Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-17
Farmer.Labor

ZIG "uCH-ueIdiocO tuiIQ party mas
at last acquired a name and a set of
nominee. The Single Takers have
done the same and the 4sers
may follow suit. The third
party calls itself the Farm
er-Labor" party, but ~~whether this
implies that farmers are not laborers
or whether the farmer" part has
just been tackled on to give substance
and tone to the title has not been ex-
planned. There Is not much about
the nominees or the platform that re-
veals the influence Of the farmer ele-
ment or that promises much to the
agricultural portion Of the popula-
ton.
Farley p. Christensen. nominee for
President, was born on a farm but is
now lawyer in Salt Lake City. He
has been successfully Republican, a
Bull Mooser, Democrat and a 4ser.
The nominee for vice president is
Max S. Hayes, a labor leader Of
Cleveland. Ohio.
The platform as finally adopted by
the amalgamated organization is a
rather lengthy document which con-
tains an arraignment of the present
United States government, the two
leading parties and the presence Of
financial power in the country. The
platform writer's are especially bitter
in tracing all the ills they mention
to the manipulations Of the money
masters"
The constructive part of the plat
form consists Of nine planks, only
one OF which has anything to say
about agriculture. One deals with
desired legislative changes and pow
ers Of the courts; one calls for recog-
milton Of the Irish republic and the
government of Russia, for the with
drawal Of the United States from ali
control over the Philippines, Hawai,
Cuba and similar places and COM
rlits the party to league of free
peoples" There is one plank deal
ing with taxation and finance, one
relating to the cost Of living and one
to justice to soldiers
The other three planks bear I'M
mistakably and emphatically the
stamp Of the laborites. One of these
asserts the right Of labor to an in
creasing share in the responsibilities
and management OF industry" one
demands immediate repeal Of the
Esch- Cummins law and government
ownership and operation. with
democratic control" of all public
utilities and natural resources, while
the last plank in the platform is des-
isnated as Labor Bill of Rights"
This contains IL clauses besides a
preamble which sets forth the man.
ner in which labor claims to havv
been constantly ignored by both the
Republican and Democratic parties in
Congress. -
Just how the farmers will benefit
perceptibly in case this program is
put Into effect is not made clear. The
platoon is an out-and- out labor
declaration and rather radical labor
at that.
This was to be expected, as tho old
Labor party was the only group in
the convention which had conference
and a plan at the beginning. Know
Ing what 1t wanted to do, it was able
to override the unorganized elements
and dominate the convention.
Tho movement has lost heavily
through the detection Of the Single
Takers and the 4sers, and may have
hard work to really amalgamate 9TH
er Of its rather incongruous elements
The formation Of third parties and
fourth parties and even fifth parties
is likely to occur every fourth sum-
mer but only a very few of them
survive the chills Of the autumn cleo
fions. The present new venture Is
not giving the old line parties much
to worry about as yet.
Maine Is reaping her share Of the