The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-18

'dH NC u utnluils Sdlu tldl inc ldi III
ers on the average are the most in
dependent, and yet the most depend
ent class of people we have.
1.-THE Southland Farmer" in dis
cussing the question of organization,
says in part: "All are organized and
compactly so, except the farmer,
from the newsboys on the streets to
the nations wealthiest, from the hod
carriers on the buildings to our
leading fnanciers.''
"The farmer stands practically un-
organized between the neither mill
stones organized capital on the one
side, labor on the other, and between
the two his interests have been
ground to grists unfit for the gods"
Organization is thrust upon the
farmer whether he desires it or not.
He cannot much longer fight his bat
tie individually and alone for him
self and those dependent upon him,
and remain in the homecoming
class Organization (and co-opera-
tom if properly carried out, will do
for him what it has done for others
afford him protection and an as
sured profit on his labor
There are many slogans in Florida
at this time, as may be found in the
other States where progress and de-
velopment are carried forward We
even find some of our cities and
towns with slogans, representing as
best they can. in single word or
rhrase, the particular thing for which
the city or town stands. The slogan
for the State at large has been,
Get another settler" and in our
blind rush for another settler, we
have not given any attention to the
settlers we already had, or to the
new settlers as they have come to
us from time to time And right
here I want say hat it is criminal
for any individual or company to bid
for citizens, induce them "to come"
to a country where conditions are en-
tirely new to them, and then leave
them unprotected and alone when
they come.
New citizens and old ones, too
who are struggling for their very ex'
istence need assistance, through co
operation They need to know how
and what to produce, and then how
to get rid of what is produced at a
living price. Many good an dpros
porous citizens would be saved to
this State yearly, and the States
good name protected. IL these unfor
tunate ones were given the hand OF
assistance at the proper time.
The Slogan.
The slogan for Florida should be
Organization and Cooperation" II
is needed in town, city. county and
State. No movement worth while
can be successfully carried out with
out organization and cooperation.
It is astonishing to see the effort
that has to be put forth to get the
people to organize for their own good
and their own protection. and many
times this effort results in failures.
We read about the needs for farm.
ers' banks in certain sections of the
State. We have seen volumes writ
ten on the subject of farm loans
and rural credits We have seen a
great deal that has been written on
the question of slaughter houses for
hogs and cattle in this State. A lot
has been said on the subject. Stand
ardizatior Necessary for Profitable
Marketing" This subject was dis
cussed at the Citrus Seminar at the
University of Florida. by Chas. ],
Brand, Chief of Bureau Of Markets
and Rural Organization. U. s. De-
partment of Agriculture. Practical.
ly the first and last words of Mr..
Brands address was organization.
There are shipped into the State
of Florida each year several mil
lion dollars worth each. of corn. hay,
syrup. pork and bacon. and oats.
There are in the State. now, many
thousands of dollars worth of these
products and the farmers are unable
to sell them for anything like the
market price. Cooperation would set
tie this question for all time.
There are shipped into the State
each year many thousands of dollars
worth of rice and peas. These two
articles can be grown proftably in
Florida. Cooperation will cause our
farmers to make this and many
other needed changes in the products
of our soil.
Legislation
Congress may legislate on the su