Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-07-27
FARMERS HAVE LEFT UNION
President Barrett Gives Series Of
"ouits," Exposing Fool Reasons
Need Of Cure for Folly.
To the ofncers and Members Of tho

10 "|edh'hleeu OF I"dlnt-nearJeQ, per
haps as a chicken with the pip and
ready to quit the Farmers union at
he drop of the hat, A smaller per-
centage are yielding to these special
reasons than ave. before In the or
ganization's history, but the number
needs still to be lessened.
Just run your eye over a 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 Of
hcer, at the expense of q little ef-
fort.
You quit because somebody told you
you would have a better standing II
you didn't run with a crowd Of "one
gallus" fellows; you've found out since
what a lie that was, but perhaps you
haven't the manhood to confess 1t.
You quit because you thought they
shouldn't have pensioned Mrs. GYes-
ham, n 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 I knew just how you would
feel.
You quit because we we're trying to
do too much.
You quit because we we're not doing
enough.
You quit because a few salaries were
raised, and you'd rather give your
money to an outside faker than some
body trying to help you and bold
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, for
getting that revolutions are not
wrought overnight and that perhaps
the fault was yours for not cooper
ating properly and sacrificing a little
of your fancied independence.
You quit because there were so
many poor, ignorant folks in the Farm.
ers' 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 or.
ders the day after.
You quit because women were al.
lowed to join, yelping that they had
no place In u meetings and Ought
to be at home where they belong
forgetting that the woman makes the
home and that n of the first princi.
pies 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 &c
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" indeh
nitely. There isn't any use. You'll
recognize a good many Of them, anC
be too stuck up to admit 1t.
But just let me remind you, brother
that while in some states we are go
ing to halt for a spell, and perhapi
mark time, this organization is here
to stay, from a national standpoint, L
is here to transform rural life il
America, to get a square deal for thu
farmer, to abolish mortgages on farms
to eliminate the demagogue, to MAKE
the government to which the farme,
contributes so literally return to thu
farmer q little more In taxes.
Take a broad view of the situation
Get off your own little ant-hill. Bea.
this in mind, as a final test-yol
wouldn't kill yourself II everything
went wrong, your crops failed. ant
your faith in human nature peterel
out. Well-the Farmers union is JUS
Life. So when you begin to med
tate leaving it for some petty, foo
reason, let 1t soak into your head tina
you are hurting yourself worse thai
the organization, and that you are los
ing the best chance in history to ge
a square deal for yourself, your wife
your sons and your daughters.
CHAS. s. BARRETT.
: Union City, Ga.