The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-07
Farmers Enjoyed the Convention
Thousand Tlers of the Soil Trekked to St. Louis Got the
"Gad Hand land Had Big Holiday.

st. Louis, Mo-, May 7.-Solving the
problem of whether he is or is not an
entity to be reckoned with in the leg
islative councils of the nation was
not the only lure to cast its spell over
the 1000 salons of the soil who trek
ked their way to st. Louis to attend
the farmers convention this week
from all points of the compass.
Freed from the care and workaday
drudgery of the farm, the spirit OF
adventure subdued as rule in the
narrow. monotonous environment in
which the delegates live. found free
vent in the attractions of the bustling
Missouri metropolis, from the moment
they struck its glittering trail.
Inverting the practice of the city
man who seeks the solitude and calm
OF the country as relaxation from
the enervating energy sapping stress
of the town, the tanned and brawny
sons of the soil experienced zest and
exhileration in the excitement and life
of st. Louis with it's ever changing
panorama of activity.
It's big department stores, offering
for sale everything from a tooth-pick
to the evening gown Of the latest
partisan model, its majestic looking
office buildings, it's brilliantly lighted
streets and smartly caparisOned men
and women, the unceasing pilgrimage
of automobiles gliding like elfs of
magic through the maze of crowded
thoroughfares, the unwonted ANNA
ton and prosperous appearance OF the
people, all thrilled them.
AS they gazed at the heart throb-
bling spectacle, betokening a degree of
luxury and physical comfort to which
even the most affluent of them have
never aspired much less attained. 1t
was not surprising that the statement
frequently made to them by speakers
at the convention that the farmer was
the only person living In this country
who could dwell undisturbed without
| the help of the rest Of the nation
should recur to him and jar him. If
he wondered at the strange paradox
which condemned him as one of the
wealth producers of the country to a
life of amending hardship, while his
well dressed, contented brother In the
city who depended upon him for sus-
tenance and produced nothing should
| be favored with so many conveniences
that make life worth living and rob it
of its irkscme features, it is not sur
prising. Whatever his thoughts were
on this subject he could not complain
however of lack of appreciation OF
his unique place in the country
esteem.
His position in the affection of his
fellow citizens of the city went unchal-
lenged.
The hand of hospitality was extend
ed to him at every corner. Everybody
seemed glad to meet him and give OBJ
eisance. Whether he was from far
away Washington. or Alabama. or
Texas or Oklahoma or Wisconsin or
Ohio, there was warm welcome for
him everywhere. The only discord
ant note observable anywhere was
In the parsimonious attitude OF the
railroads which for some unknown
reason refused or failed at least to
provide the delegates with special
rate to and from their home. To this
fact is ascribed the absence of sever
al thousand farmers who felt they
could not afford to pay the ordinary
fare charged by the company fol
Transportation to st. Louis. This ap
Iplied particularly to delegates from
many of the Pacific slope states who
were either not represented at the
convention at all or had but one OF
1.-TWO of the quota expected.
i In agreeable contradistinction t.
this was the. friendly attitude of the
Telepost Automatic Telegraph com
pany which gave the delegates fret
service over its lines during the en-
tire week. H. Lee Sellers of New
York, president of the Telepost who
was one Of the speakers at the con
vention ordered the st. Louis repre-
sentative of the company in the Coli
scum to extend every courtesy to tn,
visitors and expedite their messages
to all points reached by this system
which transmits over its wires from
], 900 to 5000 words minute.
In the first three days of the con
vention the delegates, availing them
selves of the company's hospitalit,
sent several thousand messages OF
business. social and personal characi
er over its lines all free of charge
The operation of the automatic com
pany which sends over one wire tn
same, volume az words transmitted on
Ter IS wires operated by the Mors
hand method of transmission greatl
interested and Dleased the delegate