Grainger County news. (Rutledge, Tenn.) 1917-current, 1920-01-08

Hfo oNh pdaSeu III pace OF the
Cumnins bill but it was defeated
by a vote of 65 to II. His bill
would have kept the railroads UNI
der Government control for two
more yaers."
rs the bill a law now?" asked
Jack.
mo, Jack, the bill is now being
talked over and worked over by u
lody of men fro mboth the Senate
and ire House of Representatives.
to adjust the differences between
the Cummins bill and the railroad
bill passed by the house called
the Esch bill, named after Repre-
sentatives John j. Esch of Wis
consin. Now to answer your first
question Jack, as to why grand
father was so angry, that day.
Your grandfather is a farmer and
like the majority of tire farmers,
of the cuntry he is against the
government owning or running
the railroads. He was sayin gthat
the farmers have been quoted as
being in favor of government
ownership of the roads, which is
not true and he fears that during
tire meeting of the men | Just told
you about the important Anti
strike clause may be taken out"
"Who said the farmers were
against the Cummins bill?" asked
Jack.
"Men who make it a business
to claim to represent groups of
men in Washington, and who say
they have the interest of the far
mers at heart. They do not rep
resent the farmers. Trere is an or
ganization known aas the National
Grange claiming to have a mem
bership of more than 100000
farmers which really does repre-
sent the farmers. The men who
represent this organization in
Washington, say the farmers
won't have anything put over on
them. The week before the bill
assed the Senate, twenty-seven
men went to the White House to
protest against turning the rail-
roads to their owners foor at least
two years. The sto seior ahttweh
two years. Ire stories that were
printed in the nwspaperrs at that
time said that these men were rep
~resenting union labor and the far
mers' organizations. Prof. Alike
son says, This is fellacy,' Chat is,
a story,) and that, There was a
large number of union men there,
all right, but only two men claim
ed to represent the farmers of the
country He sa.si also that ire
great farmers organizations are
for the most part heartily in favor
of the Cummins bill, and Utterly
opposed to- the government keep
in the railroads. Before the bill
was voted on, this man sent a let
ter to Senator Cummins in which
he urged that the railroads be
turned back to their owners as
soon asa possible. This same man
says that the personsWho have
tried to make the people believe
that the organized farmers favor
government ownership are not
farmers themselves and do not
represent any considerable pro-
portion of the men and women
actually engaged in %farmeing.'
Last November this same farmers
organization at its fifty-third an
nual session at Grand Rapids,
adopted a resolution which
shows where they stand. | will
read it to you. We declare our
opposition to government owner
ship and to naturalization of bus
mess and industry unless clearly
required in the public interest.
favor the safeguarding of
property on the broad ground
that only by the full right and de-
velopment of private property can
there be p~erpetuated the full
measure of individual of initiative
and emulation upon which a de-
mocracy is based and by which its
future is assured
Another organization which
has the real interest of the farmer
at heart is the National Board of
Farm Organizations. The ecre-
tary o fthat organization, Chas.
A. Lyman, Says that the majority
of the farmers are absolutely OPP
posed OF Government ownership
and want the roads turned back
to their owners. So you can see
now, Jack, why your grandfather
was angry"
az don't blame him" said lack.