Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-02-20

dealing with the common car
ricrs Of this state, and we dc
especially rcafiirm the dcclara-
tiYns Of the last annual conycn-
ZION Of our State Union. opposing
the passage Of the so-callcd full
crew bill before the thirty-third
legislature Of Texas"
The farmers OF Missouri in the
last election. by an overwhelming
majority, swept this law off the
statute book OF that state, and
it should come of of all statute
books where it appears and no
legislature Of this nation should
pass such law or similar legis-
latlon which requires unnecessary
expenditures.
This applies to all regulatory
measures which increase the cX-
pcnses of industry without giving
corresponding benefits to the pub
lie. There is ofttimes Il body of
men assembled at legislatures
and they have a right to be there
who, in their zeal for rendering
their ftlloW-asSociatcs a service.
sometimes favor an increase in the
expenses of industry without due
regard for the men who bow their
backs TO the summers SUN to
meet the payroll, but these COM
mitteeS, while making a record
Tor themselves, rub the skin off
the shoulders of the farmer bv
urging the legislature to lay an
other burden upon his heavy load
and under the lash of be It en-
acted goad him on to pull and
surge at the traces of civilization.
no matter how Ire may sweat.
foam and gall at the task. When
legislatures "cut a melon" for
labor they hand the farmer a
lemon.
The farmers OF the United
States are not financially able to
carry dead heads" on their pay
rolls. Oar own hired hands arc
not paid unless we have some
thing for them TO DO and we are
not willing TO carry the hired
help OF dependent industries uu-
less there IS work for them. We
must, therefore, insist upon the
most rigid economy.
Legislative housekeeping
Needed.
While the war is on and there
is lull in business, we want all
bodies to take an in
ventory OF the statute books and
wipe off all eXtravagant and use.
less laws. A good house-cleanine
is needed and economies can be |
instituted here and there that will
patch the clothes Of INDECENT chill
iren, rest tired mothers and lift
mortgages from respondent
homes. Unnecessary rorlzmen
taken off and useless expenses
chopped down all along the line
will add to the prosperity of the
armcr and encourage him in his
mighty effort to feed and clothe
he world.
If any of these industries have
surplus employees we can use
hem on the farm. We have no
ocular schedule of wages, bu,
We pay good farm hands on an
verage OF $3.50 Per day of thir-
cen hours when they board
themselves; work usually runs
bout nine months of the wear
nd the three months dead time,
hey can do the chores for their
oard. If they prefer to farm on
heir own account, there are more
han l4,OOO,O00,0O0 acres of idle l
and on the earth's surface await.
1g the magic touch of the plow.
he compensation is easily OBJ
ainable from Federal AcricuI.
ural Department statistics. The
0tal average annual sales of a
arm in the continental United ]
tates amount to $516.OO: the
ost OF operation is $4,000; leav.
lg' the farmer $l10 per annnm -
} live on and educate his family. ,
There is no occasion for the
gislatures making a position for
lrplus employees of industry. Let
lem come black to the soil" and
,are with us the prosperity OF 1
le farm.