EARLY FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 37 



tion of the country could be reached, had not 

 proved adequate. Left to form their own 

 opinions, and guided only by the prejudiced party 

 press of the country, it is no wonder that they 

 were stampeded into giving a verdict foreign to 

 their own interests. Had a strong and active 

 farm organization existed, through which the 

 education of the farm population on this great 

 matter of national policy could have been carried 

 on, the result might have been different. The 

 year 1911, while a disastrous one to the farmers' 

 organization in the Province of Ontario, yet 

 had in it something of benefit, in that it showed 

 the weaknesses which must be avoided in any 

 further efforts to educate effectively the farmers 

 of the Province along the lines of public policy. 



