Liberty, 1910-02-16

ly for the farmer of their owr free will and inclination with never a thought of doing so in order to keep their political fences straight This class would really accomplish much more than it does had not the farmer in the past been indiffer indifferent - ent indifferent or slow to undertake to sep separate - arate separate the true friend from the friend for revenue only Brethren of the Farmers Un Union - ion Union the main thing I want to impress upon you as a result of this conference is that Congress is thoroughly receptive to the demands and rights of our organ organization - ization organization In every session of the conference many of the most influential members of both par parties - ties parties and each house formally and in unqualified language ad admitted - mitted admitted the strength of this or organization - ganization organization declaring they would be afraid offer for reelection if they had not made a sincere effort to to procure such legisla ion as would justly advance the interests of the union and agri cultural interests generally I want to say further to you that in the furtherance of the campaign against gambling in agricultural products Parcels Post and other national meas ires a tremendously effectual nethod is for you to approach lOur representatives and senators jersonally and by letter Write them at Washington representing the platform of the mion with regard to National epislation against these and other crying evils and demand ing such action as will promote success consistent with equity to js and the countryatlarge T regard our chances to obtain esults as most excellent On February 9th we will appear Before the House Committee on Agriculture to speak in favor of the antioption bills and to urge the enactment of such legislation is will protect our members and the farmer generally against the I riminal extortions of the men who toil not nor spin but fatten I Ion - on Ion the toil of the husbandmen I You can aid this fight individ wally and as officers Make your attitude plainly known to your 1 Congressman The humblest member hits more influence than I he realizes in a matter of this nature I have had this matter I impressed upon me recently as I fever before in my experience I with the organization Congress Congressmen - men Congressmen respect organization es especially - pecially especially do they respect our or organization i - ganization organization for they have felt its I weight in their home districts i and they appreciate the fact that we are rapidly attaining such na cional dimensions as will force every manjack of them to a rig rigid - id rigid Accounting sooner or later Another thing We have gone to much labor and considerable expense to prepare these Min utes for your inspection These Minutes are a faithful transcript of the way in which we kept tab on Congressmen and officials gen generally - erally generally at Washington Read thenvavery line You will gain mere knowledge of the nature slid > td ettof the fight before ut and more infprmatfon as to how to inake it a successful one oy studying thin report of the battle aVcl ° range than by J p 4p

I The National Officials of the Farmer Union togeher with a number of brethren who had been selected by several of the States to assist in securing legis legislation - lation legislation by Congress that would be of great benefit to the farm farmers - ers farmers of this country met in the National Hotel at 9 a m Present were C S Barrett President W A Morris 0 F Dornblaser A C Shuford S L Wilson members of the board of directors Alex Davis Assistant National Secretary J J Robin Robinson - son Robinson Jr Chairman of the Execu Executive - tive Executive Committee of Alabama and W W Meyers President of the Indiana State Union After a general discussion in which it was agreed that all work undertaken here by the confer conference - ence conference should be done in a system systematic - atic systematic manner the conference ad adjourned - journed adjourned until 430 p m President Barrett opened deliberations with a brief talk strongly outlining the purpose of the conference and the methods essential to Drosecuting it to a successful conclusion We are here to watch Con Congress - gress Congress to find out our friends and enemies and to compel action he said But in order to do these things we must watch ourselves not spare ourselves mind or body each man giving as complete attention and as intelli intelligent - gent intelligent devotion to the work as though his life depended on the resultRealize brethren that it is a tremendqus stake for which w wire - ire wire workingthe elimination of those criminal abuses that reach down into your pockets that de drive your wives and your chil children - dren children and the wives and children > f the 3000000 members ycu represent of the just reward of their labors fi Keep that fact ever in mind vhile on the firing line The ThEI Farmers Union has already fought and won many great bat les The one now confronting is is of vast importance to the present and future and it is not vet won Victory will come only through consecrated and constant abor fearless facing of the enemies of the farmer making onversion where it is possible Showing no quarter where it is lot possible Find out too the false friends of this organia ionthe men who promise glibly smile pleasantly but fail to live up to their pledges when the time for action arrives The welfare of the farming I interests of this country is now very largely in our hands Let us no he i ate to lose sleep and rest to sacrifice ourselves to the limit for the men and the women and the children on the farms of this country If we would rid them of the terrific weight of gambling in the products of their toil we must first display obedi obedience - ence obedience to orders implicit and un questioning harmony among our selves inoeaaantlabor and refuse to be diverted from our righteous mission If we religiously Obi serve tfieae rule delajr or failure janiet ke laid at our doors We hold a wnwmesion 4froff the pro Juoers of dUll civantry let to diaoharct it m a wrwr Ged ivntru truetr4latirg this addrs iIW r4latirg + re r j c 0 < < 0 r + v J 44 1 L t J1f l CJ 10 g fi r < j f r r tII f rM t I

