Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-23
LAYTON TO MEET
WITH OPPOSITION
FROM THE FARMERS
Attitude on Some Public Questions
Not Satisfactory to Agricul-
tural Interests.
WILL LOOK INTO RECORD
Special Dispatch From Every Evenings
Washington Correspondent.


Washington Correspondent.
Washington, Feb. 23.--Dr. Caleb r.
Lavton, Representative in Congress from
Delaware, is likely to encounter strong
opposition from organized agriculture this
wear The committee Of seven selected
at the meeting Of farmers, last week, TO
ascertain the records of candidates for the
Presidency, also will try TO find out how
Representatives in Congress stand upop
the issues of the dav. They argue that it
will be useless electing n progressive, far
seeing man to the Presidency unless he is
supported by Congress of similar char
acter.
G. s. Barrett, chairman of the commit
tee of seven farm leaders, said the or
ganization would get into touch with agri-
cultural leaders in Delaware and confer
with them on the wisdom Of selecting n
man to succeed DIR. Layton, who is in
sympathy with more modern and progress
sive ideas OF government. DR.. Iaytons
attitude on the Peace Treaty and other
matters has not pleased the farmers and
they think he should be supplapted.
Mr. Barrett said il was net the desire
OF the committee to interfere IN local
ptlitics, but the farmers regard a Congress
man as a national officer, and therefore n
legitimate subject of investigation by
farmers. Agriculture has suffered a good
deal, Nh. Barrett said, through the narrow
ness of some leaders in Congress. DIR.
Laytons record in Congress viii be closely
examined by the c mmittee and state
ment of how he has stood on The vital
questions Of the day communicated to
the farmers of Delaware.
NO "russYroorISo."
Candidates for office must cease TO
'pussyfoot' il they hope to obtain the
support of organized agriculture said
Chairman Barrett. I'VE feel that acri-
culture has not In the past had a square
deal and this is largely because the farm
ers have not taken an energetic part IN
politics That day however, has gone and
II will be impossible for candidate for
office in the future to fool the farmers.
We will have placed on file the records Of
each and the information we collect will
be communicated TO the farmers every
where.
''Of.course, if after obtaining Informa-
tion regarding candidates The farmers
choose TO vote for them that is their bust
ness Our business viii be to tell them how
they stand on the vital questions of the
dav"
Mr.. Barrett said candidates would have
10 be right on all questions before the
farm organizations viii support them. IL
VIII not be enough for them TO be far on
agriculture. They must be IN sympathy
with al reasonably progressive ideas.
Farmers want nothing for themselves
that they are unwilling 10 give TO other
elements" said MIR Barrett. so we are
not going to confine our investigation
to candidates record or agriculture.
We are going right down the line with ail
candidates. We must have a good, wide
awake progressive President and We viii
demand that he be supported. not by fos-
sils, but by men with VISION
The committee OF seven Will meet
again in Washington early In March,
when plans for AN intensive campaign
will he completed Mr. Barrett said the
committee is in earnest and viii not allow
itself to be hoodwinked or side-tracked- Ii
viii stay on the job until, 1t IS able 70
gather all the information that the farmer
is entitled to regarding the records OF
men who are candidates for Office.
It is planned to enlarge the committee
SO as to take in a representative from each
Congressional district
CANNOT DODGE ISSUE.
Already the Republicans are trying TO
Square" themselves with the committee.
Will Hays has asked Tour members Oh tne
National Board Of Farm Organizations to
serve on what Is known as the advisory
platform committee. These men have I
been asked to write an agricultural plank
in the platform.
seTbis is q Transparent trick to win the
support Of farm leaders, said man who
is al the head Of an organization of hfty
thousand tillers of the soil" Will Hays,
however. can't bribe the farm leaders with
an empty honor. As far as writing the
platform is concerned, that job already has
been done Wall street has attended to
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