The Raymer enterprise., 1912-10-31
GREAT PROBLEM OF NATION
Not Tariff Nor Money Questions, But
Economic Distribution of Neces.
saries of Life.

year as national organization. Some
years we have had considerable more
noise and excitement at our conven.
tions than was manifested at Chatta.
nooga, but noise counts for very little
in this movement. The men whose
leadership insures success for the or
ganization are the men who have
lived through the days OF loud denun-
citation and extravagant promises and
have learned well the lesson Of quiet
determination. Such we had at Chat
tanooga.
Could the individuals who have
kicked out the traces because of some
fancied grievance or because they
thought every dime invested as dues
should return dollar in interest. re-
alize what tremendous force this
union has been in the affairs OF men
during the past decade, am sure
that every one Of them would hurry
back to the fold 1t is safe to say that
at no time In the history OF our great
country has there been a more wide.
spread determination to diagnose the
disease Of our body polite and apply
specific. Men in all walks of life
know that something is radically
wrong. This can now be stated with.
out the fear Of being called an alarm.
ist. 1t Is SO evident that the most
pronounced optimist recognizes its ex.
istence. and 1t is a happy sign that
our great nation is getting right close
up to the real trouble.
Politicians used to feed the people
on the poetry Of politics, but they
didn't fatten. 1t takes hard work to
supply the beans and bacon to put on
flesh. People found out that 1t took
effort to succeed and that the particu-
lar color Of the political party In pow.
er had little to do with the problem of
existence. They are willing to work,
and work hard, but are insistent in
the demand that their labors shall be
properly rewarded.
The great problem before the Amer.
lean people is not the tariff, 1t is not
the money question, 1t Is not the IA
vorite planks Of the political parties.
but 1t Is the economic distribution of
the necessaries Of life. Man is first of
all an animal. His higher intelligence
makes him desire to be first.class
animal. Proper food and clothing are
nQGonfiQIC frof tipIu In, Il
sire to conquer the wilderness and
make a great nation we have neglect
ed to study closely this all important
subject. Countless multitudes are suf.
fering and will continue to suffer until
we learn that every being must have
the opportunity to provide the crea.
ture comforts. Our responsibility
ends not with the present, but ex.
tends to generations yet unborn.
This problem has never been treat.
ed as a national question. The indi-
vidual has been left to solve 1t as best
he might. Look at the awful condi.
tions that prevail as result of this
neglect. A few wax fat because they
can and do manipulate the products OF
the many, while the great body OF
producers must fight hard to get even
enough for an existence.
Why do say that our. great think.
ers are getting close up to the real
trouble? Because all of the efforts
now being made to find what Is the
matter will eventually get around to
this problem. Soon all of this crop
Ing about and striking here and there
will stop. and. In common parlance.
we will get down to brass tacks."
The country life commission and the
agitation about the rural credit sys-
tens OF Europe are steps In the right
direction. It will not be long until
the leaders in these movements will
be abreast OF the Farmers union in
the effort to handle American prod.
ucts economically and equitably.
Take all the help you can get in
working out this problem, but be sure
that you do not depend entirely upon
the help. Let us all work at 1t. Leg.
islation will help some. Commercial
bodies will lend assistance so long as
1t means dollars to them. Railroads
are getting anxious about freight ship.
ments and will help considerably to
eliminate grafters In the fruit and
vegetable business, SO that farmers
won't get discouraged and quit rails.
Ing these things. But all of these
agencies combined will amount to but
little unless the farmer Is in the
proper attitude. The whole thing
hinges upon the determination of the
farmer to be business man. II he
really means business he will get into
the union, the only organization that
has 80 far attempted to reach the root
Of the matter.
For the benefit Of the doubling
Thomas let me say that consid-
cradle number Of farmers belong to
this organization. They have stuck"
calamity howlers to the contrary not.
withstanding. Let me make this next
statement strong. the national union
Is In better shaep financially and 9th.
erwise than ever In It's history. What
does all this mean? Nothing less than
that the American farmer has learned
that his own organization ia his best
friend. He does not expect to aolve