The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-01-07
THE PENNINGTON TIMES HARRINGTON. MISSOURI


on the floors of both House and Sem
ate, with perhaps several backsets in
the form of amendments or compro-
misses. Frequently these amend
ments mean further conferences be-
tween committees of the two houses.
But sooner or later the bill either
becomes a law, is killed outright, or
is allowed to pass in an amended
form, which is all too frequently only
a sort of living death and renders
the law entirely useless.
Since total of something like 15,-
900 bills are usually introduced dur
ing the life of a congress and less
than 300 at most, generally pass, it
is evident that the chances of any
individual bill getting through with
out special support and help are re-
mote. In fact, Congress takes pretty
much the attitude that it is not
much interested in any proposition
which is not sufficiently agitated to
DC brought forcibly to its attention.
1t proceeds upon the theory that the
cry of any "crying" need will be
heard-and, vice versa, if it is not.
It seems to us down at Washing
ton, though, that the best time to
get this information regarding the
farmers needs to the congressman,
is before he comes down to Washing
ton. When he is up for election is an
especially good time. He is very res
ponsive then. But at all times when
he is in the home district the needs
Of his constituents, intelligently pre-
scented, make much more of an inn
lpression.
In order to facilitate this informa-
ton service, the A. F. B. F., through
the State declarations, is developing
a system of standing committees in
each state.
A number of state farm bureaus
have already done some excellent
work along this line. In five states
the senators and representatives
have been definitely committed on
all important pending legislation of
agricultural interest. Farm bureau
committees have taken the matter up
personally with each man and secur-
ed his promises. Political complexion
does not enter into this activity at
all. 1t matters not whether man is
Republican or a Democrat, we
must pledge both sides and on a
strictly non-partisan basis. The con-
stitution specifically bars any men,
Der of the American Farm Bureau
Federation from entering into politi-
cal activities. Strict adherence to
that principle is absolutely, essential
to the continued success of the or
ganization that has education" for
its central feature, to see to it that
congressman and state legislators are
properly informed and instructed as
to the needs of their constituents.
We have already had interesting and
conclusive proof of the effectiveness
Of this method of educating congress
men.
We keep careful record Of each
congressman's position and vote on
each question of importance to agr1-
culture. This record includes not
merely his vote on the foor--which
may or may not be indicative, but his
known attitude as well. The Congress
sional Record doesn't show it all by
good deal. Every two years a con-
siderable portion of these men must
come before the people of their dis
tricts for reelection. We believe 1t to
be our plain duty to make the rec
ords of these men known to our mem
bers at that time.
But I'VE never have occasion to
take a congressman by the lapel of
the coat and ask him around the
corner to whisper dark secrets into
his ear We never have need for Sc
cret meetings-because we have no
secret deals to pull off. Ours is an
"open covenant openly arrived at" if
ever there was one.
Ours is not lobbying" CAM
paign. We have nothing to SELL
congress, in the sense ordinarily im-
piled at Washington. But we do have
big educational campaign to put
forth and the object arrived at is big
enough to list the best energies of
the agricultural leaders in every state.
By proper organization and co-or-
dination of efforts we can carry on
such campaign of ideas and in for
nation as to win congress to the sup
port of those principles essential to
the permanent and highest develop
ment of the Nation.
We have way nowadays, of
measuring everything in money and
while the work of the Washington
office does not lend itself well to
that method Of interpreting results
still there are a few results which
can be so translated.
For instance it might be figured
that the reduction in the Railway
Rate Case whereby the people pay
six per cent interest on one and three
quarters billion less capitalization
than the railroads claimed. saves the
people Of this country $350,O00 per
day. The American Farm Bureau
Federation and associated agricul-
tural shippers groups made the only
constructive statistical representa-
ton on which such a reduction could
be based and can justly claim the
principal credit for the reduction.
When the railways were negotiat-
ing with New York bankers to bor-
row money at nine per cent +the per-
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