206 THE FARMER AND THE NEW DAY 



On what plan can farmers develop that full measure of 

 organized effort that will give them power to speak 

 and act together? The following scheme is at least 

 suggestive. 



1. Develop as rapidly as possible the organization 

 of producing groups such as the cotton men, the live- 

 stock men, the dairymen. These should interest them- 

 selves to an extent in increased production, but to a 

 much greater extent in efficient methods of buying their 

 supplies and selling their products, and in legislation 

 affecting their business. 



2. Maintain the great farmers' organizations, such 

 as the Grange and the Farmers' Union, with rather 

 large, general objectives and with a very broad policy 

 and program. 



3. Endeavor to secure an overhead but perhaps 

 loosely associated league of all organizations of farm- 

 ers, possibly much like the present National Board of 

 Farmers' Organizations, which will draw together the 

 various organized activities of farmers for confer- 

 ence and counsel. 



4. It is possible that such a league of farmers' or- 

 ganizations may be sufficiently aggressive for all legiti- 

 mate political purposes that the farmers may care to 

 press. If it is not, however, there will be a place from 

 time to time for definite political movements on the 

 part of farmers. 



5. Make a plan for securing the clear-cut coopera- 

 tion with organized farmers of all the publicly sup- 

 ported agencies for agricultural improvement, partic- 

 ularly those of an educational nature, hut including also 

 the administrative or regulatory bureaus and depart- 

 ments. 



6. There should be a national country life committee 



