The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-10-31
1E1s7r5
FARMER REAPS GAIN
BY E|GHT.H0UR LAW
Prevented Tying Up of Crops
Valued at $6,0O0,000,000
BY FRANK G. oDELL
Editor Nebraska Farm Magazine.

The New York Sun quotes James
Wilson, of Iowa, former Secretary u
Agriculture, as saying that the farmers
we're hit hardest by the Adamson
Eight-hour Law, which stopped TIC
threatened general railroad strike.
According to The Sun, Mr.. Wilson
said:
"rhe farmer has no eight-hour day.
Should that number of hours become
general in all occupations, including
the farm, the prices Of food would
rise still higher than those current.
The logic of the venerable ex-Sec-
rotary is bad. The farmer is not Wor-
rying about the high price of fooo.
He raises his own food. He grows
food for sale. That's his business.
If. as the ex-Secretary says,-the
ejght-hour day will increase the cost
of food.-the farmer has everything
to gain.
And "Uncie jim has overlooked the
fact that the farmers OF the united
States had not less than $6OOO,OOO,ooo
worth Of products practically READY
TO send to market when the strike
crisis was imminent at the first OF
SeDtember. The threatened strike
would have paraIyzed the farmers
market ard stopped the wage Of the
worker in every industry.
Incalculable losses, running into
hundreds of millions were averted
when the strike was prevented.
Woodrow Wilson did it.
"Tama JIM was Secretary of Agri-
culture through four Republican Ad-
mini strations-siXteen years THESE
were sixteen years of monopolistN
control of the farmers market. Dur
4 ing this period, these great combina
/ lions. which have stood between the
/ producer and the consumer, reached
the zenith of their power. Greed ane
extortion ran riot.
During this period, the farmers o.
the country complained continually O.
capitaliste extortion. They held con
ventions throughout the great grain
and live stock belt to voice their pro
test. They sent Populations Of able
men to Washington. They sent thei
appeals for justice to the Secretary Q
Agriculture and waited at the doc
Of the White House during the admin
istrations Of Mckinley, Roosevelt an
Taft They asked for bread and re
ceived stones of Indifference. The
demanded justice and received plat
tudes about prosperity" "conten1
ment," and making two blades o
grass grow where one grew before"
Then came another Wilson-Woo(
row Wilson. Things began to change
David f. Houston was made Secretar
of Agriculture. For the first time i
the history of the Government, tn
business problems Of the farmer r.
ceived the attentions of his Cover
ment The Office Of Markets an
the Bureau Of Rural Organization we1
created to help him break the strangl
hold of entrenched monopoly. III
experimenting Rural Credits Law We
passed by Woodrow Wilson and
Democratic Congress. The power
the usurer and extortioner was broke
when that Act was signed.
The farmer has q good memory. E
does not forget his lifelong bait
with entrenched ivilege-organiZt
and grown purse-proud during for
years of Republican Indifference al
misrule. He will not forget that it W;
WOODROW WILSON, the People
President, who saved his market fro
ruin on Sept. 2, 1916. The speci
pleadinss Of Republican defenders
special privilege and monopoly w
find the farmers ready on Nov Z.