Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-23
STRAIGHT POLITICAL TALK
FROM CHARLES S. BARRETT
President of Farmers Union
Speaks Some Sound Sense
Straight from Shoulder

Especial Dispatch to The JournaL)
UNION CITY. Ca. Mar ITO the
omcers and Mez%ers Ct the Farmers
sunaori: I conscientiously believe am m
good position 20 advise the American
fnrmer as 1s-sOths or the men addressing
him m any capacity tOday-and that for
ne sole reason that have no political
aspirations ana never expect 20 haroor
any.
no man ever gets Into politics direct
". HIS friends always drag him In. TO
hear him tell Il. hy the hair OF the head
But none or my friends with or without
me ouotation marks. win set me within
boxing distance OF q political once
That Is why feel free TO tell you
ne truth about you-selves-to abuse you-
r that Is necessary for your souls wei
fare and the progress OF your family
-Farmenv aren't ussd TO being abused
- politicians. OF public msn-ezeept
when tia same farmer swaes one OF the
other out OF once
NOBODY 50 bland as the man out for
votes. He may be shrewd enough 70 see
where a word OF blunt uurn-tellng
would help the farmer more than ton
OF uALLGEI-D4L 4E kGlGANA-- ----7-- -
spine He just lays on sugar. rips the
fellows the farmer dislIkes I'D the back.
ihaudshakes the farmer and AEbles the
faster into Office
s.Tve heard some OF them express their
trus sentiments about you when you
licked them. however. And they weren't
complimentary. They sometimes hitched
I'D the word 'd-a' with fool
Therefore. the farmer stands N sorest
Of Eer
fnx the truth told him-the truth about
himself. about his business. his own lead
ers. politics and politicians. His need IN
this direction Is one OF the most pathetic
things n our day.
..The POLITICIANS HAVE TOO LONG
PLAYED WITH BIS PASSIONS. USED
THEM AS A cATsPAw AND LEFT
HIN WORSE OFF THAN THEY
FOUND HIN The time Is here for q
few homely truths / haven't spared
them heretofore. and I'm not going 20
now.
in fact, I'm going to speak more and
moe plainly as I get older. And II more
AGRICULTURAL leaders would do the same.
1he so-caIled redemption OF the rural
districts would come with a rush. For
while the farmer doesn't relish being
told the truth at first. he soon culttvates
taste for it-its 50 unusual you know.
able 10 discriminate between the old
hypocrits who would lie himself into Of
nee and the honest man Then he looks
back 70 the man who has kept his record
clear, and that man stands out In his
memory as the shadow OF a great rock in
: weary land
Just now I want to emphasize the
value TO the farmer. the indispensability
rather. OF scientific Distribution OF pro-
ducts.
"A great many people are with honest
motive. striving TO help the farmer pro-
duce more goods 81 less cost and labor.
They really want 70 help him And then,
there are a few who arc urging him on
to production that prices may drop and
everybody get = nft-except the farm
DISTRIBUTION IS IMPORTANT.
Il read In q current magazine recently
of some turkey-raisers IN Vermont. who
thought they weren't getting enough for
their production So they begun inclOsing
little notes sewed up securely inside each
dressed turkey which read something
ike this: sAr. Consumer. 1 got so much
= pound for this turkey. Please write
me what you paid
They followed the same plan in other
parts OF the country with other products.
The answers showed such tremendous
difference between the price the farmer
resolved. and that paid By the consum-
erz-many hundred per cent IN some
cases-as 20 be startling. AS q result
n many localities the farmers are en-
p1oying agents to handle their products
diree. and getting more OF what is COM
ing TO them
~The, high cost OF living Is frequently
as much Influenced By faulty distribution
IS under production
This doesn't mean mat we've got II
n for the merchants. the stores. the
bankers, or that we're going TO try 70 put
the commercial world out OF commits
aion.
Il gness we need the commercial world
IN our business just about a. badly
as II needs US Some weak-minded breth-
rem among Us have sindulged in wild
threats about 'bufraIolng some special
merchant or business Don't take them
seriously. Every organization has its
cranks.
But Il f. necessary for US and for
the consumer 70 simplify the machinery
o. distribution. 70 cut out horde Of
superfIuous and parasitic gamblers and
many intermediates between the prod
ucts Of the soil and their consumers
mo matter how complex tho question
Is. you've got 20 learn It sooner or later.
II you expect TO get your just due, whcsi-
er it's IN cotton. or wheat. OF corn. or
nutmegs-
Look at the Georgia peach growers.
Just as an Illustration
Before they were organized, markets
were contested and prices 80 low many
orchard men thought OF going out OF
the business
To-day organizations has redeemed the
Industry. and the average grower comes
nearer getting & square deal than ever
before
what they've done. we must do.
The farmer must make up his mind
to IT. The business man must make up
hts mind 10 r.
ITO accomplish results we must Increase
our present number OF competent and
sacrificing leaders But that Is a subject
worthy OF separate treatment
CHARLES s. BARRETT.
s'Union City. Ca. May p 1911"