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PAGE SIX Os Interest to the Wealth Creators FARMERS’ UNION IN POLITICS. Chicago.—The national leaders of both political parlies have lately had their attention directed to the possi bility of the Farmers’ Union going into active politics. While it would perhaps be putting it a little too strongly to say that they are alarm ed over the possibility it is neverthe less true that the rapid growth of the organization is already causing some uneasiness. The Farmers’ Union was not organ ized for political purposes and the leaders of the movement insist that politics will be barred. But this statement is not reassuring to the politicians, who remember how the leaders of the Farmers’ Alliance years ago, declared there would be no politicians in the organization, and how, a few years later, the Al liance played havoc, with the older political parties. There is a strik ing familiarity between the new or ganization and the old. In their place of origin, purposes and growth the two are almost identical. The fiist Farmers’ Alliance had its birth in Lampasas county, Texas, in 1876. The objects of this pioneer association were purely local, and confined to defence against the dep redations of cattle and land thieves. The movement was taken up, however, by other counties, and, in 1886, a Farmers’ State Alliance was formed. Its declaration of principles included “the education of the agricultural classes in the science of economical government in a strictly non-parti san spirit,” and the development of a “better state, mentally, morally, socially and financially.” In the meanwhile, organizations of farmers were growing up in the ad jacent states. In Arkansas was the Wheel, so called, which first Raw light in a school-house in Western Ai kansas, in 1882. In Lousiana was the Farmers’ Union. Delegates from the latter met with delegates from the Texas Farmers’ State Alliance, at Waco, in 1887, and out of the two bodies formed the National Farmers’ Alliance and Co-operative Union of America. At Meridian, Miss., De cember 5, 1888, was held a convention betw’een tins organization and the National Agricultural Wheel, and from it was evolved the Farmers and Laborers’ Union of America. At the next annual meeting, held in St. Louis, in 1889, the name of that or ganization, which had now spread over the South and a large part of the West and Northwest, was chang ed to that of the National Farmers’ Alliance and Industrial Union, a name by which it continued to be known until its dissolution some years later, to be revived in the pop. ulist party. As before stated, the origin and history of the Farmers’ Alliance and the Farmers’ Union present many points of striking similarity. Like the older organization, the Farmers’ Union had its origin in Texas. It was in Raines county, that state, that ten men met on Au gust 28, 1902, and formed an organi zation to bo called the Farmers’ Un* WATSON’S WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN. ion. The object and aims of the or ganization were set forth in the fol lowing constitution: 1 To discourage as much as pos sible the present mortgage and credit system. 2. To assist our members in buy ing and selling. 3. To labor for the education of the agricultural classes in the science of crop diversification and scientific culture. 4. To constantly strive to secure entire harmony and good will amont' all mankind and brotherly love among ourselves. 5. To form a more adequate union with those in authority for a more rigid and impartial enforcement of law, that crime, vice and immorality may be suppressed. 6. It would garner the tears of the distressed, the blood of the mar tyrs, the laughter of innocent chil dren, the sweat of honest labor, and the virtue of a happy home as the brightest jewels known. 7. This is no political party, and shall forever abstain from even so much as a discussion of partyism. Yet we do not feel it is right to place shackles upon the limbs or a padlock upon the lips of any one who may wish to discuss for educational pur poses the science of government, for upon this rock all important struc tures must rest for either mental, moral or financial development. That Hie members of the union have seen fit to construe the last cause of the constitution to their own lik ing is evidenced by the fact in Missis sippi and in other states the local branches are planning for representa tion in the legislative assemblies. The above press dispatch, which was sent out frem Chicago, reveals but one fact, and that is, that the capitalists of this couptrv. who con trol ABSOLUTELY, all national leg islation. are trembling with fear, that the Farmers’ Union WILL GO INTO POLITICS, and it IS only ex pressing it mildly when we say that the rapid growth of the Farmers’ Union has so thoroughly aroused and alarmed the political bosses and cap italists that they are watching and taking note of the doings and actions of this organization as never before. But. as an organization, the Farm pts’ Union will net go into politics. It is a business organization for busi ness purposes, and it will not go to pieces on the rock that shattered the Farmers’ Alliance. However, the Farmers, that great body of Amer ican laborers, are conscious of the fact that they have not gotten, and are not getting, their share of the profits derived from the products of their labor and as individual Ameri can citizens, they will, at the ballot box, vote for what they want. Rest assured of this. —Jasper (Fla.) News. A baby was born