The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-24

oAiob Il liiC
Union last Wednesday in G~reenvillel
Not as a ~preachment but because
IL is wise and profitable to do so, l
ask every man to examine himself.
Examine yourselves, whether we be
In the faith; prove your own selves"
Apply his injunction of Holy Writ to
you own life. Are honest, clean,
unselfish, reasonable. helpful, kind,
charitable? Are o in all sincerity
Of purpose, earnestly trying to know
I'M do your whole duty in the home,
the church, the school, the commu-
nifty, the Farmers Union, the State?
Do you know your own points OF
strength that you may impart 10 otn-
ers less fortunate? And do you recOg-
nize the weak traits in your character
that you may protect that point by
constant watching. and strengthen 1t
by perseverance. in we'll doing And
are you seeing the good we all may
do las the days are going by" Turn
the search light in another direction:
Do you know your business, your sue
cesses. your failures; the source OF
your profits, the leaks responsible for
the losses? Do you apply yourself to
learn new and better methods, or are
you content to plod along in the old
futs?
Do you try to find in our calling
the inspiration hat results from
choice, the satisfaction that comes
from a sense of duty we'll performed?
Or is it to you a d~rudgery imposed by
the necessity of circumstances n
which you hope Don to be able to
throw off?
Let us all continue this introspec-
ton until we know that we know our
calling; until we know that we know
ourselves as others know u.s.; until
we know that we know ourselves as
In Hyo
heart 80 Is he"
a Time OF Peace.
1 bring to the Farmers Union the
glad tidings that peace reigns within
our borders. 1t is not the peace Of
inertia or indifference that betokens
death, but 1t Is the legitimate fruits
of the living spirit of fraternalism and
true cooperation.
This harmony and good will ex-
tends throughout h State n down
TO the local unions. Fewer COM
plants have come to me this year
la during any previous year OF our
history as an organization. This is
cause for qualification under any cir
cumstances, because in union there is
strength; but in this day when the
fratericidal spirit seems to be domi-
mating half the world, it is peculiarly
a cause for thankfulness.
l shall not tax up your time by
entering into details OF the work OF
the State Union but will refer you tC
the reports Of the officers in charge
of the several departments of the
work. l want to bear testimony tC
the faithfulness of the men whom you
have called to this service. Theil
several reports will confirm me in this
statement. Your president in his de.
partment has done the best he could
He has had an able and efficient co
worker in the vice-president. Judge
us according to the sincerity of pur
pose and the energy Of effort and no
by our mistakes and failures.
You are more or less familiar will
the efforts of the State Union to saw
the cotton and tobacco crops to tn
farmers. This was a condition out o
the ordinary end one which the Far
mers', Union had not planned for an
which the Southern farmers were no
prepared to meet without serious loss
The farmers deserve credit for tn
stiff fight they have made to save tn
product Of their labors. In my OPT
Mon the holding movement prevent
ed cotton from going much lower thai
1t did. If we continue to hold and re
duce acreage next year at least 5
per cent, / believe the crop yet IN
sold. of both cotton and tobacco, wi
command a much better price than
is bringing today.
10Y Small Grain.
And now is the time to begin tn
acreage reduction by sowing the iand
In small grains. This has been an
is being done more largely than eve
before. The open furrow method
especially for oats, should be used i
late seeding.
I van to say with all possible en-
phasis that for general farming tn
only safe method is Investigation {
crops. The growing of all foo croI
for man and beast. The farmer VIII
plants cotton or tobacco next year
the neglect Of food crops for hon
use. ought to have a guardian alpoin
ed for his children, and grant his viii
a divorce.
Responsibility for Large Cotton Gre
Just here let me say that the ave
age home owning farmer is not re
ponsible for the large crop of cottC
and the shortage in food supplies. TT