The Farmers' Union 



undone, and so certain is this, that all businesses 

 of repute are maintained alone by strictly proper 

 and scrupulous methods. Further, when a dispute 

 arises, these (selling) firms are almost universally- 

 anxious to satisfy the farmer at all costs, so that 

 they will make sacrifices, and give way beyond 

 their just dues for the sake of peace. They consider 

 this their best policy, for a lawsuit with a customer 

 harms a merchant, and he avoids it save as a last 

 resource. 



It is not against these, therefore, that combina- 

 tion is necessary, or, as a rule, advisable. As a 

 merchant, I have been twice threatened, during 

 disputes, by a member with the Union's wrath, 

 but each time, feeling strongly in the right, 

 persisted, and the farmer has retired. Of course, 

 these threats were unofficial, but members 

 should not entertain the idea that the Union 

 will back them up, right or wrong. A merchant is 

 no better than a farmer — they are both human — 

 but the farmer is often handicapped by a lack 

 of business training, and takes false steps. 



On the other hand, the merchant who buys 

 goods from the farmer is on different ground. 

 He does not care particularly about any one 

 client; they come to him, not he to them, and 

 once his organization is in order, he does not 

 jnind where the supplies come from. I do not im- 



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