on a Chicago street car the other day, and its parents certainly cannot regard that as an omen that it will lead a fast life, *< . . IMMIGRATION AND CHEAP LABOR. The Farmers’ Union of Georgia, says the Newberry Observer, objects to immigration on the ground that it will cheapen labor. The general opinion as well as the experience of other states, has been that white im migration makes labor higher. That might be an objection with persons who hire labor, but. it ought not to be, fcr the labor would be better. It is strange to us that any white man in the South can object to white immigration, unless he is content to consider only the present and his own individual interests. Thefre is no great future for the South as a sec tion so long as there is such a pre ponderating negro population. It is certainly to the interest of our pos terity. if not to the present genera tion, that the South should have more white people than she can ever hope for by natural increase. Wherever thrifty and industrious white immi grants come in the negroes are driven out to make room for them. So that the Southern States that take the lead in white immigration are going to reap the greatest benefits; for the slow states will come after awhile to be the dumping grounds for the sur plus negro population of the more progressive states. —Griffin News. SEATTLE AS A COTTON PORT. Seattle’s remoteness from the cot ton fields of America does not keep this city from playing an important part in cotton shipments to the Orient, a fact emphasized by the statement sent out from the national capital that the Puget Sound district occupied eighth position in the export of cotton during the fiscal year 1907. Cotton exports through Sound ports were valued at $8,405,803. Baltimore exported only $8,698,494 in cotton values during the same pe riod, and Mobile’s exports totaled only $8,774,741. While Seattle’s cot ton exports nearly equaled those of Baltimore and Mobile, they were nearly twice as large as San Fran cisco’s exports for the year. During the bullish movement sev eral vears ago, precipitated by the Brown campaign, which forced cot ton steadily up to about 18 cents. Se attle was an important factor, be cause Japan had bought in this coun try, and routed through this port, millions of dollars’ worth of cotton. The fact merely emphasizes the im portant part Seattle, and the Puget Sound district generally, is playing in Oriental commerce. On the Pa cific, and in Far Eastern trade, Se attle’s position is steadily strength ening, and no more striking or con vincing evidence of the fact is need ed than may be found in cotton ship ments through this port.—Seattle Post-Intelligencer. CROP PROSPECTS IN AUGUST The government put the condition of the cotton crop on July 25 at 75, a gain during July of three points only. This was disappointing to many, for a gain of five points had been anticipated, The ten-year av erage of July 25 is 82.6, and the grow ing crop is 7.6 points below that. The most that can be said about the crop is the great uncertainty on August 1 cf the probable size. Some uncertainty is expected, but today we have a great deal of uncertainty. The crop is late, and the suns of August cannot overcome that lateness. The crop must go into the picking months calling for a lace fall. It may not bo able to articulate, but every stalk will nevertheless beseech the frosts to stay their coming until Novem ber. The government reports the condi tion of the Alabama crop on July 25 at 72, as against a ten-year average of 82. We are three points “worst off” than Toxas or the general con dition in the cotton belt. Georgia has a better crop, but Mississippi has not, nor has Louisiana or Arkansas. A late fall is needed in Alabama, and plenty ot’ showers this month. The state crop will probably be a million halts, whereas, in 1904, we made over 1,460.000 bales. We must make at least a million bales if the entire crop is to be carried to 12 000,000 bales.—Age-lleraid. FARMEES UNION ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS. At a call meeting of the Farmers’ Co-operative and Educational Union of Spalding county, held July 26th, the following resolutions were unan imously adopted* Whereas, Inasmuch as all of our propositions to the lessees of the Farmers’ and Merchants' warehouse were turned down, and all proposi tions made by them to us have been turned down, Resolved, 1. That we discontinue any further negotiations with then,, and appoint a committee to notify them of our action. Resolved, 2. That we instruct S. C. Mitchell to secure for us the Pat terson warehouse, if same can bi done on reasonable terms; if not, then to make the next best arrange ment possible. Resolved, 3. That, if a surplus should arise from said warehouse business sufficient to pay back a dividend, each and every patron shall share and share alike in pro portion to the number of bales of cotton he weighs. , Resolved, 4. That we ask our home papers and the Union News to publish these resolutions.—Griffin News. T. J. BILES, Pres. Pro. Tern. J. W. COOPER, Sec. Pro. Tern. THE COTTON CROP. The time has now arrived when the outlook for the growing cotton crop assumes paramount importance. By August 1, ordinarily the crop has reached a stage where some indica tion of the probable yield is possi ble. and where the harvest is well uilhin sight. The present growing season has differed materially from the ordinary course of events. The first plantings of the crop were ear lier than usual, but owing to the ex cessive rains ot April and May the