The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1920-04-01
RETURN or ROADS
PLEASES farmers
Urge Policy to Insure Best Serv-
ice at Lowest Cost Consist
emf With Fair Returns.
OPPOSE NATURALIZATION.
Representative Agricultural Organiza-
tons and Rural Press State Farm
ers' Attitude 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,
generally by agricultural newspapers,
which state emphatically that the
farmers are opposed not only to gov
eminent ownership of railroads, but
also to all naturalization plans.
In letter TO the members of the
United States Senate L. G. Atkeson,
Washington representative Of the Ma
tional Grange, which is said to be the
largest organization of its kind in the
world, representing more than 1,000,-
900 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 purporting to speak
for the farmers in support of govern
ment ownership are neither farmers
nor representatives of any considera-
BILE number of farmers.
Favor Private Operation.
'SThe Grange" says Mr.. 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, to bring about
the reorganization of the railroad com
panies into strong systems with capt.
talization based on actual value, and
may enforce the superior interest of
the public to that of any other interest
in the operation of railroads as COM
mon carriers and effectively protect
the public against exploitation or in
justice"
Many state and sectional agricul-
tural organizations take similar
stand. Immediately after the National
Grange expressed its attitude toward
the railroad question the American
Farm Bureau, meeting in Chicago, vot-
ed for private operation, and the Ma
tional 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 Joined
the Grange in repudiating the alleged
farmer representatives in Washington,
who said they spoke for an "over-
whelming 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 thu
attitude OF farmers upon the question
OF the future ownership of railways
therefore be II
Resolved, That the New York Stat,
Federation of County Farm Bureau As
sociations representing 10000 mem
oers. in annual session at Syracuse. n
Y, December 10, 1919, hereby indorse
the action of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation in urging Congress +
promptly return the railways 10 thei
owners under such conditions as vii
insure reasonable returns on the valu
OF the property and reasonable rates q
transportation throughout the cour
try"
Views Of Earrer panA..
The American Agriculturist state
eoitorlally that the farmers are "den
set against" the scheme to enmesh III
farmers In the web of radicalism
The PENNSYLVANIA Farmer. discusslr
the general demand for private oper
ton OF the railroads. says: 1T Is esn
cialiy true of farmers, In spite of I,
declaration of few would be leade
70 the contrary" The Stockma
Farmer adds:
FARMERS almost unanimously q
prove the return OF the railroads a.
the express companies to their owna
Inc reason Is that farmers as well
other business men, want service
tnese institutions, and they cannot ,
susn service under public operation
tney can get under the operation
corporations, which have direc, An,
eiai interest in performing it"