The Donaldsonville chief., 1915-01-23

LIS, GIN X dGr1S tie creates
amount + service at the 1eas
possible cost We further reeog
nlze that. the farmers and pro
ducers in the end pay approx
mately o5 per cent of the expense
OF operating the railroads, and i
IS, therefore, to the interest o
the producers that the expense,
OF the common carriers be a.
small as is possible, consistent
with good service and satisfy
| We, therefore, call upon our law,
makers, courts and juries to bea,
the foregoing facts in mind when
dealing with the common car
r1ers of this state, and we dc
especially reaffirn the declara-
t1ons OF the last annual conven-
ton 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
majority, swept this law off the
Statute book of that state, and
it should come off of all statute
books where it appears and no
legislature of this nation should
pass such a law or similar legis-
lat1on which requires unnecessary
expenditures.
This applies to all regulatory
measures which increase the ex-
penses Of industry Nithout giving
corresponding benehts to the pub.
lie. There is ofttimes a body Of
men assembled at legislatures
and they have right to be there
who, in their zeal for rendering
their felloW-associates a service,
sometimes favor an increase in the
expenses Of industry Witlmut due
regard for the men who bow their
backs to the summers sun to
meet fhe payroll, but these com
m1ttees, 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 1oa d
and under the lash Of be it q
acted goad him on to pull and
surge at the traces Of civilization,
no matter how he may sweat,
foam and gall at the task. When
legislatures cut 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 paw
rolls. Our own hired hands are
not paid unless we have. some
thing for them to do and we are
not willing tc carry the hired I
help OF dependent industries IN
less there is work for them. Wei
must, therefore, insist upon the /
most rigid economy.
Legislative House-cleaning
Needed.
. While the war is on and there
IS a lull IN business, we want allII
bodies to take an in
ventory Of the statute books and
wipe off all extravagant and use.
less laws. A good house-cleanine
S needed and economies can be
instituted here and there that will
patch the clothes of INDECENT chill
1ren, rest tired mothers and lift
from respondent
homes. Unnecessary workmen
aiken off and useless expenses
,hopped down all along the line
will add to the prosperity Of the.
arner and encourage him in his
mighty effort to feed and clothe
he world.
It any of these industries have
urplus employees we can use
hem on the farm. We have no
egular schedule of wages, e.. B
We pay good farm hands on d
OF $1.50 per day of thir-
cen hours when they board !
themselves; work usually runs
bout nine months of the year 1
nd the three months dead time. I
hey can do the chores for their \
oard. It they prefer to farm on 4
heir own account, there aNg more
nan 14,OOO,0O0,Oo0 acres Of idle I
md on the earth's surface await \
lg the magic touch of the plow. l
he compensation is easily OBJ :
alnable from Federal Agricul-
1ral Department statistics. The r
otal average annual sales Of a
lrm in the continental UnitedI
tates amount to $4,000; the}H I
ost of operation is $4,000; leav-
lg the farmer $lzo per annum| I
} live On and educate his family I
There IS no occasion for the /
gislatures making a position for I
1rplus employees of industry. Let
lem come back to the soil, and
lare with us the prosperity OF
le farm.