New-York tribune., 1918-06-06
Heads of Farmers
Federation Quit;
Disavow Politics
State Grange, Dairymen
and Others Oppose Gu
bernatorial Ticket

'A> ANSW L OL n L SQcIdtIOIl ia f1B lCul-
ture, organized to take Independent
political action in the governorship
campaign this year, was "shot to
pieces" yesterday by the resignation
of S. L. Strivings, temporary president,
and D. V. Farley, chairman of the leg
islative committee.
Supplementing their action came a
formal dsavowal of the fcderation's s
plans in a statement signed by S. J.
Lowell, master Of the New York State
Grange; r. d. Cooper, president of
the Dairymen's League; C. Fred Bcsh-
art, president of the New York State
Agricultural Society, and A. l.. Brock
way, president of the State Dairymen's
Association.
The action taken by these executive
OHcerS means the utter collapse of the
Federation of Agriculture as a feder-
alton, as these are the principal farm
ers' organizations Of the state. The
federation has been regarded as anti
Whitman
Meeting Set for Friday
The federation is to meet in Albany,
Friday, with the avowed purpose of
N'NiAiAi6 u SI<seC tlChcC. IOIu present
appearances its sponsors will be Sam
uel Fraser, of Geneseo; Seth J. T. Bush,
OF Monroe County, and John j. Dillon,
of New York, although Mr. Dillon may
decide to drop out altogether. The let
ter from DR.. S. L. Strivings, temporary
president Of the federation and presi-
dent of the New York State Fedora
ton of Farm Bureaus, and D. V. Far
ley, chairman of the legislative COM
mittee of the federation, follows:
"lnasmuch as the public meetings and
agitation in the name of the New York
Federation of Agriculture have been
without authority of the constitution OF
its council as therein provided, and
with belief that the acts undertaken
in the name of the Federation of Agri.
culture are in violation of the spil3t
Of the original plans in the minds o1
those who had to do with the forma
ton Of the federation, therefore we
the undersigned temporary officers O.
this federation, do hereby disavow sucf
acts and tender our resignation. tt
take effect immediately" The letter i!
dated May 25.
The formal disavowal statement b,
the large agricultural organization
follows:
"We, the undersigned representa-
lives VI lIlc SIlCuICuIC OIEdUlZdClOnS
desire to affirm our belief in the desir
ability and possibility of closer uniol
Of the farmers organizations of tn
state, to the end that agriculture as
unit may speak when occasion de
mands.
ain the development of such uniol
we believe the following principle
should be observed:
81. That no new organization is nee
cssary, but that union should b
effected between those now existing
whose right to represent and spea
for farmers has been established an
recognized through their plan of or
ganization and long years of service.
"2. That such union should be ef
fected through the properly consti
tutcd executive committees of the stat
organizations rather than through tn
local units.
"3. We declare it our belief that q
affiliation Of these organizations is pos
sible and desirable; that such affilia
tion should be that of the parent OF
CARNATIONS and to be first approved b
them; and we voice the conviction tha
only confusion and Reorganization ca
result from efforts to affiliate locs
branches Of different associations.
"No agency has yet been establishe
WIN authority TO eHecC Sucn a1nlle
ton, and we disavow the attempt c
any individuals assuming to so act, an
deny their right to speak for us.
dated May 25, 1918.
Signed:
rs. J. Lowell. Master New York Stat
Grange.
Ira Sharp, Chairman Executive Commi
tee
"W NJ Giles. Secretary.
"R. D. Cooper, President, Dairymen
League.
''F. H. Thompson, President.
"Albert Manning, Secretary.
Herbert J. Kershaw. of Executive Con
mittee
rs. L. Strivings. President. New YoY
State Federation Farm Bureaus.
ID. V. Farley. First VicePresident.
'W. f. Depew Second Vice-President.
&C. Fred Boshart, President, New Yor
State Agricultural Society.
"A. L. Brockway. President, State Dair-
mems Association