Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-05-07
RETURN OF ROADS
PLEASES FARMERS
Urge Policy to Insure Best Serv-
Ice at Lowest Cost Consist
ent With Fair Returns.
OPPOSE NATURALIZATION,
Representative Agricultural orasnIxa-
tions and Rural Press State Farm A
ers' Attitude Toward Railroads
Want Private Operation.

Private ownership OF the railroads
under policy OF government regula-
ton which will insure the best possible
| service at the lowest cost consistent
with fair returns on money invested In
them is favored by representative
| farmer organizations throughout the
country. This policy also Is supported
| generally by agricultural newspapers,
which state emphatically that the
farmers are opposed not only to gov
eminent ownership OF railroads, but
also 10 all naturalization plans.
| In letter TO the members OF the
! United States Senate L. G. Atkeson,
Washington representative OF the Ma
tional Grange, which is said TO be the
largest organization of Its kind in the
world, representing more than 1000
600 farm owners In the United States.
states that the agricultural interests OF
the country approve of private owner
ship of the railroads and further de-
clares that persons purporling 10 speak
for the farmers In support Of govern
ment ownership are neither farmers
nor representatives of any considera-
BILE number of farmers.
Favor Private Operation.
'"rhe Grange" says Mr.. Atkeson.
quoting the official action OF his or
ganization, approves OF the general
principles OF railroad legislation now
pending In Congress TO return the rail
roads 10 their owners. 10 bring about
the reorganization OF the railroad com
panies into strong systems with capt.
talization based on actual value, and
to create a control commission which
may enforce the superior interest OF
the public TO that OF any other interest
In the operation OF railroads as com
mon carriers and effectively protect
the public against exploitation or In
Justice"
Many state and sectional agrlcul-
tural organizations take similar
stand. Immediately after the National
Grange expressed its attitude toward
the railroad question the American
Farm Bureau, meeting In Chicago, vot-
cd for private operation, and the Ma.
tional Farmers Congress, In session al
Hagerstown, Md, voiced like sentl.
ments. The New York State Fedora.
; tion OF County Farm Bureau Organl
cations and the Indiana Federation OF
Farmers went beyond that and Joined
the Grange In repudiating the alleged
farmer representatives in Washington
who said they spoke for an "over
whelmng majority OF the farmers"
Urge Reasonable Returns.
The railroad policy favored by the
New York State Federation of County
Farm Bureau Organizations was stat
ed In the following resolution:
"Mhereas, There have been conflict
, ing statements published regarding the
attitude Of farmers upon the question
3 OF the future ownership of railways;
: therefore be II
, Resolved, That the New York Stat,
Federation OF County Farm Bureau AZ
sociatiOns, representing 10000 mem
bers, in annual session at Syracuse, N
Y, December 10, 1910, hereby Endorses
the action OF the American Farm Blu
reau Federation In urging Congress {,
promptly return the railways 10 thei
owners under such conditions as will
insure reasonable returns on the yalu,
Of the property and reasonable rates o.
transportation throughout the coun
try"
Views Of Farmer Papers.
; The American Agrlculturist statei
editOrially that the farmers are "deat
? set against" the scheme to enmesh tn,
farmers in the web of radicalism.
The Pennsylvania Farmer. DISCUSSING
the general demand for private opera
: ton OF the railroads, says: 1T is espe
cially true of farmers, in spite OF the
declaration Of few would be leaders
, to the contrary" The Stockman
; Farmer adds:
Farmers almost unanimously ap
prove the return OF the railroads ant
the express companies 10 their owners
The reason is that farmers, as well al
other business men, want service Of
these institutions, and they cannot ge
i such service under public operation al
! they can get under the operation Of
corporations, which have a direct fnan
" cial interest In performing It,"
~