Iht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Great Farm Convention at Wash¬ 
ington 
PLAIN SENTIMENTS.—The fireworks in the na- 
tional convention of farmers nt Washington last 
week did not begin until Friday morning. It was 
started by the report of the committee on costs, 
prices, and reconstruction, of which Dean II. L. 
Russell of Wisconsin was chairman. The report 
had the merit of plainly saying wha! was meant. It 
asked what would be the cost of production of 
farm products if farm labor were allowed a wage 
commensurate to that received by coal miners and 
railroad workers, and asserted no price wage re¬ 
ceived by farmers, even a I peak of prices, would 
give the producer of farm products a wage com¬ 
parable to that normally received by all classes of 
union labor. In the concluding paragraph the re¬ 
port asserted that reduced transisirtation costs were 
imperative, and to that end advised the repeal of 
the Adamson eight-hour law, the saving to be ap¬ 
plied to the reduction of freight, rates; and the re¬ 
peal nf the guarantee clause of llie Each-Cummins 
law. W. II. .Stackhouse of the National Implement 
and Vehicle Association, a delegate from Illinois, 
supplemented the report by offering an amendment 
calling on railroad, mining, and industrial union 
labor to accept voluntarily a lower scale of wages to 
correspond with the depression of business and agri¬ 
culture. 
' mb. COMPELS SPEAKS.—By Ibis time the fire¬ 
works began to sputter. Samuel (dampers, president 
of the American Federation of Labor, sent up the 
first rocket in protest against the amendment. lie 
said the resolution was Inspired by capitalists and 
manufacturers, and if adopted would leave union 
labor to feel that farmers had allied themselves with 
the enemies of labor. He said, with some heat, that 
tlie repeal of the Adamson law would not change 
the eight-hour practice. Someone also moved to 
Strike out. the recommendation for repeal of existing 
laws. John D. Miller of Pennsylvania opposed the 
adoption of a resolution that Mr. Gompers viewed 
as one opposed to union labor, and moved to return 
the report to the committee for revision. Some speak¬ 
ers vigorously opposed this; others favored recommit¬ 
ment, not because of the Goinpers protest, but be¬ 
cause they were not satisfied that railroad manage¬ 
ment, and financing, and incompetence, were not as 
much to blame for high freight, rates as union wages, 
and without more definite information they were 
unwilling to single out union labor alone, and give 
the appearance of taking sides with capital and 
railroad management in conflict with labor, lie- 
sides, this feature seemed to belong to the report on 
transportation. During the discussion Mr. (Jumpers 
took llie platform. His time was extended twice 
to allow him to present Ills case fully. He said it 
vas the first attempt to break tin* unity between 
union railroad men and miners on one side and farm¬ 
ers on the other. lie denounced it as the "stereo¬ 
typed opposition’’ to labor. He said the leaders who 
promoted it were as near to their organizations as 
a leech could get to anybody, lie said that organi¬ 
zation meant, power, and that when farmers at¬ 
tained it they would feel the heavy hands of the 
manufacturers ami capitalists, who were the greatest 
exploiters the world had ever known. The efficiency 
<>1 labor, lie said, hud been increased under the eight- 
hour rule, and that lie bad been told by farmers at 
the conference that their profits for lt>21 were the 
best they ever had. This and other statements were 
vigorously disputed; but on vote the Stackhouse 
amendment was defeated, and on a narrow margin 
the resolution was referred buck for revision. Ap¬ 
parently Mr. Gompers had won a victory for labor in 
a national farm convention, and the afternoon papers 
featured it in first-page headlines. 
ANOTHER VIEW. The first’act of the afternoon 
session, however, was presentation of the report of 
the transportation committee. It closed with this 
paragraph: 
“We insist that railroad corporations and railroad 
labor should share in the deflation iu charges now 
affecting all industries, This is essential to the res¬ 
toration of normal conditions in agriculture, and it is 
essential to the welfare of the entire country. We 
earnestly appeal to those in authority to take siieii ac¬ 
tion as may be necessary in order to accomplish this 
result.’’ 
Emboldened by ills morning experience, Mr. 
Goinpers was promptly on his feet, and moved to 
strike out I lie punted clause. Then lie got some plain 
talk from plain dirt farmers. He was bluntly told 
that members ol' Ids organization were drawing more 
pay for one day of eight hours' work than members 
of farm organizations there represented receive for 
five days of Hi hours each: that il required greater 
skill and endurance to operate a farm than to brake 
cars or run an engine; that <100,000 farm laborers 
are now out of work, us well us some millions of 
other labor, and that union labor would be better off 
in the end if it did more work now at wages other 
producers were obliged to accept, in this readjust¬ 
ment period; that farm leaders who encouraged bis 
policy had better not report their actions to their 
members at home; and, finally, that if the present 
conditions continued there would soon be no farm 
products for railroads to carry, and no railroad 
union work for them to do. There was lots more 
of similar sentiments ready to lie released, but the 
feeling was evident, and impatient. A vote was de¬ 
manded. Mr. Goinpers’ amendment was promptly 
voted down, 'and the resolution was unanimously 
adopted with a smack. 
