EARLY FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 35 



foreign questions which were dragged into the 

 controversy by two parties, one of which was 

 eager to hold office and the other to obtain it. 

 With an appeal to race and creed prejudice, to 

 international hatred, to a dozen conflicting 

 passions, the question at issue stood little chance 

 of obtaining a reasonably popular verdict. The 

 Liberal Government, supporting the reciprocity fa^ 

 arrangement, which had been forced upon them 

 by the farmers, went down to defeat, and with it 

 the farm organization received what appeared 

 to be an almost fatal blow. 



An informal meeting of those who had been 

 prominent in the movement was called at the 

 Sun office about a week after the election. A 

 few attended, and of those attending, it was the 

 unanimous opinion that nothing further could 

 be done just then through organization to 

 better the condition of the Canadian farmer. 

 As one present rather caustically expressed it, 

 "The farmers have been fools again. Let them ^ 

 fry in their own grease for a while." 



In January, 1912, the Grange held its annual 

 meeting in Victoria Hall, Toronto, but few 

 attended, and there was a noticeable lack of 

 enthusiasm. In fact it may be said that in that 

 year the Grange organization, which repre- 

 sented the only effort being made to provide the 

 farmers of Ontario with a voice in public affairs, 



