1h* RURAL NEW.YORKER 
1675 
The United Farmers of Ontario Win 
Who They Are; What They Did 
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W HEN the United Farmers of 
Ontario were formed there was 
little thought that within five years the 
organization would elect more members 
than either of the old parties in the 
Legislature, and be called on to form 
a Government; but such a tiling has 
happened. 
DECLINING FARM POPULATION. 
—The formation of the U. F. O.. as it 
is called, was essentially the outcome 
of unfair economic conditions which 
had drained from the industry in 
Ontario its richest, reddest blood. The 
story of our census is one of declining 
farm population and swelling urban 
centres. Coincident has been a marked 
increase in the cost of Government, and 
in public debt, not only in the Province, 
but throughout the Province. Inasmuch as agricul¬ 
ture still retained the leaven that had been sown 
by previous Grange and Patrons of Industry ven¬ 
tures. and many of the “old guard” mourned over 
the decline of the industry, it was natural that the 
passage of time should bring about the organization 
of the U. F. O. 
IIOW ORGANIZED.—The birth was directly due 
to the assistance of Western Canadian organized 
farmers, who sent funds for the purpose, and to the 
wonderful work of J. J. Morrison, the secretary, 
who has, since early 1014. given his entire time to 
the work, and for the most part without pay. though 
he is not a man of. means. Now he is paid $2,000 
per annum, and earns it in six months! The organi¬ 
zation is comprised of the rank and file of Ontario’s 
farmers, with a fair sprinkling of our 
‘‘best” farmers, as they are called. Ir 
is not a “Red" organization, though 
sometimes so painted. 
EDUCATION AND WORK.—There 
has been ample ammunition for the 
educational campaign of the U. F. O.. 
which has led 40.000 farmers in over 
1,000 clubs to join the organization, 
and as an educational and propagan¬ 
dists body the X'. F. O. has been able 
to do much for Ontario. It joined in 
the fight against increased freight and 
express rates on the railways, and 
against increased service charges of 
the Bell Telephone Co. It has led in 
the fight for a terminal elevator in 
Ontario: has opposed the Government 
sciieme of concrete roads in favor of 
the general improvement of roads all 
over the Province; and the list might 
be extended almost indefinitely. When 
the wheat prices were fixed it threw its 
influence for a fair price into the scale, 
through its representation on the 
Wheat Board: and when milk prices 
were to be set for the city of Toronto was able to 
have prices raised through the presence of one of 
its members on the Fair Price. Committee. New it 
would be unfair and unjust to say that the U. F. O. 
alone has done these things, but the fact that it now 
represents 40,000 men in Ontario—and the women 
are now coming in. too—has meant much in pro¬ 
jecting its views, and “getting them across.” 
A CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY was formed in 
1014. when the U. F. O. was formed, to advance the 
claims of the organized farmers by putting in con¬ 
crete dollar-saving terms the theories that it held 
for the advancement of the industry, and also to 
provide the munitions of war in the tight. The early 
steps were slow, being handicapped by the war, 
which broke out shortly after the organization came 
into existence, but today the l\ F. O. sells practically 
one-quarter of all the livestock arriving at Toronto, 
Canada’s largest livestock market, through its own 
commission firm. A seat was bought on the ex¬ 
change. and the cattle are handled throughout from 
the farmers’ stables to the packer by the U. F. O., 
returns being made to the individual shippers from 
each club, according to the animals sent by them 
in the club’s shipment. Practically everything, save 
drygoods, required on a farm is now sold through 
the co-operative company, and branch retail stores 
are being opened up in many local towns and vil- 
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strong position and is a credit to the 
leaders of the movement as well as the 
rank and file of members. a. s. t. 
A Canadian Farmer Speaks 
NTARIO is the premier Px-oviuce 
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The Old Reliable Farm Team on the Ploiv. Fig. 544 
lages throughout the Province, the profits of which 
go back to the clubs starting them, while manage¬ 
ment is from the largest central concern at Toronto. 
It is an efficient system. 
GOES INTO POLITICS.—This, then, was the 
situation when the U. F. O. went into politics. There 
has been a growing conviction that the over-repre¬ 
sentation of lawyers and doctors and under-repre¬ 
sentation of fanners in the Legislature was due to 
the lack of interest taken by the farmers themselves 
in the matter. Moreover, the U. F. O. had aroused 
a strong fighting feeling in the agrieultuiists of 
Ontario, and when two bye-elections were held last 
year U. F. O. men were returned from rural ridings 
with substantial majorities, in spite of heavy oppo¬ 
sition* from both old parties. Then recently the 
Hot ting and Racking Tomatoes in the Field. Fig. 