A STRONG REPORT.—Then Dean Russell’s re¬ 
vised report was read. It said all the previous re¬ 
port, said and some more, but in more general lan¬ 
guage, and la eluded all the influences that, affect, 
transportation rates. It was promptly adopted. 
A LACK OF T’NI)EltSTANI>ING.—Mr. Goinpers 
did not appear strong in any phase of the con¬ 
troversy. One got the feeling that he was ac¬ 
customed to appear before audiences of his own 
members with fixed arguments that always please 
them, hut failed in a new environment. Anyway, 
lie failed utterly to understand the sentiments and 
purposes of fanners. Their frankness and fairness 
and comprehension escaped him entirely. Tie raised 
points and ventured on subjects that for him were 
better avoided. Above all, be erred in challenging 
the afternoon reports, lie had all the effect of a 
morning victory. He was flushed with an apparent 
success. He felt the conceit of victory. A wise 
policy would have been to stand on the morning 
record and let the new report, pass. lie challenged 
and lost. Silence would have left him a victor. In 
the new challenge lie emphasized bis own defeat. 
FORMAL ADDRESSES.—The program of the 
conference consisted of a series of formal addresses 
which took up Monday and forenoons of Tuesday 
and Wednesday. It also included 1- general com¬ 
mittees, which deliberated afternoons and evenings, 
and reports of them Thursday and Friday, including 
evenings of both days. 
IMPRESSIVE SPEECHES.—It. was a matter of 
pride to us that three of the best and clean-cut 
formal addresses were delivered by New York State 
boys. Dr. George F. Warren of Ithaca has recently 
returned from Europe, and gave a valuable review 
of agricultural conditions over there, and their rela¬ 
tion to American agriculture. G. Harold Powell, 
a native New Yorker, now manager of the California 
Emit Growers’ Exchange, read a comprehensive 
paper on the fundamentals of co-operative market¬ 
ing. It. A. Pearson, a former commissioner of agri¬ 
culture in New York State, now president of Ames 
College, Iowa, discussed a national policy for agri- 
Thc Death of Dr. Van Fleet 
Pr. Walter Van Fleet, plant breeder and horticultur¬ 
ist, died at Miami, Fla,, January 2d. Did readers of 
The R. N.-Y. will remember his “Notes from the Rural 
Grounds." and many farm homes have liven beautified 
by the Ruby Queen rose, which was sent to subscribers 
during his connection with the paper. He had been 
connected since bis association with Tue R. N.-Y. ter¬ 
minated. vviili the Bureau of Plant Industry. FnPed 
State Department of Agriculture. lie had left Wash¬ 
ington to take up some special work at Miami, but 
reached Florida very ill, and never rallied after an 
operation iu the hospital there. 
I)r. Van Fleet, was born in Pennsylvania something 
. ver d() years ago. Before beginning bis medical prac¬ 
tice he went to Brazil with an exploring expedition, 
which sought a practical route for a railroad from the 
headwaters of the Amazon to the Pacific Coast, where 
he underwent great hardship and much danger, bin 
gaiued much valuable knowledge. After some venrs of 
medical practice, be ami Mrs. Van Fleet joined a co¬ 
operative colony at Riiskin, Tcnu., where lie continued 
horticultural experiments <>f considerable scope, Later 
changes in the Riiskin colony caused uncongenial con¬ 
ditions, and Dr. Van Fleet came North, buying a very 
aitractive place at Tattle Silver, N. J., Here be con¬ 
tinued until in 1010 lie entered upon hi-, work iu tlie 
Bureau of Plant Industry. At first lie was in charge 
of the Plant Introduction Garden at Chico, Cal.; later 
stationed at Washington, where he had much to do 
with the rose garden at. Arlington. 
Flower gardens everywhere have been enriched by 
Dr. Van Fleet's work with hardy climbing roses. Ruby 
Queen, Philadelphia. Dr. W. Van Fleet. Silver Moon, 
and American Pillar arc nil due to bis genius, and lire 
among the most meritorious roses grown in Northern 
gardens. As a hybridizer of Gladiolus, he made especial 
use of rare species, bis hybrids of (J. priinulinus. the 
charming yellow African aperies, being varied and beau¬ 
tiful. while his giant scarlet Pritoeps is unique. He 
improved Sweet Williams, Frecsias, and various other 
flowers, also corn, tomatoes, propers, and radishes. His 
greatest work, however, is in the production of chestnut 
hybrids immune to blight, which have been described on 
several occasions in our pages. 
