East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-08-07

necessary because he has become a
lcohpetitor with the manufacturer for
labor. He has been unable TO com
pete in the past and his help In con-
sequence has been insufficient
Therefore the right Of cooperative
purchasing and selling In the modern
view should be removed from all
question. Agricultural thought has
mot been sufficiently represented IN af-
fairs OF government. Many of the
branches OF the government which
deal remotely or directly with the soil
and its problems and its possibilities
would be more valuable to. the general
welfare II the practical experience OF
the farmer were an element In their
To be specific, the IN
.terstnte commerce. commission, the
federal trade cornission and the Unit
ed States tariff commission are adj
ministered by susiness men. Does
anyone contribute more to the making
and success OF railroads than the far
mer or to the creation and prosperity
Of the banks. or to the stability OF
manufacturing and trade units. or to
the agencies interested in exporting?
a Common prudence would suggest
that we Increase to our utmost. our
area of tlllable land. The race be-
tween increased consumption and add
ed acreage has been an unequal one
Modern methods OF soil treatment have
been helpful. but they have their linn
itations. There are still vast en-
oires in extent in our country, per-
forming no service to humanity. They
require only the applied genius of men
to cover them with the bloom and
harvest OF human necessities. The
government should turn its best engi-
neering talent to the task of irrigga-
ton projects. Every dollar spent will
yield compensating results
TRANSPORTATION.
my discussion Of the question of
food supply leads very quickly to the
closely related mstter of transporta-
ton There is no one thing which
brings us so automatically to critical |
than The insufficiency of |
our transportation facilities. Both the |
railroads and the public are to blame.
There has been no material addition TO |
the total mileage in the last, ten years.
and the increase in terminals has been |
much less than required Al the be- /
ginning OF the war. the rolling stock i
was sadly reduced and inadequate. The \
public has nos given in pay for service.
ufficient revenues on whicn credit \
.ould be allowed BY the banks. Moral Il
assistance was withheld because OF
policies that d.d NOT bring ap-
,roval. Many OF these corporations
lad made themselves a part of poliu-
al activities, local, state and national.
rhen there were more or less sporadic
i:-tnr,....s OF stock W w1.Brirg operations
ma the sxploita- len u. utility proper
ies fct personal gain. Abuses wers
isst general, but tn y Mere sufficient
o hring the. entire r:sIlf.ad systems OF
he country in disrepu;n. The good
suffered with the evil. When tf;e
re nsportation lines were taken over
~ the government, they were barely
ble te limp through the task of the
ay. Unity in operaenn. The elimiar-
on OF the long haul and the merging
r IL .cfy mile OF track and terminal
nd ever. car and engine into co-or-
linated plan Of operation. e,.a' led the
oycrnment to transport troops and
uppiies, at the same time atfording.
nder great stress, a Satisfactory nut il
- for ,.ur industries. 4 SHOULD be re- c
lenis~ed inthis connection that ex i
{ Il FER the motor tract. which supple I
tIdDopDtttthtoH fdst stAid t@N
rpt for the great pipe lines which
nnS eyed oil for commercial purposes,
q should not, in ali problb bility have
cen able to throw our deciding '
.renEth into the balance and wan the u
nr. ANY attempt to discredit the c
.derai operation of railroads during Y
IL years of grave emergency is un- e
air. In the case of those who know p
se facts it is insincere. Too mach 7
nnnot he said in praise OF those who n
irected this work, nor Of he men q
no physics,ly operatei the lines unt- n
OF the oiscouraging conditions of Fl
nor c,,i,pn.ent. But an of this Is ei
atcr over the wheel. The problem n fl
he railroads is stfll with us. The gov p'
: .ment abd the public should render t
cry Corporation in the utmost good a.
IAN. To G.ve thorough test to Private q
The ra:ircads have had Il
heir lesson. Government regulation ST
! accepted now as not only safe g
uard TO the public, but as a conserv- m
! -