40 FARMERS' UNION AND FEDERATION 



Another very important matter is to have practical and 

 representative farmers in the state and national agricultural 

 departments, to head agricultural colleges, county farm bu- 

 reaus, etc. It is the height of absurdity and misrepresenta- 

 tion to fill those positions with men who are not farmers, 

 never were, but who are interested only in big production 

 and little price. 



Only through unionizing can farmers develop able, cap- 

 able, authoritative representatives in their own unions, and 

 have the political power to put them in those places to rep- 

 resent them. This is supposed to be a representative form of 

 government for all its citizens. But how can it be when 

 over one-half are unrepresented? 



Protection Against Government Discrimination. 



Our government, like all others, is controlled by classes, 

 always has been and always will be. He who says it is not 

 is fooling himself or trying to fool others. Organized classes 

 generally get what they want from Congress if they put in 

 by their votes a lot of Congressmen from their class to plead 

 their cause and vote for what they want in the way of legis- 

 lation, or investigating, or trade commissions. Therefore, it 

 is up to the farmers to become class conscious and protect 

 their class interest by organizing to nominate and vote for 

 people of their own union to represent them in Legislatures 

 and Congress. 



The farmers, not having become class conscious, are the 

 greatest unorganized class, and always aid by their votes to 

 put in office the representatives of other classes whose in- 

 terests are opposed to their own. That is why they get no 

 favorable laws for their class. They are the goat ; but it is 

 their own fault. They should 'unionize as capital and city 

 labor has done. 



When capital fails to get what it wants it closes its pocket- 

 book, and Congress comes across with the laws. When 



