Cleveland County herald., 1920-04-01
RETURN OF .RQADs PLEASES FARMERS
Urge Policy to Insure Best Serv- ice at Lowest Cost Consist
 ent With Fair Ret.~.is.
OPPOSE NkTlONALlZATlOH.
Representative Agricultural organiza. ticns and Rural Press Stat9 Farm ers' Altitude Toward Railroads
 Want Private Operation.

Private ownership of the railroads under policy of government regula- ton which will insure the best possible service at the lowest cost consistent with fair returns on money invested in them is favored by representative farmer organizations throughout the country. This policy also Is supported generally by agricultural newspapers, which state emphaticnlly that the farmers are opposed not only to gov ernment ownership of railroads, but also to all nationalizaticn plans. In letter to the members of the United States Senate T. c. Atkeson, Washington representative of the Ma | tional Grange, which is said to be the world, representing more than 1,00o, 600 farm owners In the United States states that the agricultural interests of the country approve of private owner ship of the railroads and further de- clares that persons purportins to speak for the farmers In support of govern meAt ownership are neither farmers nor representatives of any considera- ble number of farmers
 Favor Private Operation.
 '"The Grange" says Mfr. Atkeson, quoting the official action of his or ganization. approves of the general principles of railroad legislation now pending in Congress to return the rail- roads to their owners, 10 bring about the reorganization of the railroad com panies into strong systems with capi- talization based on actual value, and to create a control commission which may enforce the superior interest of the public 10 that of any other interest in the operation of railroads as con- mon carriers and effectively protect the public against exploitation or in. justice"
 Many state and sectional asricul- tural organizations take similar stand Immediately after the National
 
 the railroad question the American Farm Bureau, meeting in Chicago, vot- ed for private operation, and the Ma ti0nal Farmers Congress, in session at Hagerstown, Md, voiced like senti- ments. The New York State Fedora ton of County Farm Bureau Organi- cations and the Indiana Federation of Farmers went beyond that and jpined the Grange in repudiating the alleged farmer representatives in Washington, who said they spoke for an "over- wheiming majority of the farmers"
 Urge Reasonable Returns.
 The railroad policy favored by the New York State Federation of County Farm Bureau Organizations was stat ed In the following resolution:
 Whereas, There have been conflict Ing statements published regarding the attitude of farmers upon the question of the future ownership of railways; therefore be it
 Resolved, That the New York State Federation of County Farm Bureau As sociations, representing 10000 mem bers, In annual session at Syracuse, N. Y, December 19, 1919, hereby indorses the action of the American FGen Blu reau Federation in urging Congress to promptly return the railways to their owners under such conditions as will Insure reasonable returns on the value of the property and reasc'.iale rates of transportation throusaeu the coun- try"
 Views sf Farmer Papera-
 The American Agriculturist states editorially that the farmers are "dead set against" the "scheme to enmesh the farmers in the web of radicalism." The Pennsylvania Farmer discussing the general demand for pfits,e opera ton of the railroads. says: lA espe- ciaily true of farmers. in spite of the declaration of few would be leaders to the contrary" The Stocknsn- Farmer adds:
 Farmers almost unanimously ap- prove the retr~n Dr ~. ->tlrnads and the express coiGHap Hs .o their owners. The reason Is tha farmers, as well as other business men. want service of these instituticrs. and thny cannot get such service under pu',.'r nnera Son as they can gf Under :, e~at8n of corporations. .7hich hay tlir T Saan-