140 THE STORY OF THE U.F.O. 



The people to be trusted and their influence to be 

 steadying must be thoughtful and intelligent. 

 The craze of party must be cured. 



The first indication of a reawakening, inde- 

 pendent, political thought in organized agricul- 

 ture came in the closing years of the last 

 century. It was accompanied with a desire to 

 induce the existing parties to live up to pre- 

 election promises, and to implement doctrines 

 advocated by themselves. This line of action 

 reached its height in 1910 when the monster 

 delegation proceeded to Ottawa, pressing upon 

 the Laurier Government, then in power, to 

 approach the United States with a view to lower- 

 ing the tariff. The practicability of that line of 

 action can be best judged by the results obtained. 



The political aspirations of the U.F.O., 

 originally were very similar. Leaders and 

 members did not contemplate entering the 

 political field actively, but by education to 

 enlighten the farmers on economies, and awaken 

 them to the true relationship of politics to their 

 industry. This objective could only be attained 

 through the circulation of literature, and through 

 public addresses by speakers reasonably free 

 from partisan bias. Much difficulty attended 

 the securing of such speakers. Party ties are 

 hard to sever, both for speaker and for listener. 

 The dark, discouraging days of early organiza- 



