Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-13
FARMERS WOULD
HAVE UNCLE SAM
own RAILROADS
Nebraska Union Declares That
Public Transportation Lines
Have Become Menace to
We . of People.
COY ~ cS.G GOOD ROADS
>CN'
80 Have the State Appraise
. End Then Buy Union Stock
Yards of omaha.
OFFICERS AND POLITICS

Criticising the railroads ior not iur
nishing enough grain cars when they
are needed and asking that prope,
matter, the Nebraska Farmers Edu-
cational Cooperative union. which has
been i'll session three days, came 10 a
close yesterday afternoon.
The farmers in a resolution adopted
assert that the railroads for some time
have been "a very grave menace TO the
welfare and we'll being OF the farmers,
as well as the other people of the ma
ton" and as remedial factor recom-
mend government purchase and con
troll, the purchase to be on the phySi-
cal valuation OF the railroads
By unanimous vote it was decided
to hold the next convention in Lin
coin the second Wednesday i'll Janu-
airy, 1918. About 500 accredited dele
gates and about 900 members attend
ed the convention. which is said to
have been the largest and best in the
history of the organization.
Delegates to National Meet.
Before closing the following dele
gates were elected to attend the Ma
tional association, to be held at Joncs-
boro, Ark, the second week i'll De-
cember:
H. c. Elwood Creighton; Charles
Mcleod, Stanton; w. H. Campbell,
Central City; Walter Burgess, Trum-
bell, and Mr.. Cafsterson, Boone
county.
The union went on record against
federal aid in the matter of good
roads, declaring that it was chiefly a
state proposition.
As to the Omaha stock yards, the
farmers would have the state appraisc
and buy them. This was included in
resolutions adopted.
All officers, with the exception OF
the board of directors, were reelected.
They are:
c. II. Gustafson. Mead, president;
]. NJ. Burdick, Creighton. vice presi-
dent, and D. R. Ellis, Omaha, secre-
tary and treasurer. John Havekost,
Cooper; H. d. Lutte, Paxton, and
James Elliott, Laurel, were elected di-
rectors. -. '.. ~
No Political Offices.
In the amendments of the constitu-
ton it was forbidden that any officer
or director of the union should be-
come a candidate for any state. county
or other political Office while serving
in the capacity as an officer or director
for the union. An amendment was
also adopted raising the salary Of the
president from S. for each working
day to $500 year.
During the session the following
resolutions were adopted:
That company be organized to IN
sure farm property against fire, light
ming and wind.
That protest be made against a
raise in proposed live stock rates,
That a seat on the Live Stock ex-
change be purchased.
That county cooperative telephone
systems be established wherever prac-
ticable.
That representatives in both sec
tions of the Nebraska legislature be
instructed to work in trying to secure
a reasonable and maximum long dis
tance toll rate.
As to Sleeper Berths.
That the railroads be compelled 10
furnish sleeping berths on stock tranis
to shippers of live stock.
That the distribution of grain cars
to elevators be on the basis of their
volume of business.
That state school lands be sold. as
they are principally in the hands Of
spectators who pay only nominal
rent, so that the state receives only a
very low and unreasonable income.
That the county fair aid law would
be more effective in producing I'M
provement in agriculture within the
county if amended to permit units OF
lesser extent than the county to par
ticpate in the apportionment OF this
fund and upon the petition OF 10 per
cent of the rural population in any
county having population of 10000
or more, to apportion that fund
equally between the senior society and
the society designated in the petition.
That the practice of barter or "tard-
ing" among the law makers be pro-
hibited and punishable by fine.
As to Schools and Books.
The little red school house would
entirely be done away with if the
resolutions adopted by the farmers be-
came operative. They propose:
That common rural schools be pro-
vided with a course OF study extend
ing through ten years OF work, so that
students finishing the course will be
permitted to enter state nromal
schools, normal high schools and the
like.
That a workable plan for establish
ing rural high schools and con-
solidated schools be established for
the benefit OF those who wish to avail
themselves of it.
That the state print its own text
books and supplies and sell them to
the school districts and schools of the
state at per cent above cost