The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-11

been forced 10 mortgage homes, work
women In the field and increase the
hours of his labor. We are, there
fore, compelled to call upon all In
dustries dependent upon the farmers
for subsistence to retrench In their
expenditures and to cut on all un.
necessary expenses. This course is
absolutely necessary In order to avoid
a reduction in wages, and we want,
If possible, to retain the present wage
scale paid railroad and all other in.
dustrial employees.
We will devote this article to a
discussion of unnecessary expenses
and whether required by law or per.
mitted by the managemRnts of the
concerns, is wholly immaterial. We
want all waste labor and extrava.
gance, Of whatever character, cut out
We will mention the full crew bill as
illustrating the character OF unneces.
sary expenses to which we refer.
Union Opposes Full 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 So 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 reaffirm 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
iority, 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 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 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 record
for themselves, rub the SKIN off the
shoulders Of the farmer by urging 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 House.cleanine Needed.
While the war is on ana there Is a
lull in business, we want all legiSla-
tive bodies to take an inventory OF
the statute books and wipe off all
extravagant and useless laws. A good
housekeeping is needed and econo-
mics can be instituted here and there
that will patch the clothes of INDECENT
children, rest tired mothers and lift
mortgages from Respondent homes.
Unnecessary workmen tnken off and
useless expenses chopped down all
along the line will add to the pros
perity OF the farmer and encourage
him in his mighty effort to feed and
clothe the world.
If any of these industries have sur
plus employees we can use them on
the farm. we have no regular