Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-01-31
THE NEW PARTY.


NEW political party has been launched in Salem, the
IA Land and Labor League by radical leaders OF organ
lied labor and the state grange for the purpose OF unit
ing workmen and farmers to secure fundamental changes
in government.
Nearly all of the proposed legislation endorsed by the
Leagues platform has in the past decade been submitted
to the people of Oregon by initiative fahered
by the organizers of the league individually or by groups
and rejected Some of the League demands have been
rejected repeatedly and it is difficult to understand now
the League expects to accomplish program already re-
jected
There is merit in some of the leagues demands, no.
caby that for proportional representation, which IS
safety valve against radical discomfort but the removal
of unjust taxes from productive industry" is the single
tax camouflaged for if industry is untaxed, land must
be to make up the defcitand the people have repeated
ly spumed the singe-tax idea in any form.
The people have refused to abolish the senate refus
ed to establish department of industry and public works.
have rejected measures to socze public utilities and es-
ablsh state marketing system The demand for voting
by mail places premium lazyness. Changed condl-
tons may have wrought change in sentimentthat re-
mains to be seen.
The keynote Of the platform is the extension of the
direct primary to the initiative referendum and recall
This would enable any person to submit an initiative bill
at primary when majority vote would place it on the
ticket at the general election 1t would make popular
legislation easy by eliminating the expense of securing
thousands OF SIGNATURES now necessary Every one can
father legislation under the Leagues planwhen every
man will be his own legislator.
However, the platform is admittedly compromise
designed to effect merger of labor and farm interests
and when union of these elements is completed and far
and workmen htched together the team is expected
by the organizers to pull state socialism to victory
Organized labor and the farmer have so few interests
in and so many conflicting that any attempts to
unite them politically doomed to faureat least
in Oregon. AS we'll talk of politically uniting the employ
er and employe.
Labor is interested chiefly in higher wages and
shorter hours both Of which nure the farmer for they
impede production and curta profit They lure his help
to the city and force reduced output from his land The
farmer is the chief victim of the short day and excessive
wage Nor has the farmer the un-American "cass con-
sciousness' of the radical labor agatora relic of old
world serdom On the contrary he has the conservatism
Of the property holder and the viewpoint of the employ
er
This week representatives of the National Grange
and affiliated farmer organizations, representing four
million farmers gathered in convention at Washington
and demanded the speedy return Of railroads to private
ownership and protested against naturalization of indus
try in any FORM Representatives Of organized labor at
the time demanded extension of federal control
of railroads and the passage of the Plumb BILL showing
fundamental difference in views that will make political
alliance of labor and farmers impossible.