Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-02-23
Text of Farley's Address
I'VE Stand on Our Record" Declares Postmaster
General, accusing Foes of Opening
Fear Campai

nnpaign.
very time agriculture was allowed to
wallow in the mire of depression.
Sees Old Guard Using
Ostrich as Emblem.
Yes, we have gone far in the last
three years, although certain indi-
vduals and few publishers don't
seem to have learned that fact as
yet. The old guard apparently has
abandoned the elephant for its en-
blem and substituted the ostrich. And,
believe me, the Republican ostrich has
good reason to hide its head in the
sand because everywhere it looks it
sees nothing but Roosevelt prosperity.
Without becoming boresome or tir-
ing, let us take a fleeting glimpse back
at the unbelievable economic condi-
tons which prevailed in this country
under the last Republican President,
Mr.. Herbert Hoover. During the four
years of his administration, tumbling
downhill from the high peak Of 1929,
this country slipped further and fur
ther into the grip of economic depres-
sion until at the beginning of 1888 the
situation could only be described as
appalling.
Month by month, the army of the
unemployed heightened until the job
less and their dependents numbered
more than 10000, 900 men, women and
children. The press was reporting the
suicides of fathers and mothers who
were unable to endure the suffering of
their own children. And Republican
Government sat unmoved in Washing
ton because its leaders said in sub
stance it was un-American to feed
little children.
The soup line and suicide clubs
added to their numbers daily in the
big cities. In the country conditions
were as bad or worse. The farmer
had about as much economic security
as a European serf and got about the
same prices for his products. He gave
up buying because he had no money
and he took to barter. The hammer
of the auctioneer resounded continue
ously as the homes of American farm
ers were put on the auction block for
the highest bidder at panic prices.
The American farmers are the most
conservative body of men in the world,
but in the Summer of 1882, about the
time Mr.. Hoover assures us he had
the depression licked, the farmers had
enough. They swarmed into the high
ways, grim-faced and determined,
armed with pitchforks and they
actually dragged judges from the
bench. They resorted to violence be-
cause they had no other remedy to
protect their homes and their children.
Quotes Edward A. O'Neal
OF Farm Federation.
Lest We forget those times and those
events let me read you one short quo
tation from thoughtful, conservat tive
man. In the Fall of 1892, Edward A,
ONeal, president of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, said this:
Unless something is done for the
American farmer, we will have revolu-
ton in the countryside in less than IL
months"
Mr.. ONeal spoke the truth and
every fair-minded and thoughtful man
and woman in this country knows he
spoke the truth.
The courts of bankruptcy were busy
with the ruin of merchants and re-
taliers because the collapse of buyinp
power and unemployment had reduced
the number of purchases by so to go
millions of people.
Banks were failing with increasing
momentum until the total became
staggering, and the whole banking
system. deprived of public confidence,
was on the verge of collapse.
Hundreds Of thousands of home
owners, out of work, out of savings
deprived of an income, were losing
their little homes which represented
their life's savings. because the banks
were unable to loan them money.
The railroads were on the verge of
collapse; thousands of freight cars
rusted in idleness: engines were pushed
of on the sidings; the tank cars were
empty, and because building and loan
associations and the banks had invest
ed in railroad stocks, the people were
terrorized by the prospect.
Millions of men and women were