The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-16
ORGANIZATION, o CONFIRMATION

President c. s. Barrett, of the Farm
ers' Union, made n very strong and in
seructive address TO the Southern Cot
ton Congress at Montgomery last Wed
nesday, in which he set forth clearly
the purpose of the Union. 1t was NOT
organized to gain any unjust advant.
age over those who trade in cotton
nor 10 drive any legitimate enterprise
out of the field. nor to interfere with
the legitimate business transaction Of
merchants or bankers; but only to take
care of the interests of the farmers
VINO make the cotton. to aid them In
the marketing Of their crops SO thai
'hey may receive a fair price for the
staple n q reasonable reward for
their labors. But when any one tells
you,' said President Barrett. that We
are In Il combine to hold UP civilian
ton. use m authority for %denouncinc
mat person as either q wilful liar or
a man of absolute ignorance" That
was a very positive statement distin.
sulshed not less for its tr%uthfulness
'hah tor It's force. and we are delight
cd that the case was so plainly stat
ed. WE are compelled to organize
Tor our W protection continued
president Barrett. Organization Is tho
keynote of the day, extending even 10
churches and schools). The least
significant business that is not well
organized stands not the slightes,
show of surviving But to charge
the farmer even indirectly with a de-
sire to hold a club over the needs Of
civilization, is to pecpetrate a libel on
the %fa!rest. squarest, most just class
OF men on Gods green footstool."
To all of which we say amen and
amen. The point that cannot be too
often emphasized is that organization
Is not combination. Agreements among
the manufacturers of iron and steel
ana the miners of coal for the market.
ing of their products and the holding
of what they have to sell until they
can get what they hin 1t Is worth is
combination; the agreement of the cot
ton growers to hold their cotton until
they can get for 1t what they know
1t is worth is organization. We con-
denim the former, but we approve and
applaud the latter; for the least sig
nihcant business that Is not well or
sanized stands not the slightest show
or surviving" and while combinations
are TO be suppressed on the very sub
st initial 1yrN,,,l .I,a. 49,.
latHon of the law n spirit of these
times. Organization is the keynote
of this day, extending even to tn,
churches and schools 1t was only n
week or so ago that Woodrow Wilson
urged the use of the church organiza-
lions. particularly in the rural dis.
tricts. as the nucleus OF effective poll.
teal organization; but IT is clear
that his suggestion contemplated or
ganization and not combination a
very different matter, truly. Call It
combination or organization or agree.
ment, or what you please. the farmers
have found that combination or or.
sanitation must be me BY combina.
ton or organization.
At the recent convention in Shaw
nee, Oklahoma, it was agreed that
cotton should be sold during the pres
ent month for not less than II cents
the pound, and at the Congress in
Montgomery this week, a resolution
was adopted declaring that the farm
er's cotton IS worth Is cents tn.
pound to him, and that he would hold
IT for that price. This determination
was reached Notwithstanding the re-
port OF n Of the committees Of tho
Congress that the crop mis- year will