The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-01-23

defying the savage. Erecting as he
went upon the prair.es and in the
forests, monuments CT agriculture
and civilization, While blazing the
way for other business pursuits to
follow He has baffled with every
difficulty In every age and has sur
mounted unnumbered difficulties.
until today he stands uron a broad
plane. surrounding a monument OF
lasting achievements erected and
carved by his own hands.
Then what the American farmer is
today Re has hewn out and made
by himself After all these years
OF almost fruitless struggle, after
generations OF slow but lasting de-
velopmGnts and improvements, he
arm in arm, with the best aud noblest
bleed of his country. united with and
comentcd to the moving powers of the
nation, financially, socially. intef-
lectually, whose ambition and pride
prompts them to rally TO the aid
and support Of agriculture. the
acknowledged champion of all in
dustries.
The prime causes which have led
TO these marvellous changes. to this
great revolution In agricultural de-
velopments has heeu organization
and cooperation based upon ideas
and principles that above all else
have appealed TO the better judgment
OF the masses.
Since the days OF farmers organ.
'2at!ons the marked lines of separa.
ton between business and classes
have become less visible. The farm.
er In his individual capacity labcred
for days and years learning only his
own side OF life. On the broad
questions confronting him and his
country he thought without acting
he acted alone and without advice
The farmer for generations did not
awaken to his sense CT duty. He
did not conceive that power In
numbers" could be applied to the
Nr'7c Va lNSbit AZ hnu ht
II took him generations to solve
the problem that all other classes
when organized were divided While
the producer CT the soil could stand
FOR this enc paramount object and
that all other organizations would
stand undivided with him. But these
great problems have been wrough,
out and today we find facing us In
one solid front the producers of the
coil, organized for the great work OF
feeding the world. having behind
them and In symrathy with them
every organization. every combina
ton. whether for capital or labor
and every true loyal American. who
has at heart the progress and wei
fare of his country. We are n
collection of individuals ard not OF
canital. We are banded together
not for political or religious pur
poses. not to sway the world will
money, power or flood the avenues
Of commerce with labor but for the
purpose Of encouraging more and
better farmers. more and bette,
honsekaepers, larger and more profit
able yieds Of farm crops. b.
these organizations we stand In
closer relation with all other classes
which creates friendship and tends
70 work out broader lines Of develop
ment for ourselves. and better i'm
movements for our farms and coun
| Try. In the work In which our
farmers and their organizations are
engaged we should feel deep and
profound interest. not alone because
we are farmers. bu; because Of the
great achievements won and wrought
out bv them as class. The wonder
full advano ements made by the tiller.
I, or the soil by organization arn moi
confined alone 10 our pround country
As far back rs 1894 the agriculturist,
OF England, aroused by the wants
and needs of their country and re
alizing the conditions surroundinr
them. sought TO organize for better
results. For half century the
farmers of that, the then creates,
nation On earth, fought for recogni
ton on these lines. Growing ou
NJ their dormant and isolated con
ditions for the last fifty years the
English farmer has become reccg
nized among his people. Denmark
smsll. yet greatest In many ways
has since 1880 through organiza
/ ton advanced from bankruptcy "a
one of the highest rated and most
recognized countries in the world
All European nations have moved
and arr still moving along these
lines with results that in the way
cf IMPROVEMENT can not be weighed
or measured. and the masses OF
those greet powers pre- being forced
to learn aud copeiled though re
luctsntly, to admit that the agricui
'urist Of those and all other nations
! must he recognized and that they
are the bulwara upon which res,
their Notifications and their hopes
Along these lines too much could
rot be said. We cannot estimate
in any common degree. we cannot
compare by weights and measure
we can only picture with words and
actions the score CT our crganiza
tons end the benefits they bring Ia