Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-04-14
COMING TO LIFE.
THE POLITICAL AWAKENING OF
FARMERS AND LABORERS
A Movement to Elect Men Friendly
to Working Glasses and Farmers
is Spreading Rapidly All
Over the Country

Oklahoma led off. A meeting was
called at Shawnee, Oklahoma, Feb. %.
The Farmer Labor Reconstruction
League was organized. A complete
state and congressional ticket was
nominated. The organization is being
extended into all counties for the no
mination of legislative and other can
didates. The conference was attended
by 752 delegates. They were distri-
buted as follows: 81 from the rail
road brotherhoods, 221 from farmers
unions, 140 from community clubs,
236 from organized labor, and 104
from the Farmer Labor Union.
j. c.. Walton, the fighting mayor of
Oklahoma City, formerly a railroad
conductor and consulting engineer,
was the unanimous choice of the con-
vention for governor. There was only
one protest vote out of the 752 dele
gates present.
Conservative Iowa followed. Two
years ago Colonel Smith w. Brook
hart nearly defeated United States
Senator Cummins with the Cummins-
Esch bill as the issue. On March IL,
1876 representative workers took the
initiative in Des Moines and organ
lied the "Brookhart for Senator
Club. j. C. Lewis, president of the
State Federation of Labor, was elect
ed president of the club, and j. w.
Kuykendall of Perry, of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen, was elected secretary
surer. An executive committee of
forty of the most prominent labor men
in the state was also selected.
Apparently North Dakota is COM
ing back in fine fighting trim. From
a thoroughly reliable source we have
the following information as to the
conference of nonpartisan leaders
held in Fargo, March 20, "a and 25:
This conference quickly eliminated
all those who had caused friction
within the ranks of the Nonpartisan
League. They nominated full
ticket and decided to continue with
the farmers program.
Newberryism has figured largely
in the Michigan campaign. A con-
ference has been called for the end of
April. 1t is to be composed of the
representatives of the sixteen railroad
vi SdUlZdClOllS cllO ldIIiCI
Wyoming held it's first conference
in Cheyenne March "a. The confer
ence adopted as its name The Con-
ference for Progressive Political Ac-
tion. Sixty-three representatives
from the railroad brotherhoods,
farmer organizations, labor groups
and progressives were present.
A provisional organization was
completed, committee of 81 was pro-
vided for, made up of representatives
of railway brotherhoods, Nonpartisan
league, building trades, Farmer Labor
party, the progressives, farmer or
ganizations, and nine workers. A
convention is to be held within the
next two months.
In Indiana preliminary meetings
were held on March % and 27. The
temporary organization was perfected
and a state conference was held on
April at the Denison Hotel, Indiana
polls. County organizations are being
formed, and already eight union men
have entered the primaries for the
general assembly in the Republican
and Democratic parties. Other candi-
dates will be entered.
In Nevada, w. T. Mathews, political
agent Division 794, B. l.. E., reports
that his Division "has appointed a
Political Agent whose duties are to
undertake to carry on the program
promulgated by the Conference for
Political Action in Chicago on Feb.
21-22 last, and will endeavor to get
the movement under way in this coun-
ty at the earliest possible moment"
~
large w. J. Burke, of the Order of
Railway Conductors, is a candidate
for the United States Senate in the
coming primaries. He is being vigor-
ously supported by the railway organ
izations. AS indicative of the back
ing he is securing, w. S. Carter, pres
ident of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen and Enginemen, has sent
letter to the $4,000 members of his
organization, urging them to get in
back of Mr.. Burke's candidacy.
In Cleburne, Texas, a Nonpartisan
Political Conference has been organ
lied with 18 labor organizations. A
county campaign is to follow, as well
as state and national campaign. The
Cleburne conference started out to
secure the cooperation of the Farmer
Labor unions.
In Maryland the treatment labor
received at the last session of the as
sembly has developed determination
on the part of Baltimore labor to put
Independent candidates in the field.
Committees have been appointed to
make canvas to bring about a city
wide organization of the labor forces.
Even in Delaware a movement has
been launched. A conference is to be
started in Wilmington, early in April,
looking to independent nominations
in that state.