The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-03-19

cant Tendencies In American Life
7uday-TO Perpetuate Their AS
,ounding Power for Upbuilding and
self Help. Members Must Follow
certain General Principles.
~ the officers and Members Of the
E-rfDers' Union:-
70 my mind, II of the most sig
t,EeAIt facts in current American
llstuIy is that the Farmers Union is
rcGaS greater in membership than at
arv period since its founding. The
rroGa,er in his country is at last
awakened to the necessity Of orga-
ri2atiun. What this means in the ag-
rIc4lt4ral, the economic and the pO-
meal life of the nation is not easily
estimated.
From reports made me 10y state
officials. and from my recent travels,
Which have embraced virtually every
St,tt organized, | find more money
~ the state treasures and a greater
laid up membership han ever be-
fore. The membership include resi-
dents Of three-fourths Of the States,
and farmers Of every grade, from the
one horse variety on up TO the Very
wealthy Individual. Throughout The
rank and file there is n new attitude
w. ~ IL o'o 'A ii' 20 III p"
lev loyalty toward cooperation and
hi aggreSsiveness that is new in
American organization.
II is essential. however. if the or
rahiZation is to remain at top-notcli
IN numbers and efficiency that both
officers and members bear in mind
anO practice certain broad principles.
one Of the first is the exercise Of
que care in the matter Of leadership.
The Farmers Union, like any other
great body. whether religious, civic
or otherwise, has its raScalS, its luke
warm brethren, it's ~hypocrites and its
snakes in the grass. We are gradu-
silly shaking them out Of the organi-
zation. and there are fewer in now
than AT any time. But the fight to
lttp down this element must be ar
eternal one, if the organization is tc
succeed permanently. Farmers or
I"hlzttions have heretofore made
SLOW progress because Of the pitiful
scarcity Of men who. in the first place,
/ really understood the farmer and
/ who. in the second place. were willing
and ready to make sacrifices for him
H. other words who We're willing &c
Iaf the price.
II is not sufficient that "A leade be
AL excellent business man or brainy
as that word is generally understood
j IAN point yOu to plenty Of Ordinarl'
y able men, brilliant men, in fact
VII" would make an absolute failure
III heading a farmers movement. The
leader who steers a farmers organi
zahon, and that means its variou:
branches. including business enter
Pflsts, TO success, must stand read.
l" be Knocked down and dragged on
hy the brethren time and again. an'
i hen fnroa batl. 3, onic N nr> ( n a 7,
hGmhlN. He must put health
strength and self-interest cheerful,
on the altar for them. When tn
brethren 20 back on the promise
lht> made At a hallelujah convention
ana they are apt to DO that at an
'lht, he must go along AS if nothin
had HAPPENED and believe they
come right after awhile.
These are only a few OF the quali
nations indispensable 10 the leader
Shlp mat must pcrpetuate the Far
hltfS ! mon. believe, though, W
are developing his class of leader
tfadually. and | largely attribute tn
fhen"menal increase in membershi
l" that fact. If these traits are re
cured "f leaders. il is certain thu
'H'lluts no less positive are require
:" ntfnhcrS generally. They mu:
exact loyalty and rigid accounting f,
'ht leader. but they must uphold n
hdhdS. dismiss idle suspicious again,
ma. and resist the everlasting tenn
'rll"n To nick out Of the organizatiO
IttauSe 1T may have made one or tW
i"iillitS IN their locality. A menat
M should be carefully watched
me outside critic. Frequently he
&" = orc member who became diSSati
~ httahSe ne was not elected
'h' lltie petty office, or because
" private grudSe against some Office
" hlthlttr. or because things didn
- lust 10 suit him III his loca
'"'Ie has been treachery. failur
"'hNh"ss and all sorts of the sins