The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-11-26
Continue Broad
Guage Activities
Editor of Grange Paper Points Out
Fallacy of Farmers Working
Only for Themselves

News, official organ of the organized
farmers of Washington, voices a spir-
it that should be known to all men,
bers of organized labor
"Quinemose Grange No 493, of Spo-
kane county, recently took up the mat
ter of the value of the Agricultural
Grange News in one of its meetings
and the secretary sent a letter re-
porting its ideas on the subject.
"They think that the State Grange
should have paper, and that the ex-
pense of publishing it could not be
spent in any way that would do more
good, but they seem to protest against
the printing of so much reform mat
ter. In fact, they say, 1T would be
better for the Grange to have less So
cialism, less Federation of Labor and
less single tax, and more Grange and
things pertaining to the Grange and
farm
Does Not Doubt Sincerity
There is not one bit of doubt of
the sincerity of the brothers and sis
ters of Quinemose Grange, but we
cannot help but feel that they need a
broader outlook than they seem to
have at present. The farmer, while
he is farmer, is also citizen and
as such he must take his part in the
work of governing this state and
country. There is not one bit of
doubt that there is tendency to re.
form in many things, among them be-
ing taxes, temperance, good roads,
marketing conditions, rural and other
credits, the welfare of the laborer in
the cities as we'll as on the farm, and
many other questions that are coming
before us. The time has passed when
the farmer may be considered to have
no thoughts beyond raising stuff and
selling it. He has, thanks to the rural
mail, which brings to his door the
daily papers and the large magazines,
become a thinker, and he knows that
unless the people, including the work
ers in the city, are happy and prosper
out, the consumption of his products
/ is diminished and the decrease in de-
mand can but cause a lowering of the
prices which he will receive for it.
He has come to realize that the work
err of the city is closely united by the
bonds of mutual helplessness
against the great and growing money
power, and that they must stand to-
gether in all of these things that are
of interest to both classes. No true
citizen of this state can read with an
open mind the annual address of Mr..
E. P. Marsh, president of the Wash
ington Federation of Labor, and not
feel that his thoughts are fully rele-
want to the farmer as to the working
man of the city. His sentiments are
those of an intelligent, thoughtful and
loyal citizen of this state.
Hard to Know Socialism"
las to Socialism it has come to
a condition when it is very hard to
know where to draw the line between
what is socialism and what is not.
/ Our present industrial insurance law
is purely socialstic measure, but no
one would have Washington repeal it,
1t is a matter of purely humanitarian
policy. Government aid for road
building government ownership of
telegraphs and telephones, govern
ment control of markets, state and
government control of insurance
these were every one at first social
istic ideas, yet today there are few
who would think of denying their
wisdom So, we say, it is next to i'm
possible to know where to draw the
line, and our idea is that it is our
duty to print any article that has a
tendency to educate the farmer up to
a broader minded, more intelligent at
titude in all matters that touch his
interests, not alone as a farmer but
as a citizen of this splendid state and
glorious nation.
"Of course, we expect to find those
who cannot agree with the articles
published We print many an article
that we cannot agree with, but we
may be wrong and the other fellow
NOV he riobt avnn though ba dffferc
from us in thought, so we give these
articles, as far as we can, to you for
persual and study, feeling that it will
help to educate us all and help us to
become better citizens, which, after
all, is the highest attainment we can
desire"
See the famous LANCE hot blast,