The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-17
CONGRESSMAN REPLY TO
SIX LEADING QUESTIONS
Eagerly Anxious 10 Get On
Band Wagon Agricultural
Organization

Washington, d. c., March H.
Any lingering doubt as @ the Won
derful national power of the Farm
ers' union has been dramatically
dissipated. In shoals and battalions
from representa- ives and senator's
Republicans and Democrats and in-
sulgenls, letters in reply to the con
gressional poll Instituted by Presi-
dem Barrett OF the Farmers union
are rolling in. His secretaries and
assisl ants here are literally swamped
by The inunlation.
Old politicians, veteran campaign
ers, DO not remember anything in re-,
cent history app. oaching the signif-
cance OF the spectacle which repre-
senis the congress of the United
States eagerly anxious 10 get OH the
band wagon Of an Agricultural organ
ization boasting in the neighborhood
OF 3,000,0e0 members
Today Mr.. Barrett sent out 70
Farmers union papers one hundred
letters from every shade Of congress
men, including reactionaries and
progressives. Accompanying these
copies, is an introduction IN which
he a. es that this is merely the first
installment and that others are to-
follow until every congressman has
either been heard from in public, or
definitely located as refusing 10 com
nit himself
Ii will be remembered that Mr..
Barrelts original letter, put six lead.
ing questions, as follows, to congress,
inquifing It's attitude toward:
1-Abolishing gambling in farm
products.
p Securing, without delay, par
GELS post.
3.--Securing, without delay, postal
savings banks,
4.--securng, without delay more
stringent legislation along the line
of restricting foreign immig alton.
5.-Securing the defeat OF the pro-
posed central bank.
6.-More libcrality in national al-
preparations toward agricultural prof
Gets.
Manfesily. II Is impossible 10 quote
/ the letters going out today to the
4 Farmers union papers Mr.. Ba rett
i however. es mates that 30 per cent
4 favor abolishing gambling in farm
+ products: hat 81 per cent favor q
/ parcels post thc preference beina
4 that such system should be I'm
confined to rural free delivery routes
/ that an overwhelming majority favor
I postal savings banks in some form
4 provided provision is made to Keel
he deposits in the home localities,
that practically all cOngressner
heard from favor rigid restriction oi
foreign immige that 81 PEI
cent are opposed 10 a central bank
that virtually all favor greaer liber
ally in congressional apps pr lt3n'
toward the farmer.
In the statement preceding the
copies Of he congressional letters
! Presideni Bar elt, while encouraged
by the splendid showing made thu
far, "refralns from celebrating th'
passage Of these measures, Decaus
of the possibility that all of thes'
promising congressman are not il
earnest. and because Of he abiiil,
OF IA few powerful men controlling
he house and senate" 20 "emaseu
late or entirely annihilate' legi5 a
iion at will.
President Barrett eonclW an
nouncing that al the end O. Ses
sion the enti e proceedings Of n
watch upon congress. including h.
individual records OF the members
will be published in a sort of Doom
Day Book form. and supplied, no
only every member Of the Farmers
union. but as well every farmer il
America. declaring that millions o
American farmers NOT formally alli'
lated with the organization are il
sympathy with is purposes and can
naiVne