> > 1t rt vVTo the Officers and Members of fithe Farmers Union J have the honor to report to you the results thus far of the most remarkable and significant conference in the history of the Farmers Union the National legislative conference of officials arid representatives that has been in progress the last few days in Washington City The conference was called by iamyself to consider specifically means to curb gambling in farm e products of the nation and many other measures of Congressional r importance importanceFrom y From the earliest days of this organization we have been striv striving - ing striving to expose an 1 rout that ele went of gamblers using National v crops as pawns in a game to beat t down prices to the producer and demoralize business and trade conditions at large in this coun try We also have been laboring I to secure other measures such as the Parcels Post and many others t of interest to cut membership We have long recognized that to insure victory it would be es sential to bring pressure upor Congress pressure of such an i orderuthat the Representatives and Senators would realize our i 1determination and busy them theme - e theme selves in cooperating with us towards the materializing of K many important laws this re port is intended to show you the t receptive attitude of our law lawmakers - t makers lawmakers makersI conference of the last few days has achieved signal success oalong these lines Congress is awakened to the t power and the determination oft the Farmers Union as never be before - t fore before in my recollection I Republicans and Democrats Senators and Representatives I faom East and West and North f and South they crowded into our meeting Frequently as you t 4t will see by the subjoined Min Minutes - i < utes Minutes whole State delegations at i t3nded in a body other State delegations were represented and still others adopted ringing res resolutions - olutions resolutions favoring the crusade oi the Farmers Union and pledging their utmost aid in making them effectual At the outset I want to give full credit to the devotion and the energy of your committee to assist me in the work of this con conference - ference conference To a man they were on duty night and day frequent frequently - ly frequently laboring until the small hours Cof the morning in the prosecu tiun of the details assigned them Without hesitation or interims sion they approached Congress Congressmen - men Congressmen ascertained their positions 4 on reform legislation and urged r their attendance at our sessions Not a man lagged attof them were faithful industrious wil ling and eager to be of the great eat possible assistance As a consequence of their en i daavors we are gradually lining up the Congress of this country committing them by word of mouth and by public expression separating the sheep from the goats and paving the way for such I81iislaUVar6lullllii no farmers organization hat seer attained In thia connection I should In jtiitiee my that tiere era Con greaimen who will work sinwre 1 I

