Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-01
Farmers and Government
RuslaUags
From the New York Times.

The presidents decision to return the rail
roads to their owners on March will be gen:
orally approved, not only by those interested III
the railroads but by the entire business COM
rnunity. The president has shown himself more
acquainted with the needs of the time than Mr.
farmers.
Delegates representing the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, the four railroad brother
hoods, and certain farm organizations, appar-
emily, in the main. emanations of the Nonpar-
tisan league or skeleton societies of political
farmers, gave Secretary Tumulty on December
l9 communication asking President Wilson
that the railroads be not returned by the gov
eminent for at least two years. "As you will
doubtless know" Mr.. Wilson was told, IAN
overwhelming majority. Of the farmers, of the
American Federation of Labor, and of the rail-
road brotherhoods, as we'll as the general pub
lie, favors extension of the period of gov
eminent operation of the railroads for at least
two years" and so on Mr. Wilson doubtless
knew, as most Of the rest of US know, that the
tor longer government control of the railways
any more than it pines for the Plumb plan.
Doubtless. too, he knew that the overwhelming
majority of the farmers were opposed to the
naturalization OF the railways Just as they
are opposed. and have shown in case after case
and organization after. organization that they
are opposed. to accepting the invitation of the
great labor unions to make common cause with
them.
1t will be remembered that the National
Grange enthusiastically refused to form an al
lance with organized labor It demanded the
return Of the railroads to their owners Mr..
T. {. Atkeson, its Washington representative,
wrote Mr.. Wilson the other day denying that
"organized farmers" want government control
OF the railroads continued Persons busily
spreading that report were not Representatives
OF the farmers" Substantial country people"
wanted the railways returned to their owners at
the earliest practicable moment" That was the
attitude of the grange, of the agricultural press,
with few exceptions The leaders of most of
the great farmers groups were united in urg-
York State Federation of County Farm Bureau
associations called on Mr. Gompers to make
clear to the public that he had MO authority to
speak in behalf of that federation: and it
adopted resolution urging the prompt return
OF the railroads to their owners under such
the value Of the properties and reasonable rates
for transportation through the country
The great majority of agricultural papers
supported this view. and declared the opposi-
ton Of most Of the farmers to the radical labor
program, which they were falsely represented
as favoring Thus, the Pennsylvania Farmer
said: there is reason 10 believe that the real
motive back Of some Of the big strikes in this
country is the idea Of forcing political actions
that will result in government ownership Of
tne essential industries. Few people, except
theorists" believe in government ownership
This. is especially true Of farmers in spite Of
the declaration of few radical, would-be lead
ers to the contrary" The American Agricul-
turist speaks of "the so-called Farmers Ma
tional Council" whose voice is for government
ownership of the railroads, as mainly the
mouthpiece of one man and not representative
OF "the real farmers of the country" The at
tempt to unite the farmers with the Federation
of Labor and the railroad brothcrhoods, etc,
was an absolute failure. THE National Grange,
the Federal Board Of Farm Organizations, the
Farmers National Congress- the State Com
miss;oners Of Agriculture also State Federated
Farms. are dead set agains this scheme to en-
mesh farmers in the web of radcalisn.
The farmer is All American first last, and all
time
For all their boasting, the radical labor lead
ers know very well that the farmer is an Amer
icau. and cannot be made convert to exotic,
radical and revolutionary nolicies