The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-10-13
POLITICAL QUESTIONS IN FARMERS ORGAN
IZATIONS.

tional Congress at its recent session IN Niagara
Falls are thus summarized by the Country Gen
tleman:
l.. Favors a constitutional amendment enpow-
ering Congress to levy a graduated income tax.
2. Asking the Federal Congress to pass a con-
stitutional amendment providing for the direct
election of United States Senators by popular
vote.
3. Urging Congress to establish a parcel post,
a postal telegraph and postal savings banks.
4. Asking for further federal legislation for
the control of corporations and the enforcement
of laws already enacted.
5. Urging upon the railways the Importance
of giving better rates, disappearing of the GER
tifcate plan and asking for stop-over privileges.
6. Thanking Secretary Wilson for his efforts
in the interests of agriculture; especially for
recommending the establishment of an Office for
the assistance of the State institutes and thank
ing Congress for establishing this office a year
ago.
7. Favoring the broadening of parcel transpor-
tation facilities.
8. Urging the Importance of maintaining and
extending the present free rural mail routes.
9. In support of the non-partisan movement
for the extension of the referendum.
10. That the Secretary of the Congress be in
SCructeO TO communicate WIN JnG governor o 1
each State, asking him to recommend an appro-
|priation to defray the necessary expenses of dele
gates to this Congress.
II. That Oklahoma is entitled to immediate
Statehood.
u. For laws providing for a census of agri-
cultural statistics in 1905 and every ten years
thereafter in addition to the present decennial
census. That the taking of such a census an
nually would be of great value.
10. That the invitation to this Congress to be
represented at the Industrial Conference at
Chicago, October 1917, be accepted and that
delegates be sent.
We find ourselves in sympathy with practically
all these measures; we should have voted against
none of the proposed improvements in legisla-
ton. Likewise, Mr.. J. J. Laughinghouse, of North
Carolina, also laid before the Congress an able
and carefully prepared set> of resolutions aimed
at trusts-excellent suggestions, in our opinion,
for Congress and our Legislatures. And yet,
however excellent the recommendations may be,
this action of the Congress in bringing purely
political questions into its platform, seems to us
to be of doubtful expediency. AS to the proper
attitude of farmers organizations toward politi-
cal questions, we endeavored to express our views
a month ago, but by the unfortunate iumbling
of the lines in the make-un, the paragraph was
robbed of reason and meaning. The editorial
was "The Field for the Sub Alliances" and the
paragraph as we wrote it was as follows:
"The Alliance, too, ought to stand for good citi-
zenship. 1t ought not to go into politics. in the
common meaning of that term. We have seen
that there is death in that cup, and we should
profit by the experience that we have had. But
the Alliance should stand for ~high-minded, fear
less thinking on all public questions; for honest.
sober, efficient men for public office; for EQUAL
and exact Justice to alp in every legislative mot