REASONABLE CONCLUSIONS 



and towns the better element unanimously 

 condemned it. Bankers pointed out that it 

 would ruin the country's prosperity, and 

 clergymen from their pulpits called it im- 

 moral and a flight in the face of Providence. 

 One cynical onlooker said that ten thousand 

 words were uttered and printed against it for 

 every word in its favor. In spite of all this 

 it continued to grow. The fact was not in 

 accordance with prophecy nor the run of 

 American experience. So far as I can see it 

 could mean only a deep-seated conviction 

 among the farmers that they had suffered 

 wrong and that this was the way to right that 

 wrong. By October 1, 1919, the League had 

 two hundred and forty-five thousand dues- 

 paying members, had three representatives 

 in Congress, was organized in thirteen states, 

 and was being urged to enter as many more. 



To the attacks upon its principles the mem- 

 bers had responded by reaffirming them. To 

 the attacks on the officers the members had 

 responded by re-electing them. To the at- 

 tacks on the form of organization the members 

 had responded by reiterating it. 



Not by any possibility could these things 

 happen without a profound, underlying causa- 

 tion. Such a movement might last for a year 

 or two years in the face of ceaseless attack, 

 but not four or five, and grow all the time. 

 The perfect faith of the politicians of the old 



22 323 



