The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-02-07
MESSAGE TO FARMERS.
President Wilson Calls for Their As.
sistance During Coming Year.

Washington, ID. o., jan. Ito
the farmer of the, United States,
sage in which he called attention to
the country's need Of their assistance
during the coming year in winning
the war. The message was sent
through the farmers conference be-
ing held at the University OF Illinois
at Urbana.
The message was delivered by
Illinois in the absence Of Secretary
Of agriculture Houston, who was to
have represented the president. The
president had expected to attend,
but indisposition made it impossible
and he. delegated Mr.. Houston who
was prevented from participating by
the tie-up in transportation facili-
ties.
The presidents message said:
Il am very sorry indeed that
cannot be present in person at the
Urbana conference. l should like to
enjoy the benefit of the inspiration
and exchange OF counsel which
know ] should obtain but in the cir
cumstances it has seemed impos-
therefore | can only send you very
earnest message expressing my in.
terest and the thoughts which such
a conference must bring prominently
into every mind.
Il need not tell you, for am
sure you realize as keenly as do
that we are as nation in the pres
supreme sacrifice and endeavor OF
every one of us. We can give every
thing that is needed with the great
cr Willingness and even satisfaction
because the object of the war in
which we are engaged is the, greatest
1nas free men have eyer undertaken.
ut is to prevent the life OF the
world from being eteimined and
the fortunes of men everywhere al
masters who seek their own inter-
est and the selfish domination
throughout the world Of the govern
ment they unhappily for the moment
control. You Will not need to be
convinced that it was necessary TOR
us as a free people to take part in
this war. 1t had raised its evil
hand against us.
""The rulers OF Germany had
sought to exercise their power in
such a way as to shut off our econ
omic life SO far as our intercourse
with Europe was concerned and TO
confine our people within the vest
ern hemisphere while they accom-
p pelssI n I'm impaired and impeded
every process of our national life
and have put the fortunes of Ameri-
ca at the mercy of the Imperial Ger
man government.
This was no threat, it had be-
come a reality. The heavy haad had
Deen laid on our people ana our own
fragrant violation not only,
and long standing covenants of in
tory, atiOna1 law and tIRatV.
1--WE are fighting therefore as
truly for the liberty and self govern
ment OF the United States as ii a
war cf Off own revolution had to pc
fought over again and every man IN
every business in the United states
whole fortune lies in the balance.
Our national life and our whole
economic development will pass un.
der the sinister, influences or for
eign control if we do not win. we
must win, therefore. and we shall
win. i need not ask you TO pledge
your lives and fortunes with those
com nlishment of that great end
un on both sides Of the water
realize, that the eliminating. crisis
of the struggle has come and that
the achievement of this year OF the
one Sl0e OF tuo OlueI, Muo' uOeoA
mine the issues. 1t has turned out
that the forces that fight for free
dom, the freedom of men all over
the world as we'll as our own, de-
pended upon us in an extraordinary
and unexpected degree for susten-
ance, for the supply Of the materials
BY which men are to live. and to
fight and it will be our glory when
the war is over that we have sup,
plied those materials and .sunplied
them abundantly and it will be all
the more glorious because in sup
plying them we have made our SUI
preme effort and sacrifice.
'In the field of arriculture we
have agencies and instrumentalitles,
fortunately, such as, no other gov
The department of agriculture is
undoubtedly the greatest practical
and scientific agricultural orGanlza-
ton in the world.
"The banking legislation of the
last two or three years has given
the farmers access to the great lend
able capital of the country, and il
has become the duty both OF the
men in charge of the federal re-
serve banking system and of the
farm loan banks to see to it that tbs
farmers obtain the credit, both shori
and Inn q term. to which they are en-