Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1921-04-29
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF A FAR
MERS MIND
(By Lewis Paullin)


Iy in his attempt to get lower freight
rates. It compares his demands as
on q parity with the miners strike
In England, and then mentions the
names OF Mr.. Plumb. Mr.. COxey, Mr..
Lenin and Mr.. Trotsky.
The Dallas News editor is general
ly correct in his reasoning but in this
case he certainly has not studied his
subject and his comparisons are sill
ly, II not insulting to every right
thinking farmer.
Mr.. Davis told the Interstate Com
merce Commission in his plea for
freight reduction, that II the increas-
ed volume of business under reduc-
tion in freight rates. did not pay the
railroads a fair return on their in
vestments. that the farmers would
rather pay 1t in increased taxes.
The Dallas News thinks this is all
wrong; as a farmer we think 1t is
alright. and we are not followers Of
Mr.. Lenin or Mr.. Plumb.
His reference to Mr.. CoXey Is
amusing. as we remember this bit
of history. Mr.. Coxey headed a Pc
tition on legs to Congress. petition
ing that body to employ labor, in the
time when the country was exper-
fencing the worst business depress-
ion It had ever had, in building
Federal roads throughout the Nation.
This principle was as old as Cae-
sar when he builded those roads in
France that are still there, but 1t
was ridiculed to death. by every pa
per in this country. II few million
dollars had been spent by the Govern.
ment at that or any other time OF
industrial depression. in public road
building, II would relieve any busi-
ness depression started by Wall
Street or the Federal Reserve Bank
directors. The Y. s. Government is
now aiding in building public roads
and we presume Dallas County is
enjoying Its part of this money. Mr..
Coxey was right, as we see 1t, and
the Dallas News wrong. This Goun-
try. fearing a panic after the Armis-
tice. started propaganda to build
your own home" that worked like
a charm: II was based on the Coxey
principle of spending money to re-
lieve q business depression.
But to get back to freight rates
They are entirely too high and must
be lowered, ar this country will be
forced to 60 out Of business.
The farmers of Oklahoma cannot
afford to raise corn and give IL to
the railroads. to carry il to market;
neither can Texas afford to give its
cabbage to rail roads. to get them
out Of the country. .
The farmers cannot continue to
produce crops that are taken over
by the railroads for freight charges
And yet there are more idle freight
caSs now than there ever has been.
Why? Because the business world
cannot afford to ship it's merchandise
from one market to another. 1t is
constructing the breath Of life out
Of the farmer, and through him the
life Of every other business that
depends on his efforts.
The railroads are in hard shape,
but they cannot be in worse shape
than the farmers. If the roads are
paying their labor ninety per cent
OF every dollar that they receive for
freight rates. as they claim. then
the price Of labor must be reduced.
II this Government is so weak that 1t
cannot go against the four Brother
hoods in helping to reduce ex-
cessive labor charges that were foist-
ed on the railroads by the Govern
ment then II deserves to pay the dif-
ference between reasonable freight
charge, and the highway robbery
that is practiced on the country by
the roads now. Freight rates must
be reduced to save the farmer and
the business man. am farmer
and l am here to say that he is the
most helpless orphan that ever lived;
when he asks for bread he is hand
ed stone. When he wants some
protecting law, its unconstitutional,
or a high or low tariff is advised by
To show the Dallas News editor
the psychology OF one farmers mind
would like to ask him to view me
the farmers prospects for this year.
After taking all the chances of green
bugs. hail, dry and wet weather,
winds and rust he may get 80 cents
a bushel for his oats; or seventy
five cents for his wheat. Which at
ter paying all expenses and not
charging anything for his labor will
not lose him more than ten cents a
bushel on oats and twenty-five cents
on wheat. This is true OF corn. cot
ton, hogs. beef. chickens, eggs, or
butter. There is not single product
OF the farm under present conditions,
that he can hope to market at q
profit over the cost Of production.