Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-11
APPEAL FOR UNITY
MADE BY BARRETT
TO FARMERS UNION
National President Issues Re-
markabIe Document Calling
on Members to Observe
Obligations to Organization

markable document comprising the ex-
periences and observations of his career
among American farmers, President Bar
rett, of the Farmers union today pleads
with members of that organization AMI
American farmers generally to Observe
scrupulously their obligations toward
cooperation and organization.
1t is doubtful If ever before the chief
executive of more than 100000 Amerl-
can farmers has so. candidly analysed Il
the latter, and so forcefully set forth
their duty to themselves and the ma
ton.
For its intimate knowledge Of a sub
ject that bulks large in the public mind
today. the statement is of permanent
general interest.
To the officers and members Of the
Farmers union:
81 suppose that in as many as SEQ
state, county and local conventions Of
the Farmers union have heard ferverlt
brethren work themselves into mighty
sweat about the virtues or organization
COMMON SPECTACLE
lyon will bear me out in saying that
il lis a common spectacle to see an ener- 4
getic old exhorter get on the floor ard
beat the air with his hands about tile
organization that we need for ourselves
and for our children.
81 am going into it, he will say, mot
on my own account, for God knows /
have struggled along this far, and
can live somehow without it, but as
sacred trust to my children, and in the
belief that il will benefit them and tae
whole country I am aligning myself
with this noble body of men,"
This is all very touching II II was
backed up with action, with self-sacI1-
fee and with persistence the problems
with which the Farmers union is wrest-
ling would be settled between maps.
Unfortunately, such expressions rep
resent only the state Of mind and not
a rock-ribbed determination TO fight and
DENY ones self until there is thick
coating of ice over the lower regions.
Organization is the greatest necessity to
the farming population of this country
have stated that fact so often that
fear to tire you with its retieraticn.
Bot spouting the virtues of orgaAlza
ton in a meeting when everybody has
been dashed into enthusiasm by %oIne
skillfui speaker, and applying tha viz
tues of organization day in and day out
in the minutest detail of your own and
the organizations business. are two very
different matters
FARMER OFTEN BALKS.
The farmer who clamors loudest for
the principles of our creed in public
often balks when 1t becomes necessary
for him to patronize farmers union
enterprise, or to cut down his acreage.
or to hold his products, or to improve
his domestic surroundings to carry out
the tenets of that creed.
If in the midst of an enthusiastic
speech he is asked TO ship his wheat.
cotton, peanuts or tobacco with his fell
low-members and let it be handled oy
a union agent, he often turns renegade
on the spot or plays the baby act and
deserts the very faith he proclaims.
Organizations and its various details
comprise a sacred trust, not only upon
the leaders, but upon every single mein-
Der of the Farmers union from the presi-
dent to the latest recruit
1t costs effort and little self-sacrihce
to practice that doctrine in every day
life. But it is the only method that VIII
ever lead TO substantial success.
APPLIES TO UNION.
And what have said applies to every
local. in every county. in every state IN
the National Farmers union. It applies
as well to the American farmer generally,
whether or not he is affiliated with his or
some other similar organization.
Now you big-hearted, good-natured rss-
cal why don't you acknowledge the truth.
straighten yourself up and do what you
would admire another for doing instead OF
backing down and patting yourself on the
head and imagining you are just about
the best fellow in the country.
You want to hear the rascality OF men
and truth shown up and nice things about
yourself, but you do not like TO have
yourself shown up as you are. The fact
Is that all the rascality and corruption
that is in this government exists he
cause you allow It, There is not a wrong
permitted in this country today that the
farmer could not correct If they were
united and had the energy and patierics
necessary to push good men and good
measures to the front.
Two of the greatest obstacles 70 the
progress of the farmer is the tendency
of members, and some leaders, too, to be-,
come easily DISCOURAGED. and. in
many cases, lack of SELF-SACRIFICE-
One and all should remember that they
are enlisted for the WAR; not just for
will not be won until every reform, IN
side and outside the ranks, in which
the American farmer is interested has
been realized
What is one lost battle, or one earn
paign ending in defeat? Every great
every great organization. that
history has recorded as successful has
climbed to success upon defeat after de-
feat. encouragement after discourage
ment. Frequently victory has been wrurg
out of the pit of despair Itself.
UNION WILL NOT DIE.
The 1armers' union contains thousands
of members who are RESOLVED THAT
1T SHALL NOT DIE. THEY ARE DE
TERMINED TO STAND BY AND STAY
IN 1T REGARDLESS OF WHAT
CONES, IN THE FACE OF ANY DIS
AsTER. AT THE COST OF ANY SAC
RIFICE. THEY KNOW ITS PRINCE
PIES MEAN THE SALVATION OF
THE AMERICAN FARMER cox
WINGED OF THAT FACT. NO
AMOUNT OF PERSONAL DISCOM-
FORT. HUMILIATION OR Temporal
RY DEFEAT WILL EVER BE ABLE
TO DRIVE THEM FROM ITS BAN
NER.
And that is the spirit in which men
must join the order. in which its every
member must face each issue, regardless
of it's effect upon himself
The leader must make up his mind that
the brethren are going to disappoint him
at times Sometimes they are even go-
ing to repudiate him. Does that mean