The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-02-17
GOVERNORS PROCLAMA-
TION
Designating Farm, Home and
Factory Day

Designating Farm, Home and
Factory Day
The governors of all the states in
the union have been asked to pro-
claim Washington's birthday this
year as Farm, Home and Factory
Day" and to urge every person in
every corner of the land to work
previous to and on that day reforms
in the administration OF transpOrta-
tion and communication.
Governor Elrod has agreed to CO.
operate in the movement and has
signed the proclamation which is,
unfortunately, too lengthy for our
available space. But the following
extracts from it will give some idea
of its scope and aims:'
"Let the people in every home,
teachers and children in every school,
members and officials of all organized
bodies, editors and other leaders, the
workers on every farm and in every
factory on this day confer as to how
they may best promote the individual
and common welfare. How a each
of us make home mor precious,
school more useful, farm and factory
more interesting and prosperous, i'm
prove our government, promote re-
ligiOn, make life more joyous and
worth the living for ourselves and for
those who are to come after us?
son this day such questions may
we'll be considered thoughtfully and
praverfully, and acted upon wisely.
Let us stamp out graft-in business,
in politics, in government, Let us
stand like a rock for good old fash
Toned honesty in all u acts and
relations. Let Us insist upon com
plete devotion to the peoples well
fare in all public officials, from the
highest to the lowest, that private
pelf shall not influence public acts.
Among other essentials. the reforms
below named are just O of para
mount Importance, and are within
our grasp.
Il. Administration of transpOrta-
ton and communication with abso-
luUe fairness to all, but with special
privileges to none! Therefore:
80. Government authorities over
railroads sufficient to promptly abol-
ish unjust rates, to speedily wipe out
every vestige of determinations that
now breed monopoly and to insure
that railroads be conducted with such
ability, economy and honesty as to
serve the public we'll at equitable
rates, which will pay a just return
upon the capital actually invested,
provided every dollar earned goes
into the railroads treasures for
the security holders benefit.
H3. Post check currency, where
by 81, 81, and So bills, also certificates
for fractional parts of a dollar, may
for postal and mailing purposes, be
converted at will into checks PAYABLE
only to party whose name is written
upon the face thereof: when not so
used, the bill to be payable to bearer
and to pass current as at present.
'These reforms will profoundly
cheaper and simplify transportation
of persons, products and intelligence.
measures to carry out all these
reforms are now pending in congress.
They are indOrsed in spirit If not in
senators and representatives, regard
less of party, by state legislatures,
public officials, agricultural and labor
organizations, commercial bodies,
and by the public generally.
CHOW. therefore, fellow citizens of
the United States, raise up in your
might on February 25d-the day here
by set apart to insure this great vic
cory for our farms homes and fac
tories. Send kilograms, letters, reso-
lutions and petitions in behalf OF
these reforms to the President, to your
senator's and representatives in w ash
ington, d. d. and expressly to each
of the following at Washington:
Hon. Stephen B. Elkins, Chairman
Senate Committee on Commerce.: Hon,
Nelson w. Aldrich, Chairman Senate
Committee on Finance; Hon. Boies
Penrose, Chairman Senate Committee
on P~ostoffices: Hen. William p. Hep
burn, Chairman House Committee on
Interstate Commerce; Hon. Jesse Over
street, Chairman House Committee on
Postoffices: Hon. Serene E.. Payne,
Chairman House COmmsttee OF Ways
and Means.
"Before the day arrives, agitate
tie matter in home, school, meeting,
church, farm and factory. Before the
day ends, see to it that kilograms,
letters resolutions and petitions to the
above effect have gone to Washing
ton by the Million"
The proclamation as sent to Gov
ernor Elrod, contained a clause ask
ing for ga parcels post so that pack
ages up to eleven pounds weight may
be collected, transported by mail and
delivered at one half the present e.
torti on rates of postage, together
with a local parcels post at still lower
rates.
But the governor in a letter TO Hon.
Herbert Myrick of Springfield, Mass,
who is the editor OF The American
Agriculturist and Orange Judd
Farmer, objects to this proposition
on the following grounds:
"Thls proposition is not fair to the
country people and to the small mer-
chants in village and country stores.