The Raymer enterprise., 1911-03-02
FOUNDER OF FARMERS UNION
Newt aresham's Name VIII 30 Re-
corded In History as one Of tho
Greatest Men Of Country.

Soiueu on Tue pages OF history as one
OF the greatest men Of this country.
1t was he who founded the Farmers
Educational and Cooperative Union
Of America. the best organization for
farmers that the world has ever
known.
The corner stone OF this organiza.
tion Is education. Nearly three hun.
'dred years ago, Lord Bacon, the father
OF philosophy. expressed his idea of
the value Of an education in the sen.
tence. knowledge is power" and
since that time the greatest minds of
all nations have accepted his idea and
acted upon 1t. It is true that we must
toll; but our minds must be trained to
think or our toll will be in vain
Ours is business Of action and 1t al
SO business Of thought as thinking
triumphs over action. the amount OF
manual labor requisite to secure equal
results constantly lessons. No amount
OF knowledge will come amiss, for in
no other business is such variety of
questions presented for decision. 1t
is impossible for a man to secure max.
imum results as a farmer without thor
ough mental training and special
study. We must take the advice Of
our great leader and shake of the stu
por which has SO long impeded our
progress and work not only with our
hands, but also our heads.
Humanity is today rapidly entering
upon grand revolution whose battles
will be fought with brain power. To
the well informed, It is evident that
we. as class. are unfit to enter this
conflict in which brain power will be
the mighty giant that will crush the
ignorant. millions. Newt Gresham
could conceive Of but one way to check
the power Of demagogues, parasites,
and harmful corporations and that was
to SOW the seeds OF sounder thinking
and higher learning among the farm.
ers.
Yes. we will take his most excellent
advice. We will see to 1t that our
members and their children are edu.
Gated. then the labor that Is now
thrown away to cultivate four or five
acres to obtain what one will produce
Will make us rich in few years;
trainloads after trainloads of the nee.
essaries of life will leave instead Of
entering our borders; one farmer by
the use Of strong teams and labor.say.
Ing farm implements will till as much
land as Is now titled by two or three
farmers; our cotton money will be
kept at home and deposited in our own
banks and the rate OF interest forced
down to say five per cent.
Newt Gresham said In stating the
objects and aims OF this organization,
Let us first discourage as much as pos.
sible the present mortgage and credit
system" He hit the bulls eye every
time. The credit system unblushingly
sweeps the earnings Of toll from the
masses into the Golfers of the few. 1t
substitutes voluntary for involuntary
servitude. ownership by agreement,
and poverty by contract for the own.
ership by birthright and government
by proprietary right. 1t is the curse
OF the south. 1t is the black plague
OF the cotton belt. 1t is keeping the
farmers Of the south In slavery and
whipping us numerically. Its whip is
as cruel and merciless as the lash of
the slave driver.
Many thousands Of our wives and
children toll in the heat and cold from
sun-up till sun-down from one years
end to another, without recreation or
pleasure. to grow and gather a large
crop Of cheap cotton. not only to pay
for goods bought at reasonable prof.
1t, but fifty, seventy-fve, and one-hun.
dred per cent is often added as credit
proflts-prircely profits added to the
price of high priced bacon, lard, corn,
mules, and other products that we can,
not afford to accept as free gifts. Oh,
what terrible sufferings and disap-
pointments come to the hearts OF these
over-worked wives and children, when
at the end Of each year they fall far
short OF the necessities, and are de.
MED the luxuries of life. This is dis.
grace to our civilization.
Now let us not blame the merchants
We deserve all OF the censure. The
too exclusive culture OF cotton has
forced the price far below an equitable
one and established the credit system.
As long as we raised everything neces.
sary for home consumption and some
to spare, there was no necessity for
the credit system. The too exclusive
culture Of cotton marked the dawnins
of the era Of the supply merchant, and
low priced cotton.
call upon you to say. know not
what course other farmers may pur.
sue, but as for me, free me from the
credit system or let me starve.
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