The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-07
FARMERS CONGRESS.
Twenty-second Annual Session
Opens.

Macon, Ga, Oct THE twenty-sec-
ond annual session of the Farmers Ma
tional congress was opened in this city
today with an estimated attendance of
1500 delegates, representing every state
in the union. The meeting was called
to order by President George L. Elan
ders, who delivered his annual address.
Mr.. Flanders said in part: The
granaries of the world are being filled
until today we are confronted with the
fact that in the United States five and
two-thirdS millions farms are producing
five and one-half billion dollars worth
of agricultural products, a sum said to
be much in excess of the total income of
the farmers at any other time in their
history in this country. This year we
are raising in the United States as much
corn as was raised in the world last
year.
THE education that has been going
on in the interest of the agriculturaliSt
during the last 80 years has produced
wonderful results. but all or nearly so.
are on one side of this two-sided aues-
| tion-upon the side of the production,
without touching the question of distri-
button, of the question of the relation of
the agriculturist to the government or
governments under which he lives and
| by virtue OF which he is protected. We
are living in an age of combinations,
an age when corporations and corporate
| interests unite for purposes which to
| them seem wise and just an age when
the labor element is organized for pur-
L.
an age in which capital, generally
speaking, is organized and combined for
reasons which to 1T seem just and right,
SO that when any problem arises from
the question of distribution to the ques-
ton of legislation they are prepared at
short notice to determine what action
should be taken and then act al unit
What is true of these combinations
IS not true of the agricultural popula-
ton, and yet that population is ten
twenty-ninths of the entire number en-
gagged in the industrial pursuits of this
country. The scope of our educational
work should now be such that it will
extend to this class of our population
the theories and fundamental principles
of constitutional law should be taught
alongside the fundamental principles
underlying the production of agricul-
tural products. Those principles are
stable. Underlying few changes. Every
agricultural citizen should understand
that the government of the United
States under which we live is govern
ment OF derived powers, that it has no
powers except those that have beer con-
ferred upon it and that the comforting
was done by the sovereign states of the
union and that the matter conferred is
enumerated in that document known as
the constitution of the United States
and that when he desires the national
government to do anything in his inter-
est he must first know whether the pow
er to do that thing has been given that
government in that instrument.
II the power has been conferred then it
is plausible and feasible to petition the
congress of the United States to do the
thing desired, but If it has not been con-
ferred then all the effort put forth in that
direction is useless because if such a law
were passed it would be. declared uncon-
stitutional by the United States courts.
II believe that no better work can be
| taken up along educational lines in addi-
| ton to the work already done than to put
the agricultural population of this country
| in possession of such knowledge lelative to
the government and its workings as will
qualify or equip each and every one to at
any time step into the legislative halls Of
any state in the union or the congress of
the United States and legislate with intel
| ligence upon the questions that will be
placed before them.'