22 FARMERS' UNION AND FEDERATION 



used in many ways to better farm conditions, build up rural 

 enterprises, make farming attractive and profitable, and rural 

 homes desirable. 

 Will it pay to unionize for these advantages? 



To Improve Standard of Living. 



The standard of living in cities is far ahead of that of the 

 farmers ; any one traveling will soon notice that. In many 

 sections of the country one can travel for hundreds of miles 

 by rail and seldom see a new farm building, or a newly 

 painted house, or any other improvement indicating pros- 

 perity on the farms. School houses and churches are old, 

 out of repair, and too large now for the ever diminishing 

 population. Preachers and teachers are not so well paid as 

 in cities, consequently poorer services are rendered. Families 

 are living in old, ramshackle, unpainted buildings or log 

 cabins put up by their pioneer grandfathers before the war, 

 three-fourths to a century ago. Outbuildings are few and 

 dilapidated, tools are few and out of date, people are poorly 

 dressed. They evidently have very little money to spend 

 on such things. 



How different is the scene in going through the towns of 

 that same section of country. Many new houses are seen; 

 nearly all are painted and in good repair ; schools and 

 churches are being constantly increased and enlarged ; walks 

 and principal streets are paved; water, electric light and 

 sewer systems have been installed; homes are modernized 

 with these services and furnace heat; people are better 

 dressed. The proof of prosperity is everywhere. Money 

 has been plentiful and expended lavishly to improve condi- 

 tions and make pleasant, comfortable and beautiful homes. 



Why is this difference? There is only one answer. Every 

 interest has unionized and set a minimum wage or price on 