Dr. Van Fleet's great work for horticulture is not 
very well known to the general public, but his genius 
was fully recognized by scientists, and American gar¬ 
dens will long be enriched by memorials of bis work. 
Dr. Van Fleet married Miss Sarah Dubois of Penn¬ 
sylvania, bul leaves no children. 
197 
cultural research. All of these papers are full of 
valuable Information of both practical and academic 
value. We expect to publish a synopsis of them 
Liter on. Two other notable addresses were by Gif¬ 
ford l’inchot of Pennsylvania on "National Forestry 
Policy,” the other by E. D. Ball, Washington, I). C„ 
on “A Food Supply for Increasing Population.” 
Richard T. Ely, Madison, WLs,, a noted economist, 
had a scholarly paper oil land utilization, and Eu¬ 
gene Meyer, Jr., gave timely information on the 
work of the War Emergency Corporation. “Finan¬ 
cial Policies and Price Levels” was discussed by 
Wesley Mitchell of New York. Several short ad¬ 
dresses Were also made on allied interests, includin'; 
milling, machinery, fertilizers, and independent dis¬ 
tributors. 
Next week we will discuss some features of the 
committee reports. 
((EFK’TAL REPRESENTATIVES.—The represen¬ 
tatives of the United States Department, of Agricul¬ 
ture made friends for the department. They were 
not, intrusive. They were little heard, and seldom 
seen, hut they always seemed In the right place at 
the right time, doing the right thing. One felt them 
more than he saw or heard them. Dr. H. L. Taylor, 
E. S. Powell, L. (’. Corbett, F. L. Rogers, Floyd 
Teniiy. and others quietly looked after every need of 
the visitors. The chairman. Hon. Sidney Anderson, 
earned the universal commendation of the delegates 
by his fair, tactful, and considerate treatment of 
everyone. He was courteous and patient to the full¬ 
est. degree, and yet kept that firm grip on the pro¬ 
ceedings that held the convention constantly true to 
its purpose. 
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace set the example 
< f self-effacement and service to his subordinates. 
His was tiie hand and the genius that conserved, 
constructed, and directed it ail. He was. however, 
little in sight or In hearing. He was llicro at the 
beginning and at the close. If sincere, intelligent 
work counts, there should he progress under his 
leadership in the United Stutes Department of 
Agriculture. 
A Lawsuit over Certified Milk 
An interesting lawsuit has recently risen over the 
sale of certified milk. A mother in the city of 
Brooklyn bought a bottle of Sheffield Farms certified 
milk for her baby. The Child got sick, and later it 
was discovered that the milk had worms in it. The 
woman was poor, hut a local lawyer took it up and 
brought suit against the milk dealer. The bottle 
had the Sheffield Farms label for certified milk. The 
mother could have bought wholesome milk out of a 
can for 12 cents a quart, or Grade B milk in a bottle 
for 15 cents, or Grade A milk for IS cents; but she 
was particular about her baby, and paid 2K cents 
for a quart of Sheffield Farms certified milk. Her¬ 
self and her husband and probably other children de¬ 
prived themselves of things they would like that the 
baity might have the best, ami llie disappointment of 
the mother can well be appreciated. 
At tlie trial the dealer admitted the sale of the 
milk and the label, but denied that he had any re¬ 
sponsibility for tlie worms in the milk. He Insisted 
that neither himself, his company nor the employes 
knew anything about the milk. They never saw it 
outside of n sealed bottle, and didn’t know and had 
no way of knowing whether it was fresh and clean 
and wholesome or not. The milk was produced, he 
said, somewhere in the country by a farmer. A com¬ 
mittee of local doctors employed an agent to Inspect 
tlie cows and stables where it was made. Tlie agent 
approved the plant and equipment, the doctors “cer¬ 
tified" the milk. Sheffield Farms furnished the caps 
or labels, bought it from the producer and sold it to 
the consumer at 2S cents a quart. 
On this testimony the trial judge dismissed the 
case on the ground that tho Sheffield Farms company 
was not responsible for the quality of the milk it 
sold as "certified milk” at 2S cents a quart. The 
case, however, was appealed to the Appellate Court, 
and reversed. The ease must now be tried over 
again before a judge and jury. Justice Kelby of the 
higher court, held that public policy and public 
health demanded that dealers he held responsible for 
what they sell under their own label. 
Before responsibility for the milk could be placed 
on the producers or the local health hoard, we should 
need to know how long it remained in the store, and 
under what conditions. Not long ago we found the 
dates scratched off the labels of milk bottles in the 
baby milk stations in the city which were under the 
control of the city hoard of health. Farmers who 
know from observation that many grades of milk can 
he taken from the same can may well marvel at the 
magic wand that converts a 5-cent quart of milk 
into a 28-cent baby food, with or without worms. 
