CHAPTER II 



THE BEGINNING OF THE U.F.O. 



In the fall of the year 1911, when, after having 

 been made an issue by the farmers' deputation 

 to Ottawa in 1910, Reciprocity was defeated as 

 the result of the befuddlement of the electorate, 

 all seemed lost from the standpoint of the farmers 

 ever being effectively organized, at least in the 

 Province of Ontario. The two older move- 

 ments, the Grange and the Patrons of Industry, 

 though powerful in their time, had been of short 

 duration in any strength. The effort, made 

 through the Grange and Farmers' Associa- 

 tion in conjunction with the Western farmers' 

 organizations, while strong enough to force a 

 great political issue, had not been strong enough, 

 when that issue was put to the test, even to 

 hold its own membership, let alone to influence 

 the general electorate. The next annual meet- 

 ing of the Grange, held in January, 1912, had 

 been weak and despondent, so weak indeed that 

 almost twenty-three months were allowed to 

 pass before the next annual meeting was called, 

 in December, 1913. The farmers' cause in 

 Ontario was never at a lower ebb. 



A few men, however, held to the faith, and 



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