Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-11-03
farmer !: REAPS GAIN
BY E|GHT-HOUR LAW
Prevented Tying Up Of His Prod
ucts Valued at Sc, 000. DOC, 900.
PRESIDENT is BEST FRIEND.
BY FRANK q. oDELL.
Editor Nebraska Farm Magazine.

Editor Nebraska Farm Magazine.
The New York Sun quotes James
Wilson, Of Iowa, former Secretary of
Agriculture, as saying that the farm.
ers were hit hardest by the Adamson
eieht-hour law. which stopped the
threatened general railroad strike. Ac-
cording to The Sun, Mr.. Wilson said:
1.-THE 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-Secre-
tary Is bad. The farmer Is not worry
ing about the high price Of food. He
for sale. That's his business. II, %
the ex-Secretary says, the eight-hour
day will increase the cost Of food.
the farmer has everything 70 gain.
And "Uncle Jim" has overlooked
the fact that the farmers Of the Unit
ed States had not less than $G.O00.O0O.
600 worth Of products practically
strike crisis was Imminent at the
first Of September. The threatened
strike would have paraiyzsd the farm.
sr's market and stopped the wage Of
the worker in every industry.
Incalculable losses, running into
hundreds Of millions. were averted
when the strike was prevented. Wood
row Wilson did 1t.
llama Jim" was Secretary of Agrt-
culture through four Republican ad-
ministra lions - sixteen years. These
were sixteen years Of monopolistic con-
troll of the farmers market. During
this period. these great combinations.
which have stood between the produc-
er and the consumer, reached the zen
it'll of their power. Greed and extor-
ton ran riot. The high cost Of living
became q cry Of universal complaint
for which the farmer was made the
goat.
During this period the farmers Of
the country complained continually OF
capitalistic extortion. They held con.
ventions throughout the great Rfain
and live stock belt to voice their pco.
test. They sent Populations Of able
men to Washington. They sent their
appeals for Justice to the Secretary OF
Agriculture, and waited at the door OF
the White House during the admins.
trations of Mckinley, Roosevelt and
Taft. They asked for bread and r.
ceived stones Of indifference. They De.
manded Justice and received piahtudes
about prosperity" "contentment," and
making two blades of grass grow
where one grew before" n
Then came another Wilson-Wood-
row Wilson. Things began to change.
David F. Houston was made Secretary
Of Agriculture. For the first time In
the history Of the Government the
business problems Of the farmer re.
ceived the attention Of his Govern.
ment. The Office Of Markets and the
Bureau of Rural Organization were
created to help him break the strange
hold Of entrenchei monopoly. The
epoch making Rural Credits Law was
passed BY Woodrow WILSON sAd . pep.
1eratic congress. The power Of tie
usurer and extortioner was broken
when that act was signed.
The farmer has good memory. He
does not forget his lifelong battle with
entrenched privilege = organized and
grown purseproud during forty years
of Republican Indifference and misrule.
He will not forget that It was WOOD
ROW WILSON. the Peoples Presi-
dent, who saved his market from ruin
m Sent. 2 1916. The special pleadines
of Republican defenders Of special
privilege and monopoly will ind the
farmers ready on Nov. Z.