545 
election was held, at which 45 United Farmers were 
returned, against 29 Liberals, 25 Conservatives and 
11 I.aborites, with one independent, to follow the 
late conservative government. The l-emarkable suc¬ 
cess of the U. F. O. was entirely unexpected in all 
quarters, including their own. and the choice of a 
leader was a problem that baffled the elected mem¬ 
bers for some time. 
ECONOMY NEEDED.—There is ample room for 
the exercise of economy in the Legislature, and 
economy is the first plank* in the United Farmers’ 
platform. The Provincial expenditure grew from 
$4,003,729 in 1900 to $10,868,020 in 1913, and 
$24,334,000 in 191s. The need for wise leadership 
and sane action is fully recognized by the U. F. O. 
members in the Legislature. A legacy of debt and 
extravagance is their portion, along with a period 
of heavy taxation following the war. Just what 
the future of the movement will be is hard to say. 
but it is a movement of the people and from the 
people: and if the rank and tile of Ontario’s farmers 
cannot rise equal to the occasion then the situation 
would seem to be a hopeless one for the Province. 
By their modest and dignified stand since the elec¬ 
tion, the United Fanners have won for themselves 
commendation from the 1 ' daily press (which had 
opposed them practically without exception) and 
from the public in general. This puts them in a very 
of this Dominion. Canada is the 
premier Dominion of the British Em¬ 
pire. The example set by the fanners 
of Ontario Province will be copied by 
people of the other Dominions, and by 
rural voters of the United States of 
America. During all ages, and in all 
countries, the rural districts have pi*o- 
vided not only food, but intelligence 
and moral power to the cities. During 
the future the farmers will use their 
intellectual and moi'al power for their 
own good and by so doing will do better for the 
general good. 
A PARABLE.—When a boy the writer went to 
an old-time country circus. Near the end of the 
performance a farmer, carrying a “portmantle” and 
a big umbrella, tried to get into the ring. They 
tried to put him out. but he said he wanted to see 
the ringmaster. The farmer had a complaint to 
make against the clown. To hush the thing up the 
clown got the fellow a job with the circus. A hox*se 
was brought out and the farmer put on with his 
face to the tail! “That’s not the way to put him 
on,” said the ringmaster. “How do you know how 
he wants to get on?” said the clown. “Give me 
something to hang onto.” said the farmer, and the 
down shoved him up the free end of the tail, and 
started the horse galloping around the 
ring. As the horse kept going the 
farmer shouted to the clown: “Fifteen 
dollars a month and feed. Gus!” “And 
feed.” said the clown. While on the 
horse the farmer threw away his hat, 
then jumped to his feet and pulled off 
his coat and threw it away. then, while 
the horse was galloping, pulled off his 
old pants and appeared as an expert 
and exquisite bareback rider! 
MORAL: — Previously, when the 
farmer has gone as a member to a 
legislative hall he has, by the pro¬ 
fessional politician, been put onto the 
political horse with his face to the 
tail. Of this he has been quite well 
aware. But he is now going to break 
up the old political circus, and put the 
horses at more useful work. And so 
will he do with the other hands about 
the show. There are too many idle 
people around the political circus, and 
those who do work get too much of the 
working people’s money. The farmers 
and the other working classes are now 
going to have some 1 say as to how much money they 
are entitled to. and it will not do any harm gener¬ 
ally if these get more money, and the high-wage 
class get less in future. This will help to put agricul¬ 
tural production on a sound and satisfactory basis and 
do away with the injustice that has long prevailed. 
FARMERS AT LEGISLATIVE PROBLEMS.— 
The farmers of Ontario Province, Canada, have not 
lost their heads by their political success; they know 
there is much to be done. But a class of people who 
have had to make their living between the weather 
and the market prices—two conditions over which 
they had not any control—are certainly able to solve 
the problems of honest government. Even if they 
do not profit by the mistakes of their predecessors, 
they cannot easily do worse than has been done by 
the lawmakers in the past. For meeting places the 
farmers used the rui*al school buildings, where they 
talked over what they wanted, then, irrespective of 
old party ideas, organized with the name of the 
"United Farmers of Ontario.” Now the town and 
city people are asking the farmers what they want. 
A storekeeper in town asked a farmer what he 
wanted. The farmer said: “I just want a white 
collar and a .nice necktie and go around and make 
my living as you do!” Evidently the business man 
was satisfied, for he did not i*eply. 
ARCHIBALD CUT1IBERTSOX. 
