Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-08
FARM CONGRESS-
HEARS TALKS ON
RAIL PROBLEMS
Last Sessions Will Be Held
At Hotel Castle Today
Marketing to Be
Discussed.

Close scrutiny Of freight bills and
rpited efforts toward Improvement
Of transportation facilities were
urged by ]. w. Shorthill. secretary
Of the Nebraska Farmers Cooper
alive Grain and Live Stock associa-
ton of Omaha, speaking yesterday
afternoon before the Nebraska
Farmers congress at the Hotel
Castle.
Freight bills of an average farm
ers' elevator company exceed in
year sum 10 times the aggregate of
all other expenses" said Mr.. Short
hill. Although you farmers should
not pursue program which would
prevent the railroad from becoming
prosperous enough TO give adequate
service, vet. as the greatest body of
freight shippers in the country. you
should closely scrutinize your bills.
Important to Farmer.
II have never been able to con-
vince myself whether agricultural
resources or transportation facilities
are more essential to the progress
and prosperity of Nebraska. Both are
immensely important. but the latter
is not given enough attention.
There is no shipper anywhere in
the country. who has as much inter-
.st in transportation facilities as the
farmer. who does not hire an agent
70 look after his transportation
problems. The farmers organizations
of the country should be progressive
enough. and liberal enough, to co.
operate in placing some one on this
JOB in large way"
Responsibility for the present
transportation systems is too much
divided at present, according to Mr..
Shorthill He also condemned the
Capitalization of their control at
Washington. Local problems should
be under the control and super
vision of local authirityy" he said.
Predicts Big Improvement.
Mr.. Shorthill predicted a decided
Improvement in service with the
restoration of the power Of the rail-
road commissions, following the
turning over of the roads on March
] from the government to the FORMER
owners.
Last evening the farmers attend
ed a general discussion of the Ken
drick-kenyon Bills" with Charles
Graft of Bancroft, Neb., as leader.
c. w. Puglsey of Lincoln, Neb., and
c. T. Leftwich of St. Paul, Neb.,
who were to have delivered ad-
dresses upon the subject, were un-
able to be present.
Varied opinions relative to the
contemplated control of>the packing
industries by federal legislation
we're expressed by the farmers.
Meeting Ends Today.
c. H. Gustafson, president Of the
Nebraska Farmers Union, will
speak upon "Co-Operative Market
ing this morning. Concluding ses-
sions of the congress will be held
today.
Advantages and practicability of
state agricultural agent from the
Omaha Chamber of Commerce were
discussed by Thomas F. Sturgess,
former editor of the Twentieth Cen
fury Farmer, before the Nebraska
Farmers congress at the Hotel Cas-
tie yesterday morning.
Mr.. Sturgess told the farmers that
the plan had often been proposed by
members of the Chamber of Com
merce as the most feasible way of
establishing closer relationship be-
tween that organization and the
farmers of the state.
Cooperate On Issues.
Such an agent, he said, would at
tend meetings and community gath
erings to keep in touch with the con-
sensus of opinion among the farm.
ers, particularly in regard to pro-
posed legislation, and thus assure
adequate cooperation upon mutu-
ally important issues.
The majority of Omaha's indus
tries are dependent upon the farm
ers of the surrounding agricultural
territory, Mr.. Sturgess said. Most
of the largest local industries have
been established to provide market
ing facilities for farm products, he
pointed out.
Gov. S. R. McKeivie addressed
the congress yesterday upon the
subject of "Americanism" He urged
cooperation and closer relationship
between farmers and communities
as part of general program of
common effort to remedy existing
economic evils.
The congress voted unanimously
to go on record in testimony of the
100 per cent Americanism of Presi-
dent O. G. Smith of Kearney, Neb.,
whose patriotism was attacked by