THE FOOD CRISIS AND AMERICANISM 1 07 



souri River, than for carrying it 153 miles from sta- 

 tions in the grain fields, on direct line to the great 

 consuming centers, and the seaboard. Everywhere 

 there is a lower rate on shipments over routes unnec- 

 essary and without advantage to the general public, 

 than over routes necessary and indispensable to the 

 public good. 



According to the genius and spirit of American com- 

 mercialism and organized labor, profits should be made 

 by obstructing the interchange of commodities between 

 producer and consumer, instead of by facilitating this 

 exchange. Is a people, who will, without protest, con- 

 tinue to allow itself to be subjected to such monstrous 

 impositions, worthy of liberty? Or do they not need 

 some one to govern them and protect them ? Royalty, 

 in its palmiest days, never exacted greater or more 

 unjust tribute from its subjects. 



The above and other intolerable practices, common 

 in the trade and transportation of this country, are mak- 

 ing for Socialism and Bolshevism. Because of them, 

 impoverishment of rural communities and farm aban- 

 donment were inevitable. 



A rich soil; the adaptability of our lands to the use 

 of machinery; the inventive genius of our people; all 

 coupled with the superior intelligence of our farmers, 

 as compared with the peasantry of any other country, 

 will enable them to successfully compete with all, if 

 artificial handicaps, now resting on American agri- 

 culture, be removed. The impetus given to agri- 

 culture would soon result in such a stimulus to busi- 

 ness in general, that our railways would quickly find 

 an abundance of freight to keep them busy. Five 



