The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-02-11
By J. R. Cotton

Much has been said and written
about the needs of agriculture. The
favorite theme in the political cam
paign of 1924 was the agricultural
problem. In my judgment the out
standing need of the hour is more
members in the Farmers union. The
organization has demonstrated beyond
question that agriculture can be re-
habilitated by farmers working CO.
o~peratively if they so will. If farW-
ers want to see their business a sue
cess they must make it succeed. Re-
cOvery from illness depends quite as
much upon the will power of the pa
tient as upon medicines used. The
application of political mustard
~plasters" and temporary pain
killers" might continue without end
and have no appreciate effect upon
agriculture unless farmers will to
win.
Farmers generally recognize the ne
cessity of organizing to secure eco
nOmic justice. The Farmers union
offers you its services and wants
yours. You need the union and the
union needs you. In joining the
Farmers union (F. E. and C. U. Of
Az you are not buying an expert
ment but a quarter of a century of
success.
We have attempted to give in these
brief paragraphs a mere hint of what
the union is doing in other states,
with the hope that you will be succi-
GENTLY interested to make further in
quiry. First let US look into the his
tory of the Farmers union, to the
end that we may more clearly under
stand why it was organized and for
what purposes.
Newt Gresham, the Founder.
Newt Gresham lived upon a rented
farm near Point in Raines county,
Texas. Bitter experience had taught
him the difficulty of attempting to
succeed financially and ultimately to
become a home owner under a mar
keting system controlled by specula-
ton. Brooding over the condition of
himself and his neighbors, weighted
down by the credit and mortgage sys-
tenn, a curse to any country, there
came as an inspiration the thought
that he might help farmers to per-
feet a better system of marketing.
The schooling he had received as an
organizer for the Alliance well fitted
him for the task of launching another
farmers organization. Experience
had, however, taught Gresham that
increased production would not solve
the farmers problems, but that ar
effort must be made to have farm
ers cooperate in marketing their
crops intelligently and that to accom-
plish this IN educational campaign
must be conducted.
After prolonged effort, he succeed.
ed in convincing nine other farmer.
of his county that he idea was prac.
teal and these 10 men secured a char
ter from the state of Texas for tn,
Farmers Educational and Co-opera
tive Union of America. The first 10
cal of the new movement was or
gained at Smyrna school house, Sep
TENDER 2, 1902. Naturally the infan
had difficulty in even crawling dur
ing the early months; most reform
movements do. The mortgage holder
the l~ong-credit merchant, the pea-nu
politician, and the weakened farme
brought out their little hammers an
knocked.
In spite Of skepticism, the ide
would not down because it was funda
mentally sound. Soon calls came frOr
all directions to the original 10 fc
organizers. The youngster began
show it's strength. In 1903 the Farm
ers' union, as it was called, made
contract with the ginners of Raine
county and saved to the farmers MOI
than $4,000. Farmers through I'll
South heard Of the organization an
began to make inquiry. Organizer
were commissioned and sent into Al
kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, India