The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-10-28
THAT POTASH VOTE.
Vermont Farm Bureau Federation Re-
plies to Mr.. Greene.

Greene printed In the st. Adams Mes
senger Oct. IS was sent to all the pres
in the state and given prominent pc
sition, we ask you to grant the sam
courtesy for letter in explanation o
the position which Mr.. Greene ha
taken.
| The printed speech was delivered a
the annual meeting Of the Franklin
county farm bureau. The account o
this meeting containing the speech hal
Igone to press before Mr. Greene
speech was delivered, and we want t,
add little to the account.
I'm addition to the reading Of TIL
printed speech Mr.. Greene delivered al
timpromptu speech before and after
He started with the statement tina
when he read the resolution adopted
by the Lamoille county farm bureau
censuring him, it was the first time h,
knew that the farm bureau was a pc
litieal organization. He intimated that
he would sometime explain the propa
ganda which emanated from Washing
ton in regard to agricultural legisla
tion. We are putting it very mildly
! when we state that Mr. Greene APP
peared to be offended ut the farmers
and farm bureau for criticizing his
vote. We feel that Congressman
Greene's attitude unfortunately makes
| it necessary that statement be issued
on the farm bureaus position.
First let us take up Mr.. Greene /
statement that the farm bureau is IL
politics. The American Farm Bureau
| federation has an office in Washington
which keeps in touch with all Iegisla-
ton of interest to the farmer, informs
the congressman and senators the at
titude Of the farmers back home, and
reports to the farmers back home
through the medium of the state fed
erations the attitude of the representa-
tives in Congress-. This Office has con-
fined its work entirely to policies, and
not partisan politics. II does not pro-
pose or select candidates, or oppose
candidates in election; ii simply re-
ports their records. II sincerely en-
deavors to support only such legis,u-
tion as is fair to all classes and eco
nomically sound.
Congress Greene's vote on potash
was reported to our membership. as
were also the vote OF Congressman Dale
In favor Of free potash, and of Senator
Dillineham's support on the Senate
committee which drafted the tariff bill.
Senator Dillingham; and Congressman
Dale have been publicly and privately
complimented and thanked for their
action. Our American Farm Bureau
federation office in Washington and
our state Office made no attempt TO for
mulate resolutions for the county farm
bureaus.
Three county farm bureau annual
meetings were tsld prior TO the meet
ing held in Lamoille county, and two
following that meeting and before the
publication in The Free Press Of the
Lamoille county resolution censuring
Greene AT none of these
meetings was there allusion to the pot
ash subject on the floor excepting III
one instance where a question was
asked by one Of the audience.
AT those meetings and at other times
farmers have told our officers and have
written to the state Office that they
were planning TO scratch Mr.. Greene's
name on the ballot as protest. Some |
even went so far as to ask the state |
federation to name a candidate whose |
name should be written in on the tick |
It at election. We have pointed out TO
those people that the farm bureau is
aot political organization and would |
not follow this course Such a course /
would wreck the organization justsa
i has all other agricultural organiza-
ions that have followed this course,
We have pointed out that we would
ollow the example of the agricultural
doc and the American Farm Bureau
liberation in advocating policies, but
lot entering partisan or personal pol
tics.
Congressman Greene alluded TO the
act that an attack on him was
aunched just prior to election and that
he attack emanated from Washing
on. This Is not the case. IL simply
that the potash vote occurred
{ the end of the session. The vote of
ensure by the Lamoille county farm
,ureau seemed to be the result of ac-
undated dissatisfaction as TO Greene's
ttitude on agricultural matters.
Congressman Greene states that the
ariff Is matter Of give-and take. This
true. The trouble has been that pre-.
iously the farmers have given all the
Their interests have asked for. and tax
n what the other interests have given
hem. The present tariff bill, due TO
he work Of the agricultural organiza
ions and the agricultural bloc, CON
aims most Of the provisions which the
amer requested. Many manufactured
however, have an exorbitant
This is not confined 70 the
in the infant industry
ass but includes those which are able
} stand on their own feet.
Mr.. Greene states that he voted With
he majority Of the representatives
.om the New England states who rep
sent the agriculture Of New Eng
nd. In this connection we want TO
III attention 20 the fact that Rhode
land Is almost entirely a manufactur.
e state. Massachusetts has only six
r cent of its population rural. We do
u know the percentage in Connecti-
It, but IL is largely a manufacturing i
ate. All the representatives in Rhode
land and Connecticut voted against
ee potash. Nine Of Massachusetts
did, but three were pre-
lied upon by the farmers organiza.
pms to vote for free potash. All the
of New Hampshire vot
for free potash. The vote occurred
st after the legislature in Maine and