52 DEEP FURROWS 



with a somewhat similar movement in New Brunswick, 

 he said, and back there by the Atlantic this movement 

 was still very much alive and doing good work. Long 

 after those who were present at this meeting had 

 passed away, it was his prediction that this newborn 

 organization of prairie farmers would be living still 

 still expanding and still performing a useful service to 

 the farmers generally. 



The meeting adjourned with the general feeling that 

 at last matters were advancing beyond mere talk. The 

 sixth of January was set as the date for a second meet- 

 ing to draft a constitution and prepare a definite plan 

 of campaign. Emphasis was laid upon the importance 

 of a good attendance; but when the date arrived the 

 leaders of the new movement were disappointed to find 

 that, including themselves, there were just eleven 

 farmers present. While this did not look very promis 

 ing, they proceeded with their plans and it is a tribute 

 to the careful thought expended at that time that the 

 constitution then framed has stood the test of many 

 years, even much of the exact phraseology remaining 

 to-day. The idea of having local associations .scattered 

 throughout^ the_jcountry j ^ each with its own officers, 

 governed by a central__Qr^anizatiQn with its special 

 officers, was adopted from the first. 



Among those present was C. W. Peterson, Deputy 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for the North-West Terri- 

 tories. He freely offered his services in the capacity of 

 secretary ; but the offer was turned down so flat and so 

 \ \ quickly that it was breath-taking. The incident reflected 

 very vividly the jealousy with which the farmers were 

 guarding the new movement rather than any deprecia 

 tion of the Deputy Commissioner's ability; every man 

 of them wns on the alert to deflect thejhinnest nolitical 



