Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-04-29
NO RIGHT
Should Not Force Farm
ers To Strike He Says.

The following letter taken from
the Peoples Forum of the Saginaw
Daily News-Courier of April Is, has
been submitted TO The Record and
is certain to prove Of interest to
Gratiot county farmers:
Editor New Courier. ! desire TO
explain why | believe should grow
sugar beets in 1920 belong TO the
Cleaners and to the beet growers
association. We are advised and
urged not to raise sugar beets UNI
less the sugar manufacturers comply
with our request for an advance IN
price. We are told that if we do
grow beets we will be called slack
erS.
IAN of US are not situated alike
live on a rented farm on which |
agreed to pay high rental in the
expectation that by raising beets ]
could pay high rent, and 1t does
not seem TO me that now is the time
to argue about equal compensation
TO the extent of the stopping the
growing of sugar beets The sugar
industry has been proved beneht,
and is benefit now just as much as
in the past. 1t improves conditions
generally, helps pay mortgages,
builds better houses and better barns.
many men who were financially
down and out" have been helped by
the manufacturers who have loaned
them money to rent land, buy teams,
and get into business. They did 1t
in manner that attracts the best
that is in man, and he that might
have been a weakling is restored to
action again.
"Mr. Wallace of the sugar com
pany. openly attacks the veracity of
John c. Ketcham, president Of the
organization Of beet growers. and
while we do not say that Mr.. ketch-
am could not vindicate his state
ments. we do say that he should have
done so.
eve as farmers have acquired
some knowledge of raising beets af-
ter years of struggle and expense
Why should all this be set aside when
the outlook for one year Is not fol
a good price? Those who desire to
raise sugar beets should not be hin
dered. The liberty of the individual
should not be taken away by the as
ISOLATION That is not good Ameri-
canism.
I'VE are told that the beet grow
ers' strike is on and that 5000 beef
growers signed the agreement not tc
raise beets unless the sugar com
panies grant them a conference.
did not see any agreement of that
kind and so far as ! know there Is
no such agreement We did demand
; contract to grow bects at $1,000 =
ton with a raise to be fixed by the
average price Of beet sugar.
If the demand for a conference
were the only obstacle we believe il
could have been removed. We under
stand that the sugar companies re
fused TO grant conference Will
some committee which claimed t
represent the beet growers The com
: pany probably was not sure that thi'
committee did legally represent them
| am nat sure about that yet myself
paid my dollar when was asked to
and that is all anybody did so far as
| know.
1t is my opinion that We as an as
sociation have no right TO dictate tc
any law abiding citizen what he mus
do. When We tell beet growers they
will be called slackers if they grow
sugar beets we are wrong. II any
member finds il to his advantage t.
, raise beets he should do So and es
pecially when the association has
nothing further to offer believe
the question should be settled by
national means, and that we will fine
tie sugar companies to be fair.
a. J Mcdonald"
Morrill, Mich. April Is 1920"