Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-09
ADVISES FARMER
George q. Hamilton of Wat.
seka Tells Him How to Get
Favorable Laws.
HAS MUCH EXPERIENCE
Declares That Effective Organization
to Back Up His Demands Is
the Only Way.

laws passed and the bills killed by the
Legislature, and their position as cit.
Izens, been So clearly and sensibly set
forth as by George H. Hamilton OF
summer Farmers institute at Urbana.
This Is real addition to agricultural
literature, and Will be read with keen
interest by all who want to see farm
| people get the protection due them and
to bear their plain part in securing
clean, efficient legislation. Mr.. Hamil-
ton said In part:
How have you demanded laws for
your social, political and financial well
fare? During my four sessions in the
legislature not one demand has been
made upon me by a body or organiza-
ton of farmers to help enact laws
| beneficial to farming interests. A few
individuals have asked me to do what
l could for the agricultural college.
Your stallion bill was bitterly opposed
| by minority leader from Chicago
| (who afterwards admitted the bill was
meritorious) simply because the sena-
tor who introduced it had helped to
defeat one of his bills. He vented his
wrath on this measure because it was
farmers bill with no organization be-
hind it. He would not dare to thus
treat bill backed by any Of the labor
organizations.
How 1t Works.
Suppose Farmer Smith introduces a
hog cholera bill. When it comes up
for final passage John Doe of Chicago
will ask Richard Roe of Joliet What
is this bill?" Roe relies, This don't
amount to anything, it is some farmer
bill, and doesn't affect us or Cook
county; let's take a walk" The roll is
called; the John Does and Richard
Roes have all retired or failed to an
swer when their names were called,
and the bill is short of constitu-
tional majority, and is declared lost.
Would they treat in this way a bill
backed by the Illinois Federation of
Labor? Well hardly.
Are you going to sit idly by and
watch the futile efforts of your indi-
,vidual members with giving them
backing of an organization that will
command respectful attention of every
member whether he be from Chicago
or Cairo You have several splendid
state wide organizations, but you do
not use them to any advantage politl-
cally. You should be political in the
higher sense of working for the public
good in public spirited way. Parti-
sanship is not necessary.
81 in Farmers Legislative Club.
During the last session there was
formed Farmers Legislative club of
about 81 members, including anyone in
terested in agriculture. 1t was entire
ly non-partisan, and at it's weekly
meeting all bills relating in any
way to agriculture were freely dis
cussed and voted on. This vote was
not binding on any individual, but with
few exceptions the members were
unanimous in working for or against a
measure A committee of Is, 10 in the
house and FIVE in the senate, notified
all members when any of our bills
We're up, and we accomplished great
deal of good. 1t was due to C. C. Per
vier of Shef1eld, the president, and N.
G. Flagg of Moro, the secretary, ably
assisted by members from the 18th
district, that this club was formed
and 1t was through this club that the
vote on the stallion measure was re-
considered and the bill finally passed.
Such club will be formed as soon as
the legislature convenes.
Too often you are classed as IA
voring obstructive instead of con-
structive measures. Not one out of
20 of the farmer members would
dare vote for a hard roads law, but
what will you offer in its place?
Have you a statute compelling the
use Of the split log drag or other
device? Or one that will compel the
proper and scientific grading and
drainage Of your roads? Does the
law compel your road commission
ers to follow the instructions of the
etate highway commission or any
other we'll informed body In regard
to road building. or are they follow
ing the same old haphazard meth
DDS of our grandchildren
study What Ought to BE Done.
You oppose hard roads and prob
ably Justly 50, but have you as a
class or organization, made a care
full study of the building and care of
the roads, 80 that you will have
something to put forth other than
the arguments of expense when the
fight for hard roads comes upon you
as 1t inevitably Wilt. Hard roads
will be forced upon you unless you
formulate an intelligent plan to
build q system of good roads?
The revision of the school laws, |
farm drainage acts, regulation of
farmers elevator companies, the
powers and duties of your boards of
supervisors, are few of the many
subjects that need your considera-
ton.
You cannot dump member into
the legislature and tell him. Here.
look after my interests, and then
go away and forget all about it.
You cannot expect him to consider |
Snk al %hoe1 Io-,e