coal mines.
We own and operate several banks,
-four mills, creameries. pickle fac
tories, several hundred stores, an i'm
plement factory. phosphate plant.
q phosphate mine.
We own and operate tobacco fac
tories and warehouses, produce ex-
changes, fertilizer factories. peanut
warehouses, a peanut recleaner. many
cotton grading schools. cooperative
life and fire insurance companies.
Any number of other general busi-
ness agencies are owned or controlled
by members of the Farmers union.
In this connection, 1t must not be
forgotten that the union does not Of
fictally own these concerns. We are
not close corporation
In many states we have secured
radical increases in public school APP
preparations. In many Of the states
the Farmers union has been instru-
mental in the establishment of agri-
cultural colleges.
Other important legislation, state
and national. now pending. is an In
dication of the resistless influence of
the organization among American
farmers. We have made systematic
canvasses of the various legislatures.
and of several successive sessions of
congresses. There is a new view
point in Washington toward the
American farmer-and the might of
the Farmers union. demonstrated in
election, is responsible for It,
These achievements are the out
ward sign Of great new movement
In American agriculture But they are
not comparably important to the
spirit of fraternity which we have
wrought among the farmers OF this
nation. 1t is fraternity. appealing to
intelligence, that has wrought this
progress. And the same force will
develop In a thousand unexpected
directions to solve the problems OF
the American farmer.
cite these facts as the basis oil
an argument that now is the time for
every American farmer to afiliate
with this organization.
It has passed the stage of expert
ment 1t is an assured, achieving
permanent institution. Every farmer
however small, who joins II. increases
his own power by the organized
might of his three million brethren
Do you object to the order because
you know some crooked customers IN
II? There are many such in every
religious denomination, in many Sc
cret orders. one or two black sheep II
your own family.
Does that fact keep you out Of the
church, the secret order, or cause you
to desert your family: Hardly. Il
makes you more anxious to go in and
cure these evils, II you are worth be
ing called a man, and not beast
That same influence should brinf
you into the Farmers union, with
the divine determination to help YOU
brother man-and II you help you
brother man, yon cannot avoid help
ing yourself, and your children and
your children's children.
The greatest drawback the Ameri
can farmer has ever labored under
has been his willingness to be swaye<
by the man who fiattered him, and
who would not tel him unpleasant
but wholesome truths. This day Il
passing! The farmer is learning t.
pick the cotton strands out OF the
wool-where the roiitician and the
public man is concerned. The quickel
he completes the job. the better fol
his own material. moral. mental and
spiritual salvation and those of his
brethren.
We are turning now with increasing
emphasis to the job of distributing
our products in business way. Here
tofore many councillors have urget
and helped" US IL the matter @
production. Now we are seeing tha
distribution, scientific and co-opera
tive, is even more important, al
Newt Gresham saw when he frs
launched this great undertaking.