The Commoner
SEPTEMBER, 1916
13
the present by adding to it a provision that in
case the methods of accommodation now pro
vided for you should fail, a full public investiga
tion of the merits of every such dispute shall be
instituted and completed before a strike or lock
out may lawfully be attempted.
"And, sixth, the lodgment in the hands of the
executive of the power, in case of military neces.
sity to take control of such portions and such
rolling stock of the railways of the country as
may be required for military use, and to operate
them for military purposes, with authority to
draft into the military service of - the United
States such train crews and administrative offi
cials as the circumstances require for their safe
and efficient use.
"This last suggestion I make because wo can
not in any circumstances suffer the nation to be
hampered in the essential matter of national de
fense. At the present moment circumstances
render this duty particularly obvious. Almost
the entire military force of the nation Is sta
tioned upon the Mexican border to guard our
territory against hostile raids. It must be sup
plied and steadily supplied with whatever it
needs for its maintenance and efficiency. If it
should be necessary for purposes of national de
fense to transfer any portion of it upon short
notice to some other part of the country, for
reasons now unforeseen, ample means of trans
portation must be availablo and available with
out delay. The power conferred in this matter
should be carefully and explicitly limited to cases
of military necessities, but in all such cases it
should bo made clear and ample.
"There is one other thing- we should do if we
are true champions of arbitration. We should
make all arbitral awards, judgments by record
of a court of law, in order that their interpreta
tion and enforcement may lie, not with one of
the parties to the arbitration, but witli an im
partial and authoritative tribunal.
"These things I urge upon you, not in haste,
nor merely as a means of meeting a present
emergency, but as permanent and necessary ad
ditions to the law of, the land, suggested, indeed,
by circumstances we had hoped never to see, but
imperative as well as just, if f such emergencies
are to be prevented in t'he future, 1 feel that no
extended argument lsneeded to commend them
to your favorable consideration. They demon
strate themselves. The time and the occasion
only emphasize their importance. We need them
now, and we shall continue to need' them."
CONTRIBUTIONS FOP. THE NATIONAL CAM
PAIGN The following contributions to the national
democratic campaign, fund have been sent
through The Commoner:
Ole Helgesen, Washington, Calif $1.00
J. E. Gray, Viola, Ida -r 1.00
H II. Bernstein, Savanna, 111 1.00
R. B. Brehaut, Toledo, Ohio 1.00
C'has. L. Sawyer, Grand Valley, Colo 1.00
F. A. Watts, Linnton, Oreg 1.00
Woodson Browning, Madisonville, Ky.... 1.00
IX Downey, Chippewa Falls, Wise 1.00
H. A. Hornlein, San Francisco, Calif 1.00
Adam Leyh, Bertha, Minn 2.00
Jonas McClintock, Fort Hill, Pa 1.00
Robert Beaty, Colo. Springs, Colo 2.00
John Dunn, Montpelier, Ida 1-00
Franklin Smith, Glenolden, Pa 2.00
A. "Shelbinaian," Shelbina, "Mo 1.00
S. G. Hudson, Lincoln, Nebr 100.00
Floyd Seybolt, Lincoln, Nebr 50.00
Julia Merkel, Story City, la 1.00
Chas. F. Philp, Hereford, Colo 1.00
J. L. Daniels, Waverly, la 1.00
Walter W. Wood, Whittier, Calif. . '. 1.00
H. E. Misner, Los Angeles, Calif 1.00
H. P. Schaefer, Schulenburg, Tex 5.00
P. E. Goode, Lenexa, Kans 1.20
W. W. England, Afton, Okla 1.00
Cleveland Justice, Equality, 111 .40
' J. Coghlan, Ocasta, Wash 1.00
J- N. Grove, Oakland, Ca, 2.00
abitha M. Cleveland, Mankato, Kan. . . . 1.00
N. Canaday & Son, Selma, la 00
Mr & Mrs. Alfred Black, Lesliej Ida CL.OO
C. Laurent, Denver, Colo. . , 1.00
' F. Halght, Peterson, la 2.00
t S' Sal1' Te?re Haute, InL.( .,, 5.00
J M. Boyor, Pocatello, Ida. .,,,:.. if LOO
J. Ebright, Pukwana, S. D.tfVj.ri 1.00
t M- Saillng. Cushing, Nebcin LOO
yxo- Kuppenthal, Russell,: Kans 2.00
v V.r0111' SIide La. ... ...ftW-.",. . r. . 250.00
tV n elsey Ls Angeles, Galtf, , 5.00
t kr G;T Hward, Kettle Islanfe- '. . 2.00
1 t Pafer- Geneva, Nebr 1.00
a. J. Marshall, Mabel. Okla , 1.00
iv. Noting, Idabel, Okla : 1.00
What the Administration Has Dorle
for the Farmer
The present democratic administration has
been conspicuous for its work to advanco the
agricultural interests of tho United States. The
record is set forth briefly and effectively in a
letter written by the President to Congressman
A. F. Lever, chairman of the committee on agri
culture of the house of representatives, as fol
lows: "Tho-Whito House,' Washington, Aug. 11,
19.16.. My dear Mr. Lever: It has given me
much satisfaction to approve today tho bill rank
ing appropriations for tho department of agri
culture for tho fiscal yqar ending Juno 30, 1917,
and for other purposes, because tho bill not only
makes every generous provision for the improve
ment of farm production in tho nation and for
investigations and demonstrations in the field of
the marketing of farm crops and of tho organ
isation of rural life, but also contains threo well
conceived measures. designed to improve market
practices and the storage and financing of staple
crops. As tho passago of this bill marks the
practical completion of an important part of the
programme for tho betterment of rural lifo
which was mapped out at the beginning of tho
administration, I feel that I can not let tho oc
casion pass without conveying to you and to
your associates in both houses my appreciation
of the service rendered to the nation in strength
ening its great agricultural foundations.
RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
"The record, legislative as well as administra
tive, is a remarkable one. It speaks for itself
and needs only to be set forth:
"First Appreciation of the importance of ag
riculture has been shown through greatly and
intelligently increased appropriations for its
support.
'Second. Particular pains have been takfen to
foster producton by every promising means, and
careful thought has been given especially to tho
matter -of increasing the jneat supply of the-nation,
'Third' Greatly increased provision has been
made, through the enactment of tho Co-operative
Agricultural Extension Act, for conveying agri
cultural information to farmers and for induc
ing them to apply it. This piece of legislation is
one of the most significant and far-reaching
measures for the education of adults ever adopt
ed by any government. It provides for co-oper-atidn
between the states and the federal govern
ment. This is a highly important and significant
principle. When tho act is in full operation
there will be expended annually under its terms,
from federal and state sources alone, a total of
over $8,600,000 in the direct education of the
farmer; and this amount is being and will be in
creasingly supplemented by contributions from
local sources. It will permit the placing in each
of the 2,850 rural counties of the nation two
farm demonstrators and specialists who will as
sist the demonstrators in the more difficult prob
lems confronting them.
"Fourth Systematic provision for the first
time has been made for the solution of prob
lems in that important half of agriculture which
concerns distribution marketing, rural finance
and rural organization.
BETTER MARKETING CONDITIONS
"Fifth Provision was made promptly for the
creation of an Office of Markets and Rural Or
ganization and the appropriations for this office,
including those for enforcing new laws designed
to promote better marketing, have been in
creased to $1,200,000. The more difficult prob
lems of marketing are being investigated and
plans are in operation for furnishing assistance
to producers of perishables through a market
news service. A similar service for livestock in
terests will be naugurated during the year.
"Sixth The problem of securing the uniform
grading of staple crops, of regulating dealings
and traffic in them, of developing a better system
of warehouses, and of providing more available
collateral for farm loans has been successfully
dealt with.
"Seventh Under tho Cotton Futures Act
standards for cotton have been established, the
operations of the futures exchanges have been
put under supervision, and the sale of cotton has
been placed on a firmer basis.
"Eighth Tho United States Grain Standards
Act will secure uniformity in tho grading of
grains, enable the farmer to obtain fairer prices
for his product and afford him an incentive to'
raiso hotter grades of grain. f
"Ninth Tho United States Warehouse Act
will onablo tho department of agriculture to li
cense bonded warehouses in the various state. !
It will lead to tho development of bettor storage
facilities for staplo crops and will mako possibio
the iosuanco of reliable warehouse receipts which
will bo widely and easily negotiable.
GOOD ROAD BUILDING
"Tenth Of no less importance for agriculture
and for tho national development is the federal
aid road act. This measuro will conduce to tho,
establishment of more effective highway machin
ery in each state, strongly Influence tho develop
ment of good road building along right lines,
stlmulato larger production and better market
ing, promote a fuller and more attractive rural,
life, add greatly to tho convenience and econ
omic welfare of all tho people and strengthen,
tho national foundations. Tho act embodies,
sound principles of road legislation and will safe-,
guard the expenditure of the funds arising under
the act not only, but will also result In tho more
efficient use of the largo additional sums mado
availablo by states and localities.
"Eleventh Tho Federal Reserve Act benefits
the farmer, as it docs all the other peoplo of tho
nation, by guaranteeing better banking, safo-.
guarding the credit structure of the country, and,
preventing panics. It takes particular note of
the special needs of the farmer by making larger
provision for loans through national banks on.
farm mortgages and by giving farm paper a ma-.
turity period of six mouths.
"Twelfth It was essential, however, that
banking machinery be devised which would reach'
intimately into the rural districts, that It should.,
operation terms suited to tho farmer's needs,
and should ho under sympathetic management..
Tho need for machinery which would iutroduco
business methods into farm finance, bring order,
out of chaos, reduce the cost of handling farm
loans, place upon tho market mortgages which
would be a safe investment for private funds, at- ,
tract into agricultural operations a fair
sharo of the capital of tho nation,
and lead to a reduction of Interest. These needs
and these ideals have been met by the enactment
oi! tho federal farm loan act.
"I am glad to have had an opportunity to take
part In the execution of this large programme,
which I believe will result In making agriculture
more profitable and country life more comfort
able and attractive ami therefore, Insure the re
tention in rural disticts of an efficient and con
tented population. Faithfully yours,
"WOODROW WILSON."
Hon. A. F. Lever, Chairman Committee on AgriJ
culture, Houso of Representatives.
AS INTERPRETED BY Mil. HARDING
Senator WarrenjB. Harding, before the Cham
ber of Commerce and Rotary club at San An
tonio, Tex., Jan. 0, 1915, mado a speech whoso
general character can be judged from tho fol
lowing passage: -
"I am unalterably of tho belief that tho
United States must never seek territorial ag
grandizement by force of arms. But there is
destiny in the affairs of nations. You have your
Alamo hero as evidence of what men will do for
the sake of principle and the Civil war ' was
necessary to settle a great issue. Tho wonder
fully rich resources of Mexico will neven be
brought into service and the country will never
come into its own until it lias been brought un
der the civilizing influence of the United States
flag. I am not in a position to say how that end
should be accomplished, but something mu6t.be
done."
No "territorial aggrandizement by force. o
arms," but we can find some other excuse for
war and then let nature take her course.1 A
fight for principle first and territorial aggrand
izement afterward.
Senator Harding has twice appeared this"year
as the spokesman of his party in utterances of '
the highest party importance, Did he represent
tho republican purpose in this San Antonlp ad
dress? Did he represent Mr. Hughes' purpose?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
1