Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-24
Frederic Elaskim S Letter
WHAT TWO MILLION FARMERS WANT

Washington, D. c., Dec. 22.-Two
million farmers organized into a
national association with a head
quarters in Washington constitute
one Of the interesting new political
factors which have grown up since
the last time We elected a presi-
dent.
New political organizations.
mostly of liberal or radical type,
are becoming numerous. A Labor
party and a Liberal party have
been created recently. and have
made plans for conventions. There
is also \ more or less political CT
ganization Of soldiers. Now comes
to the fore a national farmers Or
ganization which appears to have
real strength. and which tells con-
gress very plainly what 1t wants.
Big business is and always has
been well though inconspicuously
organized for political purposes.
Little business lifts up q voice Of
growing volume through various
associations. The only thing we
lack is a national association Of
small-salaried consumers. A call
is hereby issued for a convention
to be held as soon Is possible and
wherever the local lunch room pro-
prietors will guarantee tho dele
gates 5 cent milk and 10 cent pie.
Returning to the 2,00O, 900 farm
ers, they are members of the Ma
tional Board Of Farm Organiza-
lions. There are said to be only
about 100000 real land-owning
farmers in the United States. 90
you can see that this organization
speaks for nearly a third of them
all. 1t was formed back in 1917
when the necessities OF war time
production brought the officers OF
many minor farm organizations to
Washington, where they got to
know each other and learned to
get along with each other . little
better than formerly.
For farmers are additionally
poor organizers. One of the few
things the farmer has is independ-
etnce. He is insulated from contact
with his neighboFs by what the poet
calls his broad acres. He Is moi
used to making concessions to any
! one else's point Of view because he
has never had to do SO. He is in
dependent and self reliant, and like
most people with those qualities
he is also suspicious and opinion.
ated.
At least that is the traditional
psychosis Of the farmer. To some
extent, no doubt, It is the actua
one. But the farmers have always
had organizations, and have al.
ways done good work. with them
The National Grange has had ap
preciable effects upon legislation
and it has recently opened a ma
tional headquarters, too. 1t ha,
confined its activities mostly t.
such non-controversial subjects al
good roads and rural education.
This new organization Is signi6
cant for two reasons. In the frs,
place it is an aggregation of or
CARNATIONS - mostly cooperativ,
societies-wlfich have been grow
ing in numbers amazingly during
late years. That cooperative move
ment to which people everywhere
are turning for relief from the higf
living cost has really grown much
faster in the country than it La.
in the. city. While in the cities Z
consumers league or a community
store has succeeded here and there
the cooperative movemnt is still ar
experiment. In the country it is Fl
established fact of life. The farm
ers, who are supposed to be incap
able of organizing, are now organ
lied all over the country both fol
buying and for selling. The Farm
ers' Educational and Cooperative
Union of America, for example, i.
just one Of about q dozen organiza
tiQns which make up the nationa
board. This union has rs state or
CARNATIONS, and several THOUSAND
local chapters. The purpose Of thii
association is to get better price!
for produce and to buy supplies
at lower prices by communal effort
Other member organizations Of thu
board include the National Mill
PRODUCERS association. and the Ma
tional Dairy Union, the Federation
of Jewish Farmers OF America ant
the Corn Belt Meat Producers as
sociation.
All of these, and all of the otheI
organizations back of the board arr
cooperative societies TO: buying O
for selling or for both. The boart
represents the gathering up Of al
this cooperative energy into al
effort of national scope.
Its first and primary purpose Il
to promote cooperation. To thi
end, 1t has made its first great po
litical fight for the Capper
Hersman bill. This measure Is de
signed to remove from farmers
cooperative organizations the re
strafnts which the Sherman anti