Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-11-18
BARRETT SPEAKS
AT NATIONAL MEET
OF FARMERS UNION
Continued from Page u

|
| During the war the railroads We're
| guaranteed against losses and now
under the Cummins- ESch law have en-
| tered on an era of unprecedented high
freight and passenger rates and with
it such prosperity Ito them) as this
county has never seen before.
| On former occasions l have refer
red to the role of the Farmers union
i III helping to maintain at Washing
| ton "a national headquarters for the
| farm organizations. During the past
year the national board of farm Or
CARNATIONS has made material gains
in strength and in service. For over
a year 1t has had it's offices in a
| handsome four-story building which
sie purchased nx>d il naying for
| through voluntary contributions OF
| farmers in all parts of the country.
| The national board of farm Organi-
cations is the only farm organization
| in the country which apprOXimates in
| character the chamber of commerce
of the United States or the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. Practically
every form of farm organization is
| eligible for membership providing
| it is of a bona fide and self-help
| nature. The one-man-one-Vote idea
| is requisite in cooperative farm
business. This idea has been fol-
| lowed in the organization of the
which carries out the one-organiza-
ton one-vote plan. There is no CO.
ercion or brow beating in the con-
duct of the work. There are so many
questions on which the member or
| CARNATIONS can agree that it has been
considered unwise to force action
| by majority rule. The strength of
| the organization lies in unanimity
| of it's action.
National Legislation
Among the specific undertakings
| in which the National Farmers union
has had it's part in the past year in
connection with the other member
organizations of the national board of
| farm organizations, are the following
Repeal of the daylight savings law;
passage by the house of the VOlstead
| bill-introduced as the Hersm9n bill
making cooperative marketing
clearly lawful; efforts to secure eff
fective packer legislation; efforts to
secure the truthful branding and la
beling of feeds, seeds fertilizers,
wearing apparel, etc; efforts to Sc
cure the passage of the bill for the
operation Of the nitrate plant at
Muscle Shoals, Ala. These and other
| matters of natural concern to the
Farmers union have been covered in
the presidential and congressional
QUESTIONABLE. In connection with. In
connection with the repeal of the
daylight savings law it is rather
amusing to learn that certain Or
CARNATIONS claim the credit. 1 can
| only say in response to this that a
perusal of the congressional record
will disclose the fact that it was
congressional votes from farmer
union territory whcin removed that
monstrOsity from the statute books
Of the nation. Some states have en-
acted daylight savings laws, but you
will find that of This 1nDiSl9-
ton has been assented to by COM
monwealths in which the Farmers
union exerts a decided influence.
Presidential QUESTIONABLE
A distinct contribution has been
made this year in placing the de-
mands of the farmers organizations
before the country. The board first
to the various presidential aspirants.
The replies were widely published and
elected much favorable attention.
The board followed this action by
sending a delegation to both the
Democratic and Republican national
presented various planks for the con-
sideration of the platform commit
tees. This action constituted a mile
stone in the history of farm organi-
cations and placed the needs Of agri-
culture as never before squarely in
line also with these helpful activities,
the board at it's semi-annual confer
ence at Columbus, Ohio, in Septem-
Der called on Governor Cox and sent
a delegation to the home of Sena-
tor Harding to lay before the presi-
Dental nominees the request of the
farm organizations for consideration
of their agricultural problems. All
of these undertakings were conducted
in a frank and aboVe-board manner
with no attempt to show Partially or
play partisan politics. 1t is the feel
ing of member organizations that the
time is past for secret and cOnfiden"
tial understandings with political
parties and candidates. Organized
business men yet enter behind closed
doors in an attempt to secure prom
Uses. and special consideration. The
great farm organizations belonging
to the national board of farm Organi-
cations believe in frank and open
methods. They are asking for only
such consideration as is accorded
other great industries. They want
no special privileges. but do insist
that they be placed on an equal foot
ing with all the rest.
Some Recommendations
Continuation of cost of production
Investigations is of the greatest inn
portance. Under the former Secre-
tary of agriculture little progress
was made in this direction. The
Farmers union and it's associated
farm organizations insisted, however,
on continuing the studies and making
them ayailable-which was not done
under Secretary Houston. Our mem
bership should insist on sufficient APP
propria lions, both state and national,
to make possible the determining of
all factors which enter into the cost
of production of the great staple~a g-
ricultural products. The farmer to-
day is the only manufacturer in this
| country who is implOring the govern
ment to figure out and make public
the cost of production of his prod
ucts. l wonder what other great
| lines Of business are wiling to have
The government figure out their costs
| of production and give the free, full
| and uncensored facts" to the entire
| public.
Consumers should be encouraged in
| their desire for similar data as to the
cost of producing manufactured prod
uctS as well as the costs of diStri-
| button.
Collective buying and selling ar
| rangements should be improved and
| furthered in every possible way The
most practical field of farm endeav-
| orS. Uniformity of methods in Or
| sanitation. bookkeeping, auditing
etc. should be carried out. The buy
| ing and selling of agricultural re-
| quirements and farm products chould
| be concentrated and to this end our
various state directOrates and bust
ness departments should meet from
| time to time.
Tue purpose and spirit of co-opera-
| ton should be emphasized in all
| dealings with the general public. No
| occasion should be neglected to show
| that AGRICULTURAL cooperation is the
| only way to bring stability and pros
| perity to agriculture and with it
prosperous and permanent civiliza-
| ton for this nation.
Data on discrimination against our
co-operattves should be systematicals
| ly gathered together and utilized
| Certain great trade associations have
! been carrying on boycOttings and
| practicing unfair determinations
| against cooperative grain elevators
| Creameries, and stores. Through the
| national baa6uOarterS evidence of