Arizona republican., 1922-05-31
"Ths New Aarari.n Mov.mentD

q "The New Asrarian Movement"
The second section OF The Republican yester-
day gives good indication of the force with which
what has been called the new agrarian movement"
has struck the Salt River valley. It is by no
the first agrarian movement Farmers for genera
tions have fek the need of organization for self
protection against the and highly organ
ICED agencies through which their products must
reach the consumers. These agencies increased in
number to vast horde of. middlemen many of whom
purpose in the scheme of distribution.
but all ievied tribute upon the farmer until last
had left other incentive for production except
fnecessity. He compelled keep going though
at loss.
The earlier struggles of the farmers to protect
themselves ended in Cultures until there grew con-
ricon that farmers incapable of organization
and that their movements were, and never could be
anything else than sIasmodic uprisngs The trouble
with the movements of the past that their pur
poses were not purely economic. The Farmers Al
lance OF fifty years ago though organized for the
end the present movement political and
finally found its destined place in the Peoples party
party of protest and not accomplishment. 1t be-
came interested in reforms which however badly
they might have been needed, did not closely at
all the problems of the farmer and his ef-
forts in behalf Of these reforms the need of which had
not been sufficiently impressed upon the country
brought him unnecessary opposition to plans
which were for his benefit He found himself in the
game of politics pawn of politicians who not
farmers and had interest in agriculture in
of their activities except at the polls.
The Grange movement had for its object the same
thing as the present movement but it degenerated
into social and fraternal organization. One of its
mistakes too was the notion that the middleman
might be wholly eliminated. so that if carried to it's
logical end there would have been only two classes.
producers and consumers. The Non Partisan move
rnent like the Peoples party instituted with the
idea Of obtaining the ascendency of class and its
leaders like those Of the Peoples party not
farmers.
Every attempt that has ever been made in this
country for the ascendancy OF class has ended in
failure the that there too many other
classes brought into antagonism Labor learned its
lesson with the collapse of the Knights of Labor.
It possible for it well for the Peoples
party members of congress few scattered
districts but they without influence in securing
legislation for the classes which they represented.
- The present movement is aloof from the field OF
!; potcs 1t strives for ascendancy; 1t asks only
for permission to work out its own problems and
only for such legislation will remove existing
obstacles to the free flow of the products of the
farm: for such temporary aid all industries may
demand of the government in time OF need; such
the railways have asked for and received and such
as manufacturing has demanded and has been
granted in generous measure in protective tariff
bills from earliest times.
Back of this movement is the American Farm
Bureau which holds itself utterly aloof from politics.
1t representation in congress of the farmer
as class. Its influence thrown in favor OF
neither party. Nor does it make appeal to the
gratitude of congressman but to their of fair
ness and to their good judgment to what is best
for the country.
The best outline yet given of the agrarian
movement is that of Gustavus Myers in "The Or
ganzed Farmer Steps FORTH in the Century of last
November. There described the which
impelled the movement for the farmer to gain con-
troll of his products and through the co-opera-
tive marketing and rblting system to give them
free and easy flow from fields to thesconsumer.
1t not the purpose create unnaturally favor
able market for farm products but to give to them
natural market free from manipulation speculation
and the waste of the present marketing and dis
tributing system
One point and an essential of the difference
between this movement and the previous farmers
organizations have mentioned is the autonomous
character of the former of the massing them
together into organization in which there would
be many interests the members.
) 1t that massing and not allowing for autonomy
the different that wrecked the knights Of
: Labor
So have not the farmer solidified against
everybody else, but have as in this valley.
organization OF hay growers solidfied for them
selves; likewise cotton growers, grain growers,
The lines of organization are similar and parallel
but they do not cross There no conflict of in
terest There is only helpful sympathy among the
organizations and helpfulness where opportunity is
afforded by coincidence.
Haunting Defiance