The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-04-23
Illustrating the character Of unneces.
sary expenses to which we refer.
Union Opposes "Full Crew" Bill.

Union Opposes "FuIi Crew" Bill.
The Texas Farmers Union regis
tered its opposition to this character
of legislation at the last annual meet
Ing held in Fort Worth, Tex, August
4. 1914, by resolution, which we quote,
as follows:
THE matter Of prime importance
to the farmers of this state Is an ade-
Quate and efficient marketing system;
and we recognize that such a system
is impossible without adequate rail
road facilities, embracing the greatest
amount of service at the least pos
sible cost We further recognize that
the farmers and producers in the end
pay approximately IS per cent Of the
expenses Of operating the railroads.
and it is therefore to the interest Of
the producers that the expenses of
the common carriers be as small as
Is possible, consistent with good ser.
vice and safety. We, therefore, call
upon our lawmakers, courts and
juries to bear the foregoing facts In
mind when dealing with the common
carriers Of this state. and we do espe-
cially reaflrm the declarations OF
the last annual convention OF our
State Union, opposing the passage Of
the so-called 'full-crew' bill before
the thirty-third legislature Of Texas"
The farmers of Missouri in the last
election, by an overwhelming ma
jority. swept this law of the statute
book OF that state, and 1t should
come OF of all statute books where
1t appears and no legislature Of this
nation should pass such a law or
similar legislation which requires I'm.
necessary expenditures.
The same rule applies to all regu.
latOry measures which increase the
expenses Of industry without giving
corresponding benefits to the public.
There is ofttimes a body of men as
sembled at legislatures-and they
have a right to be there-who, in
their zeal for rendering their fellow
associates a service, sometimes favor
an increase in the expenses of in
dustry without due regard for the men
who bow their backs to the summers
sun to meet the payroll, but these
committees. while making a record
for themselves, rub the skin off the
legislature to lay another burden
upon his heavy load and under the
lash Of be it enacted" goad him on
to pull and surge at the traces of civil
ization. no matter how he 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 payrolls. Our own
hired hands are not paid unless we
have something for them to do and
we are not willing to carry the hired
help of dependent industries unless
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 q
Iull in business, we want all legisla-
tive bodies to take an inventory Of
the statute books and wipe off all
e~xtravagant and useless laws. A good
housekeeping is needed and econo-
mics a be instituted here and there
that will patch the clothes of INDECENT
children, rest tired mothers and lift
mortgages from Respondent homes.
Unnecessary Workmen taken oft and
useless expenses chopped down all
perity OF the farmer and encourage
him in his mighty effort to feed and
clothe the world.
Ii any OF these industries have sur
plus employees we can use them on
The farm. We have no regular
schedule Of wages. but we pay good
farm hands on an average of $3.50
per day of thirteen hours when they
board themselves; work usually runs
about nine months of the year and the
three months dead time, they can do
the chores for their board. II they
prefer " ldIlH Ou lilClI ONu dGCOulI
there are more than $4,000, 0O0, 900
acres of idle land on the earth's sur
face awaiting the magic touch Of the
pillow. The compensation is easily OBJ
tainable from Federal Agricultural
Department statistics. The total
average annual sales Of a farm in
the continental United States amounts
to $4,000; the cost Of operation is
$4,000; leaving the farmer $176 per
annum to live on and educate his
family.
There Is no occasion for the legis-
latures making a position for surplus
employees CT industry. Let them come
back to the soil' and share with us
the prosperity Of the farm.
When honesty is merely a good
policy It Is a poor virtue.