The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1920-03-18
RETURN OF ROADS
PLEASESfARMERS
Urge Policy to Insure Best Serv.
ice at Lowest Cost Consist.
ent With Fair Returns.
OPPOSE NATURALIZATION
Representative Agricultural oraaniza,
tions and Rural Press State Farm.
ers' Attitude Toward Railroads
Want Private Operation.


under a 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 gqg-
eminent ownership of railroads, but
also to all naturalization plans.
In letter to the members of the
United States Senate T. 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 1,OOO,-
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 purporting to 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.
''The 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 to their owners, to 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 agricul-
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-
ed for private operation. and the Ma
tional Farmers Congress, in session at
Hagerstown. Nd, voiced like senti-
ments The New York State Fedora
ton of County Farm Bureau Organi-
cations and the Indiana Federation of
Farmers went beyond that and joined
the Grange in regulating the alleged
farmer representatives in Washington,
who said they spoke for an cover
whelming 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:
Whereas, There have been conflict
ing statements published regarding the
attitude of farmers upon the question
Of the future ownership of railways;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the New York State
Federation of County Farm Bureau AS
sociations, representing 10000 men,
berS, in annual session at Syracuse, N.
Y, December 10, 1919, hereby indorses
the action of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation in urging Congress to
promptly return the railways to their
owners under such conditions as will
insure reasonable returns on the value
Of the property and reasonable rates of
transportation throughout the coun.
try"
Views Of Farmer Papers.
The American Agriculturist states
editorially that the farmers are dead
set against" the scheme to enmesh the
farmers in the web of radicalism."
The Pennsylvania Farmer, discussing
the general demand for private opera
ton Of the railroads, says: at 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. and
the express companies to their owners.
The reason is that farmers, as well as
other business men, want service of
these institutions, and they cannot get
such service under public operation as
they can get under the operation of
corporations, which have direct fnan-
cial interest in performing it."