Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-09-20
LETTER FROM A. ". BUCHANAN
Gives His Views on the Farmers
Union Fight for Higher
Priced Cotton.

TO the Editor of The Bryan Eagle:
This being the first time there ever
was day in my life when | did not
have anything to do. have concluded
that | will give my home paper few
OF my random thoughts. which will
enable me to pass some of the drag.
ging hours away, and If | do not in
terest my friends, the readers of The
Eagle, know they will indulge me.
In regard to the Farmers Union
holding cotton for fixed price, will
say. to use the common phrase. that
glory in the farmers "spunk," for |
believe it is step in the right direc-
ton, but only step ON very long
journey. 1t is a stupendous undertake
ing. and one that will require not
only the united effort of all the farm
ers but the merchants. the bankers
and railroads as we'll Now it has
been argued that it will be impossible
for the farmers to ever get the CO.
operation of these three great COM
mercia classes, but for one believe
this is incorrect believe that just
as soon as these men representing
these three great factors in the com.
mercia world see that the farmers
are actually organized and mean bust
ness, that they will readily and gladly
meet any reasonable demand that the
farmers may see fit to make. Why do
say this? Because know that it is
the hearts desire of every merchant,
banker and railroad man 10 see every
farmer free from debt and prosperous.
The more money the farmer has 70
deposit in the banks, OF course. the
better the banker likes that farmer.
The more cash he has to pay for his
goods, the more the merchant thinks
of him as customer. The more farm
products he has to ship. the more the
railroad man thinks Of him.
1t is all foolishness to think that
these three great commercial classes
are arrayed against the welfare of
the farmer, for they are not; and as
shave already said, they stand ready,
willing and waiting whenever the
farmers show them that they are ac-
tually organized and mean business.
But what is the real situation? The
Farmers Union is great organiza-
ton whose principles and purposes
are along the right line. But under
present conditions how about its pros
poets and chances for success? see
none. In order to accomplish this stu
pendous task and get the cooperation
of the three great factors mentioned,
the farmers under their great organi-
cation must present solid front Now
are they doing this? If we are honest
we must answer, no. Take BraZos
county, for example, where the union
has done a noble work and is laying
a foundation to do more. because IL
is composed of some of the best and
truest men that God ever made; but
they can not do the work that must
be done if the end is ever reached,
because there are not enough of them.
The work is too great for few to
accomplish. To present this solid
front and to make their demands felt
they must have the influence and CO.
operation of practically all the farm
ers. 1t is mournfuf situation to see
these noble men striving to bring
about a system of marketing cotton
whereby every farmer in the world
can be and will be benefited, and then
not receive the aid and cooperation
of thousands of their should-be brother
farmers. Take our large Brazos Val
ley farmers who have the control of
hundreds of thousands of bales of cot
ton, and there is scarcely one of them
belonging to the Farmers Union. or
who is making any effort in aiding
these men in this great work, the re-
suits of which would be greatly to