The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-05-24
FROM The FARM
TO The TABLE
An Address Delivered by B.
f. Yoakum Before the
National Convention
at St. Louis.

Chairman of the st. Louis & San
Francisco Railroad Company,
before the National Convention
of the Farmers Educational and
Cooperative Union at st Louis,
Mo-, May 3, 1910:
Cooperation is a word often
used and often misused: some
times carelessly used and some-
times used with intention to mis-
lead. When fairly used, it not
only should imply an intention to
help one another but it also i'm
plies the ability to do so. 1t
carries with it the possession by
each party of some clement of
strength or of service which can
be helpfully joined with what
the other party can contribute to
the partnership. This constitutes
true cooperation. The farmers
and the railroads have something
to cooperate with and something
to cooperate for. The products
Of the farm and farm supplies
constitute forty per cent. of the
freight of western railroads.
Therefore, we each have sub
stantial ways and means of help
ing one another. First, let us
eliminate the men who talk radi-
cal ideas. and foster hatred and
malice only for the purpose of
widening the breach of friend
ship between the producer and
the transporter. Such men will
assume any attitude which they
believe will help their own selfish
ends.
The railroads with their ware
houses and other facilities, are
IN position to offer you what
millions of dollars would not sup
Ply. Taking your products from
your farms to the consumers
table, and aiding you to get the
best price are the ways in which
we can work profitably together.
If the railroads can be instru-
mental in increasing the cotton
growers profit one cent pound,
it means an annual increase in
profit to the farmers of 60 million
dollars. If these 60 million dol
lars are in the hands of the
farmers it will aid in the educa-
ton CT their Children, their fami-
lies will buy more goods, they
will build better barns, they will
put more new land under cult
walton and they will raise better
cattle and better horses. 1t will
all 90 to the mutual upbuilding
of the farmers and the railroads
interests. On the other hand, if
the SO million dollars g to specu-
lators, it is of no benefit to the
farmers or the railroads.
The railroads and the farmers
have permitted the politician to
play one against the other. The
farmers have not been organized
so that they could work direct
with the railroads for their
mutual benefit.
That beneficial results follow
cooperation between the man
who produces and the man who
transports is proven by sound
business principles. Every anal
ysis of the question shows it, and
good business judgment endorses
it. The only objection will come
from that class of politicians and
political lawyers which have
thrived upon the prejudice it has
created. Formerly you thought
you had to do business with us
through the politician. That
was an unbusiness-like way for
US to deal with each other. The
politician used you to get HIM
self into office; he hammered US
to please you. That class of
politicians is a go-between we
can cut out. We can do our bust
ness direct. 1t is to our interest
to place in your hands every
available instrument and to use
our railroads and our agencies to
help you to get a higher price
for your goods. If there are
ways for us to save you time and
money, let us know. We will do
all we can to aid you. The more
you make the better we are
pleased.
Organization of different in
terests has come to stay. It's
strength has grown more within
the last twenty years than for all
time since the foundation of our
| Government. The most impor-
tant force for the welfare of our
NJ .,ot 80 onnon 10 tho lanI