Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-22

OMAHA. May 3o.-To the Editor OF The
Bee; The ideas expressed by "A J. s"
IN his article in Sundays Bee calls for an
answer from the railroad employees asso-
ciatiun, for the reason that the contributor
represents just the class we are after.
Prom the trend Of his article. he is a cattle
feeder who exercises his gray matter in
buying from the stock raiser at the lowest
possible price. If he hears Of one in dis
tress, compelled by force Of circumstances
10 cell at less than the market he is there
with the cash. He is also locking for the
Cheapest corn and hay ard VIII sit up
nights to figure how he can beat the
farmer down or MS legitimate price. He
vii anege the corn is soft. the hay has too
much top or bottonn-Anything will 40 for
Mr.. Shylock IL making this trade When
the cattle are ready 70 ship. he wants the
big cars and an the other shippers and
patrons Of the railroad to get out Of the
way and give him q clear track to the
market for now the whole thing is his
no one is benefited but himself and he has
got 10 get rich quick. His high and lofty
principles tumble II be is offered more IN
Omaha than Chicago. That deal is a bus
mess, one Of which he would not care to
discuss the ethics Neither will he dis
euss the eKorbitant price Of beef. His
banker. broker packer and other friends
need new automobiles. cuneervatories and
few necessities 10 tide them over a hard
summer at the watering places
he Is q nonworker-the middle man-who
preys upon the farmer Es well as the con-
sumer. He is getting rich under present
conditions and when he sees the lirneliEht
turning his way commences to cry, Wolf. .
The people viii get onto his kind before
long, and sthen prices for the necessities Of
/ life VIII 60 down where they belong
While we do not think he is anxious for q
tilt personally, we are fuzzy equipped tc
discuss these matters with him. His arro-
gance in assuming superhuman intelligence
and his grstuitous insult that the railroad
employees are coerced indicates both hias
and fear. Let him come cut in the open
and we VIII convince him that he is mis-
/ taken In all his conclusions. and we will
prove further that he Is actuated IN his
sentiments by personal greed, not by
patriotism, under which he assumes to tall
Tor the people. He heaves a sigh Of reliei
and consoles himself with the idea thal
the railroad men only represent one-fifth oi
the population, forgetting the fact that fhs
dependents on railroad men viii represent
nearly one-fourth Of the population, whili
I those Of his sentiment are in such q sinai
minority as not TO be noticeable. We refe1
to the element that attempts to array on'
class against anOtber-the railroad mai
against the agriculturist Why, nearly
every conductor. brakeman engineer, fire
man, machinist or other railroad employs
comes from the farm. He has probably al
old father and mother there now TO whom
be Is sending a few dollars each month Il
help out and II he can save enough monel
on the railroad he expects TO buy q farm
for be cant always stand the strain o
such a hazardous life.
We are not organized to oppose thu
farmer, but are organized to fight th'
middlemsn and non-produceT, who is dis
posed to hog more than his share. We arr
going TO expose him TO the farmer and
have the machinery to DO so. II anyon'
is interested in what we have slong thi
line, let him address. S. c. MECOMBER-