Norwich bulletin., 1911-02-18
THE FARMERS TALK } TO FARMERS (
lTsuP TO THE FARMER 10 MAKE HIS LOT BETTER

(wrttten Specially for The Bulletin.)
 remember having alluded, once or twice, to "tfe Farmers Union" This ls an organization confined mostly to the south and west, where 1t takes pre-. sume, a position akin to that held by the Grange in the rest of the country. It has about two million members, which puts 1t numerically, on q par with, if not 3 little beyond the Grange. It's president is one Charles s. Barrett of Union City, Ga. He issued early in January, a sort of presidential mes- sage" or New Years greetings, with statement of what the Farmers Union stands sta for and what 1t wants to do this message that President Barrett Is $ a man who can see things. Further. more, he has the ability to tell what he sees and say what he thinks so that it can be understood.
 Tho Farmsrs. Union programme for 1911, as he sets 1t forth, fs intended to be mainly one of education education of the individual farmer in the ways X Ito apply intensive business methods continuously and universally, to each separate phase of the local and nations . al problems which in any manner whatsoever affect the American farnl- err Especially does the Farmers Union propose to drive home to it's members "tte true values of co-op- eration in buying, in selling and in distributing their products" It Is in what President Barrett says about the conditions which underlie all suc- cessful cooperation that I find the most meat" And want to slice of them along to my Eastern Connecticut reodera.
 There can no longer be doubt in the mind of any observant farmer that he must meet organization and scc-opera- tion in the ranks opposed to him, by equally firm and effective. organiza- fion of his own ranks, unless he wants to be driven in disorganized defeat through the woods of failure. But when he tries 1t he has too often in the past found himself the victim of graft and treachery on the part of those who have assumed to act as his agents and trustees. President Bar rett starts off his advice about the founding of farmers cooperative en- terprises by the statement that the first requisite tc success is the se1ec- ton of proper managers, chosen for their business knowledge and integrity, and willing to pay the price of success in their own persons" They must be possessed of ability and the capacity for elf-sacrifice." They must be the sort of men who "once they have tho
 
 endure abuse, islander, neglect, insults, lost health, impaired reputations, to help their brethren to success" You will not find such men," adds Mr. Barrett, among the hand-shakers or the jolliers."
 tfs goes on--and l beg you to read the words carefully, for they tell in forceful language just what every hon. est and thoughtful man who has ever been engaged in any form of co-opera- ton knows to be the fact--T have capable leaders to stand charges of graft, of general dishonor, or even theft, battle manfu1ly against criti- .cism sights and misrepresentation and finally win success for the men who trusted them wdth authority. They are the sort of men you need and must have. Unless you find them suc- cess will be impossible, and you may as well understand that now" Amen to that, President Barrett, and again Amen! There is hardly one honest and capable manager of co-opera- tive enterprise in this country, across whose memory are not scared the in- deltbla scars Of unreasonable criticism, of sIanderous misrepresentation, of open abuse and secret treachery from some of those he has been trying ole-fleartedly to serve and help.
 I know--for have ''been there."
 But there are compensatiens. There was a Judas among the Twelve; there will always be grafters and sneaks and selfish hogs in every human organiza- ton. They will always be mean and their meanness will always hurt. But they are not the whole bunch. No such manager of a cooperative enterprise but has also found in it's ranks loyal supporters, helpful assistants, cheer ing advisers and devoted friends He
 aa,. ali off crA fp nr fo1,a o wounds in the joy of their companion- ship and mutual service.
 "Next., President Barrett uoes on, it must firmly be implanted in the mind of every farmer that his saliva tion lies in his own hands, and not in outside help, however well meant and ganizatfons and individuals he admits are striving for the farmers "uplfft." Some are unselfsh, some are fishing for advertising or glory. "But none of them. honest, wise, ignorant or other wise, can furnish q solution to the real rural problem The farmer must do that for himself" And then come these golden words, which ought to be print ed in letters a foot long and hung in the ''livin' room and the big barn and the wagon shed and on the apple trees of the orchard of every farmer in the larId whether he belongs to the Farm ers' Union or the Grange or the larger agglomeration of unorganized kickers and soreheads: T mean that each in- dividua1 farmer must. surrender some what of his Independence. few of his 'rfghts,'' a good many of his ideas. and combine his efforts with those of others, not solely for his own but for the general success MT. Barrett has, tily suggests a few of the move ments'' which interest "uplifters" here