The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-11-02
FARMER REAPS GAIN
BY EICHT-HOUR LAW
Prevented Tying Up of His Prod
ucts Valued at S6,O00.OOO, 900.
PRESIDENT Is BEST FRIEND.
BY FRANK G. oDELL.
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
eight-hour law. which stopped the
threatened general railroad strike Ac-
cording to The sun. Mr.. Wilson said:
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 tho venerable ex-Secre-
tary Is bad. The farmer is not worry
Ing about the high price Of food. He
raises his own food. He grows food
for sale. That's his business II, as
the e1-Secretary says, the eight-hour
day will Increase the cost OF food.
the farmer has everything to gain.
And Uncle Jim" has overlooked
the fact that the farmers OF the Unit
ed States had not less than $4,000, ,OO0,-
600 worth Of products practically
ready to send to market when the
strike crisis was imminent at the
first OF September. The threatened
strike would have ParaIyzed the farm
er's market and stopped the wage Of
the worker in every industry.
lncalculable losses. running into
hundreds Of millions. were averted
when the strike was prevented. Wood
row Wilson did II.
'Tama Jim" WIS Secretary OF AgrI-
culture through four Republican adj
miniStrations - sixteen years. These
were sixteen years OF monopollstic 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
ith OF their power. Greed and extor-
ton ran riot. The high cost Of living
became a 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 grain
and live stock belt to voice their pro-
test. They sent deputations 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 re-
ceived stones OF indifference They de-
manded Justice and received platitudes
about prosperity" "contentment," and
making two blades of grass grow
where one grew before"
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 tho attention OF his Govern
ment. The Office OF Markets and the
Bureau OF Rural Organization were
created to help him break the strangle-
hold OF entrenched monopoly. The
epoch-making Rural Credits Law was
passed by Woodrow Wilson aid a Dem
ocratic congress. The power OF the
usurer and extortioner was broken
when that act was signed.
The farmer has a good memory. He
does not forget his lifelong battle with
entrenched privilege 90 organized and
grown purseproud during forty years
Of Republican indifference and mlsrule.
He will not forget that It was WOOD
ROW WILSON. the Peoples Presl-
dent. who saved his market from ruin
on Sept 2, 1915. The special pleadings
Republican defenders OF special
q 'cge and monopoly will find the
- ready on Nov. 7.