The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-02-14
DIDN'T put 0. <:
ON RAIL BILLS.
Fake Farmers Got Cold Feet
When They Looked Cum
Minis Bill Over. =
CONTINUED from Page ~

Voluntary farm oTganizations-that
is, organizations which do not exist
by virtue Of the consent and assis-
lance Of the county agent-have been
fighting the farm bureau idea for
years. The voluntary organizations
are impressed with the idea that the
farm bureau Is misnamed because it
admits to membership as in Duluth
a large proportion of urban residents,
and generally the banker, the lawyer
and the college professor dominate.
Real farm sentiment cannot be mobil-
lied or find accurate expression
through such an Organization.
Farm bureau meetings are usually
held in the towns and cities. What
is more natural than that at such
gatherings the commission men, the
bankers, the merchants, the college
professors and the lawyers would be
in the majority at such times? The
farmer gets up early in the morning
and retires early in the evening. He
does not care to travel to the city in
order to take part In perfunctiory dis
cussions of what may be to him aca-
Playing the r.. r.. Game.
So the lawyers, bankers, commits
sion men, college professors, capital
lists and others playing the game of
the railway executives got together at
various points, adopted resolutions
favoring the return Of the railways
to private ownership, and announcing
that the farm bureaus Of the land
had so decreed. They then Instructed
Mr.. Howard to come to Washington
and tell the President and congress
that the farmers wanted the rail-
ways turned over to the men who in
years passed had wrecked them.
Mr.. Howard, as Bryan man, oc-
cupies an extremely embarrassing po-
sition. He must either repudiate the
action Of the lawyers, bankers, mer-
chants, commission men and college
professors who dominate the farm
bureaus or resign from the presidency
Of the national organization. He has
chosen for the present to play the
game Of the railway executives.
No Friend Of Consumer.
The bankers. lawyers, college pro-
fessors, commission men and mer-
chants of the farm bureaus and the
international farm congress sought
and found a friend in T. G. Atkeson,
legislative representative Of the ma
tional grange. Mr.. Atkeson, it de-
velops, wanted the Cummins bill with
all it's Infamous pictures He told" the
conference that .the- government did
guarantee dividends and it the. cost
+ of living through Increase In freight
rates was increased SO per cent, the
consumers would have to pay the bill
anyway. So with this cynical ,indif-
ference to the rights Of the toiling
masses, this officer who has been re-
pudiated by a number Of the more
progressive state oranges proceeded
to play the game Of the railway exc
cutives.
But the conference would have
; gone with Mr.. Atkeson it it's members
:: had not perceived that in asking con-
! gress to pass the Capper-Hersman
+ bill, while at the same time providing
= for the qualification Of labor, It would
+ have. placed itself In. a ridiculously
|; inconsistent position. Mr.. Atkeson
|. was obliged to yield both on the
|; guarantee and the anti-strike provi-
| sions Of the bill and the railway exc
cutives were evidently greatly disap-
| pointed.
Do Not Support. Atkeson.
Mr.: Atkeson claims for the grange
4 membership Of nearly one million
farmers, and in making plea for
! the &Cumnlins law he professed to
! speak for this large clientele. A little
| Investigation has disclosed that when
a farmer becomes a member Of the
! grange he carries with him his wife
and all his children to IS years of age
and older. This greatly reduces the
number of independent, mature
thinking men that might be associ-
ated with that organization.
| Moreover, the Michigan state
grange, which has membership
equal to about one-third OF the entire
numerical strength Of the organiza.
ton east Of the Missouri river, has re-
! pudiated the action Of the national
grange in calling for the return Of the
! railways to private ownership. The
master, John Ketcham, has so mott
fled every member Of the Michigan
delegation in congress.
! The Pennsylvania state grange
i which has nearly one hundred thou.
sand members, has absolutely re.
! fused to play the, game of Mr.. Alike
son. The master, Mr.. John McSpar-
ran, who Is regarded as the greatest
single constructive force in the or:
ganization, says there is no hurry
about the return Of the roads. He, Il
need not be stated, was not invited
to the gathering which made an eff.
! fort, but failed, to indorse the Cum.
minis bill.
Against Anti-Strike Clause. :.
| Neither was the master Of thu
Michigan state grange invited to par:
ticipate in the proceedings of this IL.
lustrious gathering. Master McSpar:
ran and Master Ketcham, who direct
the affairs Of the two largest oranges
in the United States. are unwilling to
commit the farmers to q contrac,
which will require them to pay rs to
40 per cent. increase In freight rates
Perhaps the reason Is that each is d
practical farmer. ~-.
1