The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1921-01-14

From comparative obscurty as an
Iowa farmer. Howard has been carried
forward in his position as Fam Ru-
reau eNecutivc'to the place where he
has become national figure. For OK
ample. he addressed the United States
Chamber of Commerce at its summer
meeting. thus organized business Of
America listened to the organized
farmers.
Howard Silver and other officers of
the federation have been quoted in the
greatest daily newspapers in the land.
Influential magazines have come TO
them for facts or for opinions. Both
national political parties have sought
their disintercstcd advice. These men
have done much in one years time 10
elevate agriculture. as u whole to q
higher plane, TO help II tame its due
place u. our greatest national industry.
This is the biggest smile achievement
of the American Farm Bureau Fedora.
ton. There are. however. other and
more immediate results that bear tell.
ing.
The American Fam BurcaJ Fedora
ton has represented the American
farmer in national affair, in way
that he has ncycr been repre- cnted
before. Speaking ~ u single voice for
it, more than million members. Il
has, through its Washington office,
compelled attention Ia the problems of
the farmcr--thc big. fundamental
problems that concern agriculture and
the nation as a waite.
Breaking q Freight Deadlock
For instance, when the bureau learn
cd that big steel boat; on the Great
Lakes were making trips without full
loads Of freight, their cargos mainly
boxes and packages that could be-
handled c.sily. the United States
Shi ~ Board was asked why these
vessels were not hauling wheat. There
was a great freight congestion ard
ti'-up. Cars were short everywhere,
and here was something that might
relieve the shortage and help the
farmers of the Middle West who want.
cd their wheat and hogs hauled Ia
marcht.
The boat had ne bulkhcads fol
handling grain, and Il would take
$1,000 n boat % hrild them In, said tho
board. Thr,1 day. If argument were
nCc,ss ,ry before the board agreed "a
ciuip two ships for handling gain,
/ The cost proved ~ he but $4,000 each
The thing worked. Later ,Ll thirty
six steel ships on Tie lakes under con.
trol Of the board were equipped at n
cost of only $500 apiece. One Of
these ships il able to bring down the
equivalent Of two tranloads of wheat
NJ n trim, 70 many ears were released
Ia handle other freight.
Shortly gf.cr this Mr. Silver sat in
the lobby of II hotel in Washington
telling the story 10 "a friend 4 man
ovcihraring him, spoke up:
"Why don't you do something abonl
the wooden boats"
"Why,' said Silver, 81 did no, know
we had any"
"Why, ycs," an, wcrod the man
Ever -'nCr 1916 fleet Of wooden
vessels has boon tied up in the docks
~ Detroit out Of commission because
under a rate granted Tho railroads and
made possible by the workings of the
LaFollcttc Seaman Bill, the railroads
have been permitted to haul grain from
Chicago 10 Buffalo for 3.S cents and
10 charge ten cents from Buffalo "a
New York City. This has driven all
wheat shipments from the lakes to the
RAILROADS. For -four years, over the
war period, with So much depending
upJn transportation, these boats have
RENAME idle because nd one has seen
/ TT to do anything"
Amazed, Silver went 10 the Shipping
Board and found that this was true
Boats sufficient TO carry l23,0O0,o0C
bu helS Il wheat nj one trip had been
idle for four years. The railroads said
/ they were short 100000 cars. The
Farm Bureau had found thrcc-quartcrs
of them. The Illinois Agricultural
Association found most of the Other
$4,000; but that is another story.
With q governor from a Middl,
I Western state who had heard Of the
situation and wanted to help, the Farm
Bureau men went to see certain in
flucntial railway officials in Washing
ton to demand that something he don,
to change the rates, put these bOats'tC
work hauling wheat and release rail
way cars to haul other fam product
from the Middle West. The railroad
ers smiled ut the visitors. They sal,
IL was impossible to 40 anything.
0 snow look here" Mr.. Silver quote,
himself, "do you railway men know