Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-10-23
FARMERS SHOULD HAVE A
VOICE

The Republican Publicity Associa-
ton, through its President, Hon JON
athan Bourne, Jr-, today gave out the
following statement from its Wash
ington headquarters
No incident in the 1abor-capital
conference now in progress in Wash
ington IS more significant or import
ant than the statement made by C. S.
Barrett, President of the National
FARMERS, Union, presenting the inter
ests of the agricultural producers, and
complaining that in this controversy
between employers and the labor
unions proper considerat ton has not
been given to the farmers. First and
last, the prosperity of America de-
Ponds upon the success of our agricuI-
turai industries Moreover, the very
stability of the government depends
chleffy upon the rural residents, who
are largely home owners or tenants
under leasing system which gives
them property interest, making
them permanent and substantial resi-
dents OF their communities. For safe
and sane and yet progressive action
the country can always depend upon
the tillers of the soil.
Few will question Mr. Barrett's
assertion that during the war the
farmers welfare received practically
no considerat ton So far as the Adj
n1nlst rat1on took any action bearing
upon the interests of the farmers.
that action was in the direction of
limiting profits, while the action
affecting organized labor resulted in
every instance, in increase of com
pensation- With the one hand. the
A n Tcf1-
tural producer, while with the other
1t gave special assistance to organic
| ed labor
| Past records will fully bear out Mr..
Barrett's assertion that farmers want
no special privileges His demand for.
| equality under the law, and for due
| consideration in the shaping of poll
c1es at the present conference is as
ner1torious as it is timely. Before be-
ginning its deliberations, the Confer
| ence has had its attention called to the
danger of attempting to satisfy the
demands of capital, on the one hand.
and organized labor, on the other
leaving forty millions of agricultural
population to take the 1eavings.
| But, reasoning apriori, we cannot
snare Mr. Barrett's fear that manv
farmers may rush into organizations
WHICH are not lOO per cent Am erlcan.
or that many thousands of them NAV
| depart from that narrow path which
| IS laid down by the Constitution How
ever unjust the trea tment he NAV
nave received, no farmer or other.
owner of property which he has ac-
cumu1ated by industry and thrift will
fail to realize that his only hope of
continued possession and eriayn,cnt
OF that property rests upon the main
tenance of law and order However
much the farmer may resent Injustice
and however earnest his efforts to
change conditions, he will never be
found ahghting himself with the
enemies of the Constitution He III
proceed to secure his rights by order
~ and lawful means through the cleo
ton of legislators and executives who
believe IN government by and for all
and who oppose government by and
for class.
Mr. Barett's plea in behalf of those
for whom he speaks will find wide
commentator, especially when com
pared with the bold threats of Mr..
Gompers, who threatens CONGRESS-.
and who declares the determination of
organized labor to resist the Govern
ment and violate the law if legisla-
ton shall be enacted to prevent con
sp1racles for the tying up of inter
state comm erce''