The Wanganui Chronicle. AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1902. THE FARMERS' UNION.

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 February 1902, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle. AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1902. THE FARMERS' UNION.

The Farmers' Union' Las apparently conic j to-stay, and on the principle that -'Union is Strength," should appeal to the sympathies of all these -.vhose interests ara bound up in agricultural or pastoral pursuits. The influence of such an Union cannot fail to have a beneficial effect ort_' future legislation ; the vast interests of the country settlers can no longer be safely treated as a negligeable quantity. The Union is a non-political body,; nnd nghtly f so -. it would be undoabtedly :\ • source of | weakness, if by adopting an attitude either favourable or hostile-,.t0 the present Government, it virtually excluded any mv | portant section of the farming community from its membership. The Trades' Unions are not primarily political organisations, although it is true that their mem-1 bers are for the most part enthusiastic supportera of the present administration. The reason is that they owe a debt of gratitude for favours already received in the shape of labour legislation of a very advanced character, and enjoy privileges which are commonly stated to make New Zealand "the working man's paradise." They are too well organised for any Government, however strong, to dare to treat their most, extravagant demands otherwise than with respectful consideration. No doubt the present Government has had to pay a price in order to secure- sm almost solid labour vote; it has had to study their requirements and defer to their opinions; any alternative policy would have led to idarming defections at the polls. The Trades' Unions do nob give their support to the present. Government on any scntij mental grounds, but because they know that they can get all they want, and are united enough to know what they do want, and t« insist on getting it. Much can be obtained by firm pressure judiciously applied by a well-organised body, without entering into the domain of party politics. The Farmers' Union, if it alms at being more than a social and debating club, will have to borrow from the Trades' Unionists some of their methods, for it is only by so doing that they will be able to influence, or help to shape tiie course of legislation on questions in which they are either directly or indirectly concerned. Such a body ought to become the official exponent of the views generally held by farmers, its opinions would be entitled, and would certainly receive, the serious attention of any government which might happen to be in office, and any measures inimical to the farmers' prosperity would hardly reach a second reading. The jjowier of the Union will mainly depend* on the number of members enrolled being large enough to make it thoroughly representative, and oa tke minority cheerfully acceding to the decisions of .the majority; loyalty to th« Union should fee whole-heart-ed. We would counsel every farmer to make a point of joining the Union, and of becoming an active member of one erf its branches, attending as many of the meetings as his business will permit. Party politics ought tv bo rigidly excluded from

all mee'tings/foi' the transaction of business, and no member should hold any office, however unimportant, because of his political vieWi This we hold to be essential to the success of the organisation; if party politics are once introduced the element of union will be wanting, and the speedy collapse of "The,,.,Eanners' Union" may be safely predicted. The Council,'or whatever name may be decided upon to* designate the governing .body, should .be,, elected by the whole body of members, and in order that each one should enjoy the privilege of voting, proxy forms should be supplied to eyery member; personal attendance to record a vote would disfranchise too many, besides opening the door to axe-grinding. The Union has every prospect of becoming numerically the largest and influentially the most important in the colony; it will only be through internal dissension that it can fail in its mission, wheh is to protect the best interests of the

farmer,