Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-02-21
atlistellaneuus Readias.
IN UNION THERE is POWER.
In Organization the Farmers Find
Their Strongest Weapon.

In Organization the Farmers Fine
Their Strongest Weapon.
To the Officers and Members of the
Farmers Union:
| Organization Is today the creates
| weapon and the most achieving tool a
the disposal of the American farmer.
have stressed, in previous appeals
the almost magical value of organiza
! ton, as shown in great and small bus
mess, state and Federal government
accomplishment generally the worlt
over.
But one could write volumes and yet
leave many features Of the subject un.
handled.
I am, moreover, extremely anxious
| that every American farmer not 8
member Of the Farmers Union identity
himself with this organization; for hit
own sake, first, and, necessarily, fol
the good of the organization.
There Is not one American state ir
which the Farmers Union is we'll or.
ganized, but the lot Of the farmers Of
that state generally has been i'm
| proved.
Why?
For the simple reason that instead
of working singly, or in pairs, for the
| local. the county or the state i'm
provements and reforms they needed
| they have worked as a unit
That is the secret of organization
and it's wonderful efficiency every
| where.
For instance: If it were to the in
terest of the farmers of certain state
to secure a larger educational appro-
priation that there might be more lit
tie red school houses" what would be
the plan under the old system.
A farmer or two would write his rep
resentative in the state legislature, the
latter would laughingly read the letter
and there the matter would end.
It would continue to rest for months
and years, until gradually the feeble
scattered voices got together and made
such an impression upon the law-mak-
ing body that action was forthcoming
Had organization existed the result
would have been FASTENED by as many
as there was numerical power and wise
leadership to the organization.
That is what organization does
hastens results, reduces scattered pub
lie sentiment to a focus, and makes II
beat hard, loud and persistently upon
the ear-drums of sleepy legislature.
We have proved it in so many states
that I cannot undertake to enumerate
them.
Politics is just one feature.
If organization Is effectual in that
field. it is no less effectual in creating
conditions that will lessen the farmers
debt, make his living conditions more
pleasant, give him good roads, put him
into more friendly relations with his
neighbors, and, finally, solve what the
wise men call the rural problem"
Organization is the weapon of the
many put into the hands Of a few re-
sponsible, able and devoted men.
That is why am preaching its
value.
But organization can be most effec-
tive If you insist that your leaders be
chosen for fitness and for ability to
suffer and sacrifice rather than for
jollying and hand shaking ability.
So it will be an excellent plan for
you to spend much Of your time this
year in looking for men who answer
this qualification, then giving them a
square deal. If they fail, and you still
believe them honest and capable, give
them another trial. 1t doesn't matter
if they turn out dishonest or graft
ers. Drop that special kind, and go at
it again with another set.
The American farmer is the hardest
fellow in Christendom to organize be-
cause of his independence. He carps
about his rights" Even when sur
rendering few of them for while to
better his condition he is often stub
born as a Missouri mule.
Organization has gone forward fas-
ter in European countries, because the
farmers there realized to begin with
that they had less a chance, in politics
and business, and that they must COM
bine for their own good.
The American farmer, until lately
has thought himself absolutely self
sufficient; he has stood upon the theory
Of every American being king" over
looking the way in which big and little
business and city men organized to en-
force their "kingship."
And continued to let wealth drift
from the farm to the city, when the
drift should, in the nature of things
be in the other direction.
have been frank about these things
because we must face them in order
to perfect our organization, and to
bring into it every farmer in the coun-
try with the intelligence to know that
organization is the keynote to his own
salvation. Charles s. Barrett.
Washington, D. c.