The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-01-19
AN ADDRESS TO THE FARMERS OF MISSOURI.
Speech Made at Farmers Week at Missouri. University,
Jan. / to 5, 1917.

Crisis which cOnfrOntS American Agriculture at LnlS -nOurs g-
Upon every hand we are confronted by sohdly organized
forces, which, without exception, demand a profit-and in
many instances an unreasonable one-upon the fruits of
their toll and labor. This is true of the manufacturer, the
merchant, the money lender, or organized labor and of all
other manner of enterprise and industry. In viewing this
condition of affairs we do not wish to be understood as pro-
testing against the exactions of these various Agencies so
long as fairness characterizes their demands and so long as
they do not proceed upon the unhoy principle that might
makes right" On the contrary, we realize that self preser,
walton is the first law of industry as well as of nature and
we commend rather than censure those who employ such
cooperative effort so long as they are not unmindful of the
broad rights of the masses.
Nevertheless, thus hanked and surrouned by organized
effort which compels the farmer to pay the other mans
price for everything he has to buy and to accept the other
other mans price for everything he has to seH-this is an
unusual state of affairs which is responsible for the trenen-
dous debt which. rests upon the farm homes of every state
in the Union, which is increasing land tenacy upon every
hand, which is robbing farm life of its profit and pleasure .
and driving countless thousands of young men and women
from the rural districts to the great and already overcrowd-
ed cities.
Under the present unorganized state in which farmers
find themselves, not only are we compelled to pay what the
other man demands and accept what he offers for the
fruits of our sweat and toll but among the latter are those
whose greed and avarice knows no reason or moderation
and who demand from us the last pound of flesh" with
each passing day. So long as the five gigantic concerns
which constitute the great Packing House Combine hold
within the hollow of their hands the great live Stock In
dustry upon which American Agriculture is bottomed-
so long as the dealing in grain futures destroys the God made
law of supply and demand-so long as these and similar
agencies compel the farmer on the one hand to accept less
than the production cost for his wheat, hogs, cattle, sheep
anu rlHG OIltI tRIGdl u6CcSDdIl6S VI lille DIOuuCCu OI Vic
farm and upon the other hand wiring an unholy tribute from
the hunger and dire necessity of the consuming Masses
this is a condition which at this hour menaces not merely
the future of every farm home in the land but the stability
and well being of the Republic itself.
Therefore, farmers must arouse themselves and or
ganize as they have never dreamed of organizing before.
1t is a duty which we owe not merely to ourselves and to
our children in the years to come but to the millions of con-
sumers who are equally helpless under a system which the
great necessities of life have become a matter of CONNER
cial brigandage and spols. The farmer is the only power in
the land who can change this condition of affairs which has
brought about in many instances a fictitious cost of living
and this we must do by banding ourselves solidly together
in every state in the Union, and once strong enough, finance
our own agencies of distribution which will make it possible
to shorten the route from producer to consumer and thus
divide between these two great classes the dishonest tribute
which is now being eXacted from both by unnecessary and
extortionate middemen. Upon the accomplishment of this
task depends whether we shall be able to pay off the ever
increasing mortgage burden upon on" farms and also wheth-
er the millions of consumers in town and city shall be able
to buy the great necessities of life without the payment Of
extortion.
Already the great Farm Club movement has gone far
enough to show that the farmers of Missouri are more gen.
orally aroused to the gravity of the situation which con-
fronts us than the farmers of any other state and we hereby
appeal to the farmers of every school district to bestir
themselves at once and to organize a Farm Club without
further delay. The necessary literature, Constitution and
BY Laws will be furnished upon application and thus pro-
vided, the farmers of any school district will be in position
to proceed without other aid, for, in the last analysis we
must work out our own salvation. 1t is a work which no
one else can do for us and we must not rest in our efforts
until at least 100000 Missouri farmers have been brought
within the fold and this we should seek to accomplish as
nearly as possible before the present winter is over.
The present Farm Club movement is in no sense anita
gonistic to the country town and has no idea of making
war upon the regular lines of merchandise in communities
where fair merchandising methods prevail, nevertheless, it
is our purpose to take over the complete selling and buying
of all kinds of farm seed such as bran, shorts, corn, hay
cotton seed meal and cake, linseed oil meal and other feeds
We also expert to Supply all Farm Club members with the
wholesale price on four, farm seeds, potatoes, apples coal,
fertilizers, salt and other similar commodities. With the
single exception of coal and salt, all the above commodities
are produced by the farmer in the first instance and should
alone is involved a possible saving of several, millions of
dollars to the farmers of Missouri and therefore it stands
every farmer in hand to identify himself with the Farm
Club movement at the earliest possible moment. The pros
perity of the country town is governed by the prosperity Of
the surrounding farms and therefore this movement de-
serves the encouragement rather than the opposition and
suspicion of all far seeing business men who are not concern
ed in the items mentioned above.
To the furthering of these ends, we recommend that a
temporary State Farmers Association be perfected by this
Convention-such Association to remain in existence until
a delegated Convention can be held. next summer when a per-
manent organization may be perfected. AS soon as. % OF
80 school house Clubs have been organized within a given
County, we urge the perfection of a County Farmers AS
ISOLATION which may deal more effectively with the STATE
Association.
We direct the attention of the Farm Clubs of the State
to the building of Farmers Cooperative Elevators anC
also to the forming of Live Stock Shipping Associations