The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-19
FARMERS UNION AN ACTIVE FORCE
President Alexander Talks Of Its PURPOSES
and IFS Works

QE1N Ill ,
Fayors Vocational Education. the
Farm-Lifc Schools, Diversified
Farming. cooperative Selling and
Buying. Farmers Warehouses, Mar
keting os Crops as Call Demands,
and Opposes Credit System, Mort
cages and All That Takes the Initi-
Our Population.
Dr.. H. O. Alexander, of Mecklen-
burg. the president of the Farmers
Union of North Carolina, yesterday
spoke at a bis picnic event of the
Farmers Union of Craven county at
Aslzins and today speaks at a big
rally at Grifton, in Pitt county. Prest-
dent Alexander, while in Raleigh on
his way to fill these engagements.
was asked concerning the Farmers
prospects. In reply to questions
asked he said.
This is my fourth term as president
of the State Farmers Union, when
was organized in Charlotte in April,
1908. Then the union had about
5000 members. but since the State
organization was formed it has grown
rapidly. We now have some $4,000
members of whom over 10000 are
paid-up members. And the organiza-
ton is growing for as it's principles
and its purposes are recognized it is
drawing to it men whose conservatism
at first kept them from joining. 1t
has demonstrated that it is not an
organization for partisan politics, but
that it is business politics upon which
it is based That it has done good
needs no proof, for that is self--evi-
dent. And it has in it possibilities
for still greater service to the farm
ers Of North Carolina, and that means
a service to the State.
ST ascribe the growth of the Or
ganizaton to the spirit of the times.
This is a day of cooperation and or
ganiZation and it is these things that
are calling together in bodies men or
like interests, affecting all classes and
individuals. The farmers, like the
others. have caught the spirit and are
moving forward on lines for the ex-
clusion of competition by cO-Opera-
ton Competition is destructive and
cooperation is constructive. Unjust
competition should be controlled by
law so as to protect one class against
the other We will never have COM
petition again as it existed a few
years ago, but we will have co-opera-
ton.
The Farmers Union is working
first and foremost for the education
OF the farmers in vocational training
thus beginning in the public schools,
which We desire to be made more ef-
ncient and with better adapted text
books for the rural classes, including
the teaching of elementary agrlcul-
ture, and for better salaries for teach-
ers, for it is this which will secure
better prepared and more efhc1en'
teachers. You can't raise the stand
ard Of the schools higher than the
standard Of the teachers, and you
can't get the best teachers without
paying for them. The average salary
or teacher is not above that palo
the negro wage hand. That is wrong
1T is unjust and should be remedleo
And we need longer terms OF scnools
In my Judgment the Farmers Onlor
VIII petition the next Legislature Io'
longer terms.
The Farmers Union will not bt
idle in regard to the arm-Life Schoo
movement 1t will follow up Wha
has been done and make ever.
effort to encourage public sentimen
Tor these schools, SO as to have then
established in the various counties
We regret that Durham and Warrei
counties failed to vote for theS'
schools, but we are going to keep I'll
the tight for them without any let UP
And to secure them it is only neces
sarE to educate the people to thei
ra!ue. Eighty-two per cent of ou
population in North Carolina is agri
cultural, and this State will cOntinu
an agricultural State for years, tn
prosperity Of the farmers being tn
aouAdation of the prosperity Of tn
state We are growing in manufac
'tflnS interests and these will ge
Sleater after a while but right nov
II is the farmer who is to be consid
cred. The Farm-Life School is t