The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-19
CRAWFORD Defends
FARMERS IN SPEECH
BEFORE Federation
BY WILLIAM r. SANBoRN.

| The largest and most interesting
meeting ever held by Wayne township
tederationists, and so conceded, took
place at the courthouse Monday even
ing. 1t was a gathering of thoughtful
men and women who are hopeful of
sometime final and satisfactory solu-
| ton of, the various problems so long
confronting the farmer.
The farmers problems are those of
the nation. They relate to the bread,
meat and clothing OF all the people.
furnished in sufficient quantity and
| reasonably priced. This price must in
clude a fair profit for the producer,
over and above his daily bread. The
farmer has large investment, works
long hours, and all too frequently has
been unable 10 supply his family with
| anything but the barest essentials.
This explains the eternal drift to the
cities of the best and most ambitious
young people, both men and women.
AS was asked by Mr.. Crawford at the
/, meeting Monday night: IF we cannot
keep our young people on the farm,
low can We expect that those from the
cities will come and 90 our work. Who
will run these farms when the old
folks quit, if we cannot keep our chill
dren with us and in love with their
farm homes?"
An Interesting Discourse.
The meeting was in charge of r. r
Morrow, township president. Theodore
Davis and ]. L. Dolan, county agent,
gave five minute talks as to the pur-
pose of the gathering, the membership
drive which is on today, after which
Earl Crawford, of Milton, the speaker
of the evening. was introduced. Mr..
Crawford's talk was most Logical,
Gispassionate and liberal discourse,
along the broadcast lines. 1t related
not only to the prosperity or the
| farmer but to the good of the entlfe
people 1t was in the broadest sense
a patriotic utterance. The speaker de-
| Tended the right of the farmers TO or
ganize and asserted their willingness
to abide by all the laws or the
country.
In Reply to Mr.. Goodrich.
This statement was in reply to a re-
cent address by P. E. Goodrich, pres
idont of the National Grain Dealers
association. at Minneapolis, and which
has received wide publicity. Mr.. Coco
rich asserted that the farmers are
being misled by scheming politicians
This the speaker denied, and asked
that Mr.. Goodrich should name a SIN
gle politician who is prominently
identified with this organization. | De
lieve that our farmers can be giver
credit for having the same high ideals
of patriotism and loyalty. as have the
grain dealers And moreover, 1t is
/ Just as necessary that the farmers
have an organization, through which
they may present their case at the
bar Of public opinion
Organization Purposes.
The speaker insisted that, as it wa:
admitted that the grain dealers asso
citation had been and was of public
benefit in the economical handling Of
grain, Just so it was possible for mucf
good to be derived from the effort:
of the farm federation: eff this coun
try is to continue to prosper, agricul
. ture must keep pace with industry. Il
is not doing this now. No one car
deny this. The census report and the
income tax reports prove beyond {
doubt that our farmers are moving tc
the towns also that they make very
little money compared with industrial
and mercantile ventures and thus pal
less income tax because they do no
have the incomes on which to pay.
agriculture must be put on bet
tor business basis, if the food suppl!
of the nation is to be assured. Thi;
is the paramount problem that we are
called upon to solve and this is the
aim of the farm federation and of al
kindred bodies"
The speaker emphasized the neeC