Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-04
TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1911.
WHY THE FARMERS QUIT.
President Barrett Issues Statement
on the Situation.

on the Situation.
President c. S. Barrett OF the Farm
ers' Union, has issued the following
rather tart statement:
To the officers and Members of the
Farmers Union:
This is a chapter on quits" being
for the benefit of the brother who is
weak -kneed or faint-hearted, peeVlsh
as a chicken with the pip and ready to
quit the Farmers Union at the drop
of the hat. A smaller percentage are
yielding to these special reasons than
ever before in the organizations his
tory, but the number needs still to be
lessened.
Just run your eye over few of these
causes for quitting" and if the
temptation ever strikes you to use one
of them as an excuse, remember that
Barrett urged you to pay some strong
man to take you back of the barn and
give you what you used to get before
you ceased to fit neatly over your
fathers knee.
You quit because we had stock COM
panies, and you didn't believe In the
principle.
You quit because you thought we
didn't have cooperation in its true
sense.
You quit because a little Of your
money was stolen and you imagined
you couldn't get another honest officer,
at the expense of a little effort.
You quit because somebody told you
you didn't run with crowd or one
"gallus" fellows; you've found out since
what q lie that was, but perhaps you
haven't the manhood to confess 1t.
You quit because you thought they
shouldn't have pensioned Mrs. Gres-
ham, one Of the noblest acts the or
ganization has to its credit
You quit because they gave me a
present Of one thousand dollars-and
let me tell you / didn't want to take
it, because knew just how you would
feel.
You quit because we were trying to
do too much.
You quit because we were not doing
enough.
You quit because a few salaries were
raised and you'd rather give your
money to an outside fakir than some,
body trying to help you ana oolo
enough to tell you unpleasant truths.
You quit because some organizer, or
officer, told you a lie, forgetting that
the organization, and its principles, are
bigger than any man or set OF men.
You quit because you did not get
any immediate personal benefit, Tor
getting that revolutions are not
wrought overniVht and that perhaps
the fault was yours for not co-operat.
ing properly and sacrificing little OF
your fancied independence.
You quit because there were so many
poor, ignorant folks in the Farmers
Union, forgetting that every man Is
his brothers keeper, and that the son
of that poor devil you turn your nose
up at may be marrying your daughter
tomorrow or giving you orders the day
after.
You quit because women were allow
ed to join, yelping that they had no
place in your meetings and ought to
be at home where they belong
ting that the woman makes the home
and that one of the first principles OF
the Farmers Union Is trying to better
the home.
You quit when cotton reached a good
price or failed to reach a good price.
You quit because we didn't go
enough or too much, into politics.
You quit because you thought there
were some grand rascals among the
members, especially the leaders, for
getting that there are just as many In
the churches and the secret orders
and that it's your business to stay in
and help turn them out.
/ could multiply these quits In
definitely There isn't any use. YOUR
recognize a good many OF them, ana
be too stuck up to admit it.
But just let me remind you, broth
er. that while in some states we are
going to halt for a spell, and perhaps
lrai K time, this organization Is here
10 stay. from a national standpoint.
II is here to transform rural life In
America, to get square deal for the
farmer, to abolish mortgages on farms,
to eliminate the demagogue. to make
the government to which the farmer
contributes so literally return to the
farmer little more in taxes.
Take a broad view of the situation!
Get off your own little ant-hill. Bear
this in mind, as the final test-you
wouldn't kill yourself If everything
went wrong, your crops failed, and
your faith in human nature petereo
out Well-the Farmers Union Is just
life. So when you begin to medi.
tate leaving 1t for some petty. fool
reason, let 1t soak into your head that
you are hurting yourself worse than
the organization, and that you are
losing the best chance in history TO
get a square deal for yourself, your
wife, your sons and your daughters.
CHAS. S. BARRETT.
Union City, Ga, June goth, 1911.