St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-10-09
AGRICULTURAL LEG.
ISLAT|ON NEEDED
The Farm the Place 10 Study
All Legislative Problems.
BY Peter Radford.

Lecturer National Farmers Union.
The principal function performed BY
government today is TO collect taxes
keep records and prevent and punish
crlme but that is not sufficient. Gov
| ernment should tip its hat 10 the God
dess OF Opportunity as couraseously
as IL draws a slx-shooter on train
robber We ought TO encourage thrift
as well as restrain greed. We have
been basing Legislation upon the ex
tremes OF human llfe-the classes
high and low, the deprayed and the
talented-let us now reach the masses
and the extremes will more nearly
disappear. our statutes are filed TO
oyerilowing with pity and revenge;
let us add opportunity.
The slogan OF the Farmers Union
Is cooperation. Not only among In
diyldual farmers, but between all lesi-
innate and useful occupations. W.
want TO sit around the hearthstone
Of Industry and talk over problems OF
mutual interest with our neighbors.
We want W lHNlAt NDObN NhO ahV
earnestly searching for information
on public Questions to get back to
the soil with their Investigations
where. In the stiffness OF nature, they
can climb the mountain.top OF wis
dom, explore the deep canyons OF
knowledge and stroll through the
quiet valleys Of understanding.
There is no problem In civilization
that cannot be found In its native
state on the farm The labor. edu-
cational, financial. transportation,
BODYBUILDING and all other problems
are there We will discuss a few OF
them.
The Labor Problem.
We bow TO the dignity OF labor.
No one would be willing TO do more
10 tighten the burdens, Increase the
safety, comforts and profits OF those
who labor IN commerce and industry
than their fellow toilers In Agricul.
ture. But how about the farmer who
bows his back TO feed and clothe the
world. and who works from sun until
SUM- IN he not also entitled TO an
Increase In pay and shortening OF
hourBY Much has been said about
the women In the factory and behind
the counter but how about the woman
In tho held, drenched In Precipitation,
gathering the harvest. the little chill
dron, their lips wet with mothers
milk, tollins by her side? Arc they
not also entitled TO consideraticn9 IL
not the man who digs In the ground
entitled 10 the same consideration as
he who tolls at the forge. weaves at
the loom and works behind the count.
er?
The farmer has been bearing his
burdens as patiently as the beast he
plows, but IL patience a bar from Jus.
ice1 The labor problem OF Virginia
today In on the farm. and the first
attention should be given those who
labor In the field,
The Need Of Cheap Money.
Agriculture has never been proper.
ly financed. The farmer pays much
higher rate OF interest as a rule than
any other class OF borrower and his
especially that OF farm prod.
ucts. is not 30 readily accepted as a
basis OF credit as the property OF
other lines OF industry OF equal mar.
kot value.
a rural or land credit system Is
needed that will enable a farmer TO
buy a home on long time at cheap
rate OF interest.
A statute based on sound business
principles hat will enable the land.
ess 10 buy and encourage the large
aud owner 10 sell. IL much needed. |
md one that merits the most serious
OF our law makers.
The financial problem OF the state
md nation is on the farm. and first
Ittention should be given those who
reate the nations wealth.