The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-21
FARM BLOC'S
POWER SURE
TO INCREASE
Survey Reveals that it is Larg-
est Single Interest in Amexi-
can Politics-Base Rests on
Government.
LEADERSHIP IS SANE
BY MARK SULLIVAN

point you chose, you can examine its
personnel and its mechanism minute
~ and critically, you can approach it
with the skepticism born of recollect-
ion of similar movements in the past,
YOU can talk with the individuals and
the interests who deplore it and who
argue that it should be elimated but
the eId of any such survey of the farm
bloc is that it is without any doubt
the largest single interest in Amer
lean politics, that il is likely to con-
tinue to have the balance of power
Tor a considerable period, and that it
is more likely to grow than to dim
inish.
The older political leaders in both
parties who deplore the farm bloc and
who predict its early passing, are mis-
led by one of the most frequent causes
or self deceit, namely, by the length
CT their own memories. 1t is true ex-
periences, but it is also true that I'M
less there is careful examination of
The analogy between the past and the
present, experience can readily throw
YOU off the track.
Some of the older political leaders
have memories that go as far back as
the Patrons of Husbandry: the Farm
ers' Alliance; the Agricultural Wheel,
which started in Prairie county, Ark
ansas and spread to power in eight
southwestern states; the Ancient
order of Cleaners, and half a dozen
similar organizations.
Sketcals Opinion
Remembering how all of these arose
had their power, and declined, the
skeptical older politicians say that,
in due course, the farm bloc will be
T..
true that the organized farmer in
American politics is nothing new
Politicians and others with any con-
siderable political experience remem-
Der Newt Gresham's Farmers Union
started in Rains county, Texas, of
which contemporary historian, whose
narrative was qualified by personal en-
thusiasm, said, IAN Alladin army of
million men with a deadly concen-
tration of purpose that would brook
no denial, came into almost instant
existence.
1t was of another organization, the
Farmers Alliance, in the election of
1890, that a historian of the time said:
after these elections, 40 members Of
the new congress We're pledged to sup
port the demands of the farmers al
lance, and it's leaders were said to
have selected beforehand the place
which they wished this group to oc-
cupy on either side of the center aisle
in the House of Representatives where
they expected to hold the balance of
power, and to take the place of the
center in the French assembly,"
Quotes 1892 Accounts
II that quotation from a historian
of 1890 reads much like a present day
non -ssrNs1r - 81
still more does quotation from an
account written in 1892, of "Sockless"
Jerry Simpsons populists The author
Of this account, by the way. was Ham
lin Garland. His words of 1892 sound
a little like something Senator Tom
Heflin of Alabama might use today,
about the present bloc
The alliance wedge said Mr.. Gar
land. sis a sort of breallwater between
the two old parties. Great forces are
moving. The house of representatives
is a smoldering volcano. The Republi-
cans are apprehensive, almost desper-
ate. Place holders are beginning to
tremble; but in the midst of it all,
the men who are advocating right and
justice instead of policy sit ready for
the discussion and eager for the strug-
gle"
Comfort in Argument
Now il is quite true that in the his
tory of other farm movements now
past and forgotten, there is comfort
for those who either wish or argue
that the present farm bloc is merely
passing phase of American politics.
And if anyone wants to argue that
the present farm bloc is going to last
longer and go farther than the Farm
Ia Iofp Of IIr1e-
bandry it is necessary to find funda-
mental points of difference. which IA
vor the farm bloc.
Before pointing ou these differences
| should explain that | have been US
ing the term farm bloc" in a loose
sense. Farm bloc" is the term ap-
piled to the 20 or so senators and
the 20 or so members Of congress who
are really the political expression
within congress of different and
much larger thing. The organized
force behind the farm bloc is the
American Farm Bureau Federation.
The farm bloc in congress is really
the political agent of the American
Far Bureau Federation. The relation
between the two is indisputable and
intimate. 1t was the American Farm
Bureau federation that first supplied
stimulus and leadefSnlp 10 the tarm
bloc i'll congress.
The early meetings of the farm bloc
group were held not in the capitol or
the halls of congress, but in the Wash
ington headquarters of the American
Farm Bureau federation. | quote from
q recently issued history of the farm
bureau federation. written by one OF
its officials. Oryille Warton kile:
Pledge Senators
"As result of series of helpful
conferences at farm bureau legislative
headquarters, several senators, includ
ing Kenkin. of Iowa, Republican;
Smith of North Carolina, Democrat,
and Capper, of Kansas, Republican,
took the lead and got together bano
of % senators from the south and
west pledged to stand for agricultural
legislation. regardless of party lines.
In political sense, therefore, the
American Farm Bureau federation and
the farm bloc are one. And in con.
Continued on Page Five)