CHAPTER XIX 



FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS 



IN February, 1919, fifty bankers, delegated by 37 State Bankers' 

 Associations in thirty-seven States, were in session in Washington, 

 D. C., with the heads of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, the Farm Loan Board, and the Bureau of Education, 

 mapping out a program for agricultural development, better rural 

 education and the general, improvement of rural social conditions. 

 There was no farmer present delegated to voice the farmers' views 

 or state their wishes. This case is typical. Many efforts have 

 been made to " uplift" the farmer without consulting the farmer. 

 This distinguished gathering in Washington represented a very 

 large share of the wealth and the brains of the United States, and 

 very able leadership. A very comprehensive program for improv- 

 ing rural life was adopted. This program was next offered, ready- 

 made, to the farmers. Whose fault was it that farmers were not 

 directly represented at this conference and at many other similar 

 conferences devoted to the serious and worthy cause of improving 

 rural conditions? The farmers themselves are to blame. Lack 

 of organization among the farmers explains it. Bankers' organiza- 

 tions in 37 States were directly represented. There was no one 

 organization of farmers covering 37 States. There are many differ- 

 ent organizations of farmers in all the States, but thus far they have 

 not federated or coordinated their efforts or mobilized their forces. 



Means of Securing Benefits. Farmers' organizations have two 

 general means of securing benefits for themselves, through self- 

 help and through State aid. 



President Wilson, in addressing the fiftieth annual session of 

 the National Grange, commended the Grange for following the 

 principle of " self -help." It is a significant fact that the Grange 

 has followed the principle of self-help, and that it is the sole 

 survivor of fifty years' standing of the many national farmers' 

 organizations in the United States. Those organizations which 

 have worked on the principle of State aid except State aid as a 

 temporary means towards self-help have succumbed. 



Class Organization. The comment is frequently made that 

 our various economic classes are all well organized, except the 

 farmer. Thus, it is said, the manufacturers have their organiza- 

 tions; the wholesalers theirs; the jobbers theirs; the commission 



285 



