The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-13
GREATER COOPERATION URGED
8 BY HEAD OF FARMERS UNION
1t Must Take Place Of Competitive Effort More and More
Declares State President H. Q. Alexander in
Annual Address,

Iu his annual address At the state
Farmers Union convention at Shelby
recently Dr Il. .. Alexander. pressi-
dent of the union, declared that the
great economy of cooperative action
as against individual effort and urged
the establishment by the farmers OF
mora cooperative business enterpris-
ss. He said:
The year 1913 has been one Of
material progress in North Carolina.
The labOrs of the huSbandnan in till
ing the soil have been crowned with
success. The falling off in the yield
Of some sections has been largely
compensated for by increased market
prices. From this we learn the lesson
that in the case of crops TO be mar
keted for money the man who makes
two blades Of grass to grow where
only one grew before" is not bene-
factor 20 the producers Of his class
but only TO the buyers and con-
sufuers.
We al3o learn the lesson that con-
trolled markets mean more IN prohts
to the producer than, controlled pro-
duction A crop OF 20,O0O,000 bales
| of cotton locked in farmers ware
houses free from mortgage would
send prices upward just as surely as
a crop of 100000 bales. The
same is true Of the tobacco crop OF
any other crop. Some of US Will
have no eggnog for Christmas and
| yet there are hundreds of millions OF
eggs locked III cold storage.
| We should also learn the lesson
that material progress does not ex-
tripate poverty. A volume Of wealth
greater than the assessed value OF
our farm lands has been created il
North Carolina this year, and YET
with the first appearance Of jack
frost the city papers are calling
| for donations that the cold may be
warmed the hungry fed, the naked
clothed. There be those who wear
purple and fine linen and live il
kings houses but three-fifths Of al
the people have no homes OF theil
own and must deny them"elveS the
| Injuries and many Of the necessities
Of life while we are told that Al least
ione-third OF the people Of our great
cities go u bed hungry 1t part Of the
time every year These thing, olgh
not So TO be.
! Equal OppurinuitS 10 G.k.
d; Ii is not merely an equal oppoF-
tuniIs- 10 work but an equal oppor-
tunity TO get, to have and 10 hOlC
which must and Will alone bring aI
equitable prosperity TO all the people
| from the necessity IT work but which
A prosperity that egempts no mar
does lift from all meH the neceSSitS
of all work and no play or al WORK
and poor pay. We do not want {.
prosperity III North Carolina that IN
creases the lines Of distinction be
tween classes. We would upHft al
together aud nog permit the few u
make stepping stones Of tn" many
that they may obtain rewards theil
laDots GO not -GatiLie them to.
But great As l.aS been this n:ateria
progress it does nor compare iii Tea
enduring value with the progress:
made along other lines. There i.
"a greater forward movement in rura
education than ever before. Since tn,
last annual convention OF the Stat
Union six months tree school ha
been prONiued for the children o
the state reinforced bE- Z corupuisory
attendance la.w which inSurcs to tn
child the benefits Of this increased
term. Several Farm Life Schools
nave been established or are IN pro
cess IF building. while agriculture
,and domestic science are recognized
as being just an important as geog
IA ply and grammar.
- The Educa tiDnal institutions o
the State are enlarging their spher
of action and taking On new life ant
Te will nov be taught not only eco
no1nic production but economic MAJ
tketinS and distribution; and ecouonli
living; that is better living, q large
life a more useful life.
There has been progress in lesis
latiolf: The people will soon hay
1.-THE opportunity 10 amend the Stat
ft.onstitition ard adapt il 10 chang
tcoRditions that it may better con
: rerse the interests of all the people
f.niust and discriminating frc.@I1