Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-16
DUCKWORTH MAKES PLEA
FOR CONTINUED HARMONY
Annual Address of President of
Farmers Deals With Success
of Past Eight MonthS-PointS
Out Need of Future
Especial Dispatch to The JOurnal.)

the many interesting features of the an
nual address of President r. +. Duck
worth, of the Georgia division Of the
Farmers Educational and Cooperative
union, before the convention here. He
said in part:
DUCKWORTHS ADDRESS. .--
The farmers can succeed only by
standing together, having a unity of
purpose. and refusing to be demoralized
by rumors. insinuationS or suggestions.
They must learn to have business judg-
ment, to investigate first, approve or
condemn afterward.
The experiences through which we
have passed in winning our goal and in
losing it has, 1 confidently believe,
taught our membership a, lesson which
even time can not erase. Experience is
dear school, but there are many, many
people other than those mentioned by
the old adage, who neglect to learn at
any other.
1 am glad to be able to report that
there is peace throughout the union
now, and every indication is that the
membership. realize what fight there
is before them If they are to get rea-
sonable price for this cotton. / feel sure
that the old time unity of action ana
unrelenting determination will charac-
terize the workings of the organization
during the coming fight.
We are not showing the noisy enthu-
siasm that we once did, but there is
steady, upward movement that means
permanency.
The organization has been true to its
name in educating the farmers ana
learning them to cooperate, and the
lessons it has taught have already
borne fruit to the farmers, their wives
and children, mentally, morally ana
financially. Many other seed have been
planted in good and honest hearts, ana
will produce an abundant harvest.
The farmer has learned by and through
organization He may become indiffer-
ent for a time, but not for long VIII ne
permit the specializing world to nave
things all their own way. The day OF
individual efforts has gone. NO man
can stand alone and prosper. We must
ioin hands with our class. In doing so,
we must necessarily surrender some OF
our individualism, often misnameo
rights" One man can not have every
thing his way There must be rules
and regulations, and the individual
must learn to submit and stand by
them, or the organization can not De
profitable to him.
The rules and regulations OF the Farm
ers' union have not been near so bind
ing in Georgia as in some otner sIaees
RAISING. LIVE STOCK.
The cotton farmer makes a mistake
when he does not effectively encourage
the growing of more and better i've
stock.
when we add to the recent number
of horses, cows, sheep and hogs, we
will materially increase the necessity
for feed crops. To increase the produc-
ton of our food crops we Will neces-
sarily reduce the number of acres that
otherwise would be planted In cotton:
We now have a profitable market Tor
all the live stock we can grow in Geors
giaL for many, many years to come
and this growing of live stock Is the
best means available for the permanent
IMPROVEMENT of our soils.
We are sending out of the state an
nually more than $19O00,oOO for horses
and mules, mostly muless The mule
that we pay 5000 for could be grown on
the average farm for from $40 to $40
each. We are paying many millions OF
dollars each year for meats that could
be grown within our own borders at
considerable less price than is now be-
ing paid for first class western meats,
and then our dairy bill is something
enormous. Eggs are selling the year
round at profitable prices.
The marketing by the farmer Of these
products can be made much more prof
liable to him by selling them through
some cooperative corporation.
COOPERATION IN BUSINESS.
The meaning of the word cooperation
as applied to business, was first Cecog-
nized by a very few men. In time 9TH
ers began to realize the power of it.
and then corporations were formed, and
legalized. The principle of cooperation
was carried still further, and we formed
the great trusts and combines. The
masses observing the effectiveness be-
gan to make attempts at financial CO.
operation.
Just where the cooperative principle
is to stop we cannot tell. Some say a
great big cooperative institution will
some day swallow all smaller ones.
1t was in the latter part of the nine
teenth and the first part of the TWEEN
tieth century that the farmers began the
most active, and extensive cooperation
in all parts of the world. Holland began
her present system of cooperation in
1900 Bavaria and other German states
began at or near this period. 1t was
In the nineties that France and Ireland
became the most active. 1t was in 100.
that we began our own organization.
In 1907 Holland spent for a member
ship of 12S,5OO $7,497,2OO. Holland is about
one-twentieth the size of Georgia, and
her population is about the same, as
ours.
Bavaria has 2,714 local organizations
with a membership of 100000. The mem
bers of this organization have taken
stock to the amount of IS, 402, 10000. Hel
population is 6,176C57. The square mile
area is a little less than one-half the
size of Georgia.
The Farmers union Is allowing SINH
lar organizations in other countries Il
out-strip her, in some respects. The
general outline and purposes are about
the same, but we do not require as q
condition of membership that each one
must become stakeholder in our enter
prises. Neither do we require as strict
a regulation as does the Bavaria organ
izations. The Munich Cooperative Loar
bank, requires it's stockholders to de-
posit all moneys with it and to borrow
money from no other institution. They
loan the members of the farmers or
ganization money at 1-2 per cent.
In several of these countries the pos
session of the member when he join:
the organization becomes the property
of that organization, there being {
withdrawal privilege under restriction
In many instances the farmers com
bine putting up their lands as the prop
erty of the organization and use it a!
a basis of credit.
MUST NOT LOSE STEP. -.
The Georgia farmers must not los'
step il he would possess that which b!
divine purpose was intended for him.