The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-01-31
FARMERS TO REVIVE LAW
or SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Continued from Second page)

Industrious and enthusiastic son of the
soil. Undoubtedly he was for ahead
of his southern neighbors when he first
began raving over the newly-started
union of Texas farmers nine years ago.
He did missionary work among his
neighbors and between seasons rode
through Georgia and built up good
state organization. From the pres-
dency of that he was promoted to the
main office in the national organization
Since then he has increased the mem
bership from 400, 900 to 5000, 900. He
has preached the gospel of cooperation
and scientific, systematic agriculture
IN every farming state in the union.
Now he's going to tackle Canada.
At first manufacturers fought him
bitterly. He was teaching their GUS
tuners things about their business they
thought had better be left unsaid Then
Barrett started factories financed and
controlled by the farmers themselves.
Now members buy thousands of dollars
worth of fertilizer and supplies from
their own factories and store millions
OF bushels of grain and many bales of
cotton in their own elevators and ware
houses. The union hopes some day to
re-enact the law of supply and demand,
repealed by railroads, commission men
and spectators. And, strange as it
may sound to city ears, Barrett says
that when the farmer gets what he
really should have for his products,
which is more than he now receives,
the city consumer will be getting the
same products for less than he now
pays.
Then, explains Barrett, 1.-THE middle
themselves IN the amen corner of the
extinct species club.
A clipping with the above article
from some paper, was handed me a
short time ago, and | would like to
pass it on to the readers of the Pioneer
and especially the farmers
The Farmers Union is an organ2a-
ton only ten years old, and yet it
has approximately 5000, 900 members.
What does it mean? | will answer with
the words of one of the unions state
organizers "Farmers have learned
the secret that organization, unity of
action and continuity of purpose on
their part will in the end unite all sec
tons, enrich all communities and make
all citizens equal before just laws. In
teligence to organize, fellow feeling
enough TO unite and manhood sufficient
to stand firm. are necessary require
ments to bring this about. Organiza-
ton is now the order of the day. 1t is
the motive power that rules and guides
the world. Without it the best of
causes will not succeed, while with it
the worst causes may prosper for a
time, Organized evil must be met by
organized good, organized greed by or
ganzed equity In the combination of
kindred forces lie the astonishing re-
suits OF modern undertaking.
The Roman Local Union No. is a
member of this great organization,
atliiating with it last July, and it was
the best thing our union has yet done.
Our local union last year shipped in a
car OF binder Irvine and grain sacks, at
a saving to its members on Irvine alone
of about $500, compared with the local
y,,sls a,,I tn En f,r II,,
from six to eight hundred dollars, as
chances are that the local price would
: have been from | to l-2 cents had the
union not taken the action it did. The
binder Irvine we shipped in has been
Knocked from every side, but | would
like to make a statement to the effect
that our Irvine gave good satisfaction
to all who used it, with one or two ex-
ceptions, but let us bear in mind that
to satisfy everybody is impossible. The
grain sacks did not give good salts
faction, however, owing to the fact
that they were ordered a little small.
holding about ll5 pounds, but even at
that, 1t was saving to the farmers as
they came about 3 cents lower than
any sack sold on the local market.
Our union, however, is not antagon-
ling the local merchant, nor are we
bucking them we are organized to bet
ter our own condition; we believe in
buying at home when we can buy right,
but if the farmer is going to get out of
the hole and lay up little for rainy
day, then he has got to sell where he
can get the best price, and also buy
where he can get the goods the cheap
est. If the business man in the city
bought at retail and sold at wholesale
he would soon have to close his doors,
and yet that is just what the farmers
are doing, but through the Farmers
union we see better day coming.
d. F, OLSON.