The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-15
President of Farmers Union
Here Condemns Organizers.
League Purely SOeialistic, Sec.
retary LansdOn Says.
OPEN SESSION HERE TONIGHT
Senator Capper and Governor
Allen To Be Speakers.
More Than $500 New Members
Recruited Last Year.

There isn't any more chance of an
amiable affiliation, either formal or
informal, between the Nonpartisan
league and the Farmers union than
there is of n unity between the moon
and the sun, and the two associations
are just about as far apart" said Mau.
rice McAuliffe, president the Farm.
ers' union, today. McAuliffe's state
ment was in answer to reports ION the
street. that Nonpartisan league organ
izers here are seizinG upon the Farm
ers union convention here as an op-
portunity of widening their propa-
ganda.
The Farmers union" said Nc
Auliffe. has always fought the Nom
partisan league"
w. c. Lansdon. secretary of the
Farmers union. declared that the as
sociation for which he is an official
and the Nonpartisan league are far
apart in aims and objectives THE
Farmers union" said Lansdon, sis a
legitimate cooperative business asso-
citation organized and operated by the
cooperation. The Nonpartisan league.
on the other hand. has views which
are purely socialistic-we are not in
politics"
League Is Condemned.
Lansdon said that when the Nom
partisan league first gained a foothold
| in Kansas many Farmers union MEM
bers Joined the organization. They
nave mostly all dropped out since :,
he said. While the union as a whole
has never officially gone IN record in
opposition to the Nonpartisans. the Of
ficers and official organ of the union
| have condemned them"
Lansdon was told of a report that
| Nonpartisans would attempt to have !.
Volce IN the business meetings of the
convention. There are only one or
| TWO Nonpartisans that I know OF at
tending the meetipgs."s he said. ..ansl
they are not in a position to start any
thing"
Growth OF Union.
BUSINESS meetings of the Farmers
union-officially known as the Farm
ers' Educational and Co-operatiye
union-began at the city auditorium
this morning. and continued this
afternoon. Several hundred delegates
| representative of about 100, 900 mem
| oers in Kansas. are in attendance
President McAuliffe delivered his
| annual address this afternoon review
| ing the growth of the order in the past
year and recommending improvements
| for the future
McAuliffe said that 1862 new MEM
bers had been recruited in the last
year.
The live stock commission. he said.
began work last October IA as a new
department of the union. and in two
| and one-half months did business of
more than S2.50O,000. Contracts, lie
| asserted. have been made with more
| than 100 local co-operatives TO sup
| ply members with standard makes of
farm machinery The insurance de-
partment. he declared. increased its
| business during the last year mere
| than $4,000, 900. while the hail insur-
ance department paid a so per cen.
dividend. The jobbing association, he
said. Is in progressive condition.
For Rural High School Plan.
| McAuliffe asked for continued sup
port by union members OF the rural
| high school plan, and urged q better
| system of rural elementary school tax
alton.
The first open meeting of the con-
vention will be held tonight instead OF
this morning. Senator Capper and
Governor Allen will he the speakers,
it was asserted. Business meetings
will be held tomorrow morning and
| afternoon with another public meet
ing tomorrow evening.
c. s. Barrett, national president of
the national union. Will be a speaker
at one of the public meetings.