The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-01-07
OUR FARM WORK
AT WASHINGTON
Congressman Are by Nature Suspi-
cious, but They Are Getting Friendly
to the Farm Bureau.
BY Gray Silver,

By Gray Silver,
Washington is city where politics
and lobbying are not mere side line
diversions to be INDUCED in for six
to ten weeks each year while a legls-
lative body is in session. In WASH
ington these things become serious
business-a lifetime job.
! could name you dozen cases OFF
hand where some particular lobby for
some special bill or amendment has
been going ON actively week after
week and month after month for the
past five, ten, fifteen or even twenty
years.
1t is not difficult then, to under
stand why congressman, either
newly elected or of long standing
comes to regard with frank suspicion
all approaches from new sources or
on new subjects. He soon becomes
hardened to threats, pleadings, de-
mands and attempts at bally-ragging.
He buys himself rubber stamp and
instructs his secretary to get out
some from letters which read about
as follows: Dear Sir:
Your letter of recent date is at
hand and desire to assure you that
the matter you mention will have
my attention at the earliest possible
moment.
I am very much interested in the
measure you advocate but owing to
the pressure of other duties have not
had an opportunity as yet to make
the thorough study Of the matter
would like before taking definite
position on same. can assure you,
however, that when the matter comes
up in congress it will have my earnest
attention.
Yours very truly,
y JOHN G. CONGRESSMAN.
II the pressure becomes too strong
the congressman may step down the
corridor and ask the party caucus
leader what it is all about and where
the party stands on the proposition,
but not until it is brougt to his atten-
ton in some forceful, effective way.
This must not be considered an in
dictment against the congressman,
however. With the great mass OF bilis
that are introduced and the tremen-
dous volume of matter requiring con-
ferences and discussion, to say moth
ing of the time required in keeping
political fences in repair and person
al connection intact, it is physically
impossible for a congressman TO
fanniliarize himself with the fine
points of more than a relatively few
bills and 1t is his custom to wait uil-
til developing pressure singles out the
bills to which he must give attention.
With the knowledge OF all these
conditions at hand we approach the
question as to how--along what
specific tactical lines, should the
work of the Washington Represen-
tative of The American Farm Bureau
Federation which has won the right
to speak officially for organized ag-
ficulture. be conducted?
NV conception of the answer to
this question and the methods we
have devised to carry it out will ap-
pear as ! proceed.
eve have nothing to sell con.
press," is the expression / have used
time and again when some lobby
ridden congressman, after cautiously
fencing in a defensive sort OF way
and with suspicion written all over
bic face has finally come out in the
open and said, "Well, what is the
FARMER irving to nut over, anyhow"
Personally. feel that in view Of
the fact that l have always lived
upon and operated q livestock, fruit
md GENERAL erop farm in the lower
Shensndoab valley of West Virginia,
and in addition own and operate a
g,.a;n Farm in Illinois. as well as hav-
;nc crown rice in Arkansas, / have
S.;s start toward understanding
az has;c needs IF agriculture. Being
: FARMER myself can Judge fairly
acc,,rateIv rs n the real problems
which nn,st be tackled and solved by
tba fay,nar
R,t the A r. r. r. must be abso-
luteiv certain that It reflects the real
wnrts ~ ;ts members. So conferences
sra held in tbe various states and
sect;ons coY,.esnondence carried on,
and when questions of unusual in
a:s- III. :,ss,.,,,.+a,,.o ox. ~, 20, da.