The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-11-05
HOME FOR FARM
BUREAU IN HONOR
Of WAR g He ROEs
NProposal Made by ]. b. Wilbur
of Manchester
RADICALIsM is SCORED
Editor G. c. Sevey Declares Farmers
Are Opposed to an Autocracy of
ldIeness

AT the annual meeting OF the Bel
lnington county farm bureau yesterda.
afternoon, J. B. Wilbur of Mancheste
stated that in case the sum of $1,000
were raised for the construction OF
farm bureau building as memoria
to the soldiers and sailors il
the world war that he woult
add $4,000 to the fund. Mr.. Wilbu
stipulated that he should have tn,
privilege of passing upon the site fol
the proposed building and to certif,
the plans. Before the meeting ad
journed President j. A. Leach ap
pointed committee consisting of
Everett Harwood and A. j. Holden o
Bennington and f. Fl. West of Dorse
to act upon Mr.. Wilbur's proposal
There was a meeting Of the execu
tive committee in the forenoon but
the principal gathering was held iI
the large hall on the upper floor oi
the Hawks building in the afternoon
President Leach presided The edu
cational features of the meeting were
provided by A. f. Gilbert of the Uni
versity of Vermont who gave an illus
trated lecture on potato diseases and
by the county agent. f. Clifford Shaw
who spoke of the work accomplished
by the bureau during the year and
who urged upon the members the ad
Visibility of keeping their farm ac.
counts in the books provided by the
bureau.
The main address of the afternoon
was delivered by Glenn C. Seyey, edi-
tor of the New England Homestead
upon the topic" Farmers United
Against Radicalism." In his prelimi.
nary remarks Mr. Seyey urged the
bureau to increase its membership to
at least 400, which would be a gain OF
about two hundred. He also urged
them to double their annual dues nf
one dollar and this was ordered by
vote later in the meeting.
The speaker saw no reason for
farmers to expect lower prices for
labor, machinery or fertilizer during
the coming year He advised them to
invest in machinery whenever their
means would permit He spoke en-
Enthusiastically of the accomplishments
that had been made in the planting of
clover and legumes. The clover farm
er, he said was usually the success
full farmer, according to his ubserva.
tion.
Taking mp the main theme of his
address Mr. Sevey said
Statesmen and politicians who
hope to become statesmen express
much wonder and regret about the
high cost of living and the spirit of
unrest in the country. To farmers
there is no mystery about It, no doubt
as to the remedy. Just about gg.g9
per cent of il is due to radicalism of
labor in our industries Sane Ameri.
can unionism that collectively seeks
reasonable returns for steady and elf.
ficient labor, with due regard TO the
public and the welfare OF the country,
is both advisable and desirable. This
is the type Of collective bargaining in
which farmers are engaged aand to
which they intend to stick But the
'unionism" that would confiscate the
necessary rights of capital and OF
properly, that reduce the efficiency
and hour Of labor while at the same
time striking for per cent increase
in wages, is not American unonism
II is nearer Russian bolshe
vism.
All the past season farmers strug,
sled hard TO meet the country's emer-
gency, Just as they did during the
war. Has anyone heard OF a single
strike conducted by farmers during
this trying period? Has anyone heard
farmers demanding a six-hour day and
a five-day week? Let our statesmen
and the public at large realize what
they owe the American farmer right
now. AS to the cost of living, let ouf
authorities eXhort less those who
have increased their hours and eff
iency of labor. and stead give more
attention to those who refuse to do a
good days work.
Any country that places a premium
on idleness, luXuries and sovietism
through governmental toleration and
encouragement is headed straight to
economic shipwreck and eventual
downfall The war of the rebellion
against taxation without representa-
ton. the civil war fought to prove the
whole greater than one of its parts
even the great war to show democ-
racy superior to autocracy-these
were no more vital issues than this
threatened autocracy of idleness to-
day. The good old homely doctrine
of work. with honest pay for an hon
est days labor must be replaced in
the American saddle if America is TO
remain American The sooner that
is understood. the better. If our strik
ing, loafing semi-bolshevists want
showdown, let it come right now
Against them farmers will enlist 100
per cent strong, first to set an ex-
ample, and second to again prove they
are the nations chief safeguard"
At the business session the report
of the treasurer, c. E. Knapp of North
showed that the bureau
handled nearly three thousand dollars
during the year and had a balance on
hand of $443.99. The officers Presi
dent J. A. Leach Of Rupert. Vice,
=