re timembers to its sentiments and reached an understanding that all the work of the conference should proceedq along the systematic lines ad advanced - vanced advanced by President Barrett The conference then adjourned until 430 p m 1 AFTERNOON SESSION The roll call showed in addition to those present in the morning session brother T J Brooks of k Tennessee Considerable discussion asn indulged in with reference to the best course to pur sue fn pressing our claims upon the Congress for the abolition of gamblingiri farm products by the exchanges which f resulted in the selection of T Jv Brooks to represent us before the Committee on Agricujture to whom all bills seeking this result have been referred Brother Shuford was appointed to take full charge of the Parcels Post matter and to press our claims for the enactment of a comprehensive law on this sub subject - ject subject before the committee to which the matter may bere ferred r rAn - An rAn adjournment was taken until 9 a m January 28thr4rr MORNING SESSIONj NARY 28 The conference met pursuant to adjournment The roll call showed all mem members - bers members present and in addition thereto Brother Ben F Ward xt editor of the Official Organ of Mississippi M I Tap i ecre w tary of the Executive Committee pf Kentucky and John Grady member of the Board of Di Directors - rectors Directors After discussing in detail the controversy between the Missis Mississippi - sippi Mississippi State Union and the Post Office Department with refer reference - ence reference to their official organ Presi dent Barrett appointed brothers Ward and Shuford as a committee to present the matter to the Post Office Department > The conference agreed upon a motion of OF Dorrtblaser that a correct record should be kept of the acts of the union men while in Washington and of the attitude assumed bylbe members of Cingresam regard to measures we are advocating uch records to be given publicity at the proper time After agreeing to visit the Capitol in a body the conference < I adjourned until 6 p m r I EV N1VG SESSION Brother Brooke reported that the Committee qn Agriculture have agreed to begin the hearr in onthe antioptiozlbillaFebr njary 9th and each ro4raber > wi y requested to invite Congressmen and Senators rem > his State to Ar a attend these hearings 7 It was agreed tha1W invite the members of Congress to meet ice y with us tonwrroW evening at 1 p lock IUpoh the in vitation of Bmtiker h W rdt Hon Win JL Diokofto q r Mieeieeippl ad aetWeil than 1 e woUld reader i bh v jnc peNt rltJ I r2ula c 0 fd1a N A Adjrat l uat i aia j II t < j l N i JH t J ll Io f if > < 1 6 r vr Lt ri J Stt i t Y ft 14 lb 1 hv t > I

of the most respected by leaders of both parties openly stated t tone - one tone of our sessions that mem bern of Congress might as well cease trying to fool themselves or the public as to their motives in supporting the Farmers Un Union - ion Union Frankly he said lam afraid of the Farmers Union I know its strength and I sim simply - ply simply realize that if I want to re return - turn return to Washington it is incum incumbent - bent incumbent on me 10 pledge myself and to keep faith in the reformative crusade of this organization Numberless other Congress Congressmen - men Congressmen expressed themselves in the same vein We let them know we were there for business That independent attitude had its effect effectThe The picture at the head of this report shows you your repre representatives - sentatives representatives at the conference We had half an hours conversa conversation - tion conversation with President Taft and l believe his attitude is favorable However we are not depending upon any one individual howev however - er however powerful in this war We are depending upon ourselves upon the smallest and humblest as well as the highest and most learned members of this organ organization - ization organization Vearu depending upoi the proved Rower of cphetiye or gniatipnto attain it end whet thia end does not conflict with gqufty justice and the Golden Retu < wrtisw4 twit pqe v r i f 1 > t U 2 f 2a r t JI t 1 J 9 it r i t 0r r 0I J

years of desultory reading or I listening to the speeches of pro proCessing - Cessing proCessing politicians fessingpoliticiansI I do not maintain that the en enemy - emy enemy is not represented at Wash Washington - ington Washington and that the enemy did not make efforts to secure ad admission - mission admission to our conference On several occasions outright or dis disguised - guised disguised ts and workers of ex exchanges - changes exchanges made efforts to get into our counsels and sought infor information - mation information on the outside of our members These people are awake to their peril They know from the organized efforts of the Farmers Union that the doom of gambling in the products of the people is sounded and they are making frantic efforts to stave off defeat defeatThis This they cannot effect The utmost they can accomplish is to delay their own extermination although I have a good reason to hope that even to this extent they will be disappointed In the future the task of I crushing the rights of the farmer and of defending the Vampires that seek his lifes blood will grow increasingly difficult We will not scourge the temple of all abuses today or tomorrow but our early Success if written I L tme toll you a little incident which illustrates the whole mat ter On i of the moat prominent ftepre ajitative on the Demo artiq side ot the Houie a leader in Natlonal Nation and one 1 LJ It i j i > t G J r h t I I

1 tYr 1 y f t YM > A b ilrur < V If IJ L r < r f i r iI t fYr I J r y II I 1 wj r1 f y o q4 0 Ur > A 4V > tefl 5 CJ J > V J y + A Paper For ike People i 1 1 T I 7 t A MAn Uptodate Advocate y < x tr 4 r h By the People L J L 1 8 E R T Y of the principles t t fy r y and < of the People o i OfFoVCUbfA f = < 1 VOLUME 1 f 1 LA CENTER KENTUCKY WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16 1910 k NUMBER 9r L