e»c RURAJ. NEW-YORKER 
1037 
The Albany Scramble 
Tlie struKgle between tlie Governor and the Legis¬ 
lature was as hot as ever wlien the I’nral members 
I'etnrned to Albany. Telegi'ams from ofticers of farm 
organizations came poui-ing in urging members from 
country districts to oppose the food bill and the 
appointment of Geo. W. Perkins. While the Gov¬ 
ernor claimed the bill would pass it seems evident 
that only a combination of the old-line politicians 
and members from the big cities can make such a 
thing possible. A letter from Herbert C. Hoover 
urging the passage of a frnid bill, bnt carefully re¬ 
fraining from mentioning this particular measure, 
will have some effect, as many people seem to think 
they nuist give np their personal views and obey 
01 'dei‘s from headquarters. In this case, however, 
New York farmers ai‘e determined in their opposi¬ 
tion to the hill and to Mr. Perkins. 
A new feature has been introduced in a great ad¬ 
vertising campaign conducted by Mr. Perkins. He 
must have spent at least $50,000 in printing great 
advertisements in the Sttite and city papers de¬ 
fending himself and urging the food bill. This puts 
the matter into a personal issue for or against Mr. 
Perkins. The following letter is a fair illustration 
of the Avay farmers take this: 
Inclosed please find page advertisement taken from 
the Binghamton Republican-Herald. It looks to me 
like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. 1 thought it might he 
of ii.se to you. Thanking you for the great work you 
are doing in behalf of the farmer, I am, g. k. w. 
.Vt this hour the end of it is in doul>t, but this 
campaign is proving the best thing that has hap- 
jiened to New York farmers. They know' what they 
can do and how they can do it. Gov. Whitman and 
Mr. Perkins, without intending to do so, have given 
onr farmers the greatest boost they ever had along 
the road to independent and non-partisan political 
action. 
“ Fabulous Profits for Farmers 
I am enclosing an article found on page 17 of the 
Saturday issue of the Syracuse Post-Standard. Such 
rhings are enough to make the farmers rise right up 
in arms. How many years has the farmer ever made 
the “mere 10 per cent or 12 per cent.” so contemptibly 
spoken of as sufficient remuneration for the business 
man, even when depreciation and interest on the in¬ 
vestment are not_ cou.sidere<l ? No account is made of 
the cost of fertilizer*, or of the years when we exper¬ 
ience a total or almost total failure of crop, nor our 
losses in other directions, as stock, machinery, etc., 
for which we have to get enough pi-ice for our grain to 
cover the cost. 
None of those business men would take the risk the 
farmer has this year in cropping to his limit, without 
contracts to cover the price to be received and the 
amount to be taken. Such articles make the farmer feel 
that he will look out for b’jnself and let the other fel¬ 
low whistle. It sounds as though it might have been 
written by some disgruntled speculator or middleman, 
mad because he cannot scalp the farmer of his usual big 
profits. DOROTHY K. TORSLEFF. 
The article in question was fir.st printed in the 
New' York Journal of Commerce. It is headed “Fab¬ 
ulous Profits in Sight for Farmers,” and gives the 
following as the cost of a bushel of wheat: 
Here is the estimate of the cost of a bushel of wheat 
by a mill owner just returned from the Southwe.st: 
Interest of rent of laud, per acre. .$(>..50 
See<l, per acre . 2..50 
Plowing . 1.50 
Drilling, rolling, harrowing, etc. 2.25 
Harve.stiug and threshing . .75 
Total cost, per acre . 1.3.50 
.\t 15 bushels to the acre, per bushel .. .90 
Margin for variation in costs . .10 
Maximum cost per bushel . 1.00 
Farm prices estimated on present market 2.25 
Net profit per bushel . 1.25 
/On crop of 65.3,000,000 bushels ..816,250,000.00 
Arguing from this, the article goes on to accuse 
the farmers of demanding 200 to 250 per cent, profit 
and of being re.sponsible for the high cost of food, 
'riiis article is being printed by the daily paper’s all 
over the country, and, e^ddently, for a purpose. It 
is part of a W’ell-orgauized jrlan to make city people 
believe that the farmers ai‘e all getting rich, and 
that country people are responsible for any increase 
in foo<l prices. Any farmer who goes over that 
list of expenses will know that several of the most 
important items are left out, and that no farmer on 
the Atlantic slope can handle an acre of Avheat for 
that money. It is also true that the vast majority 
of our Kastern farmers are buyers of flour and feed, 
the same as the city people. The statement is un¬ 
true and unfair to our Ea.stern farmers, yet it is 
being printed everywhere to damage their reputa¬ 
tion and injure their business. 
Our correspondent hits it right in her last para¬ 
graph. Of course the .speculators want to keep up 
tlieir old game of robbery and graft. This is part 
of their campaign to get square. It is worth all it 
cost.s, if it only icill “make the farmer feel that he 
will look out for himself and let the other fellow 
whistle.” The great trouble is that farmers have 
been paying the other fellow's to “look out f»r them” 
and it has taken more than they earn to pay the.se 
j>rotector>.. Now let's look out for ourselves and 
.sa.ve the cost I . . 
Senator Brown and His Turkeys 
We have been asked to print a picture of Senator 
Elon R. Brown. We have no photograph of the 
gentleman from .Tetforson, but the Knickerbocker 
Press of Albany recently printed the cartoon w'hich 
is I’eproduced on this page. While it is the business 
of the cartoonist to point the truth Avith humor, he 
must make his figures close enough to life to have 
them ])ass as a fair presentment. This cartoon Avas 
Senator Elon Brown’s Turkeys 
called out by the following statements made by 
Geo. W. I’erkins in his recent ad.ertising cam¬ 
paign : 
At. a hearing in Albany host Winter Senator Elon 
R. Brown told about the seventy-five turkeys he had fo( 
sale last Fall. He tried to get a bid from several deal¬ 
ers in New York City, but they all refused to take hi.s 
turkeys, saying that the market was glutted. Aston¬ 
ished at this, Senator Brown came to New York City, 
investigated for himself, and found that turkeys were 
selling for as high a price as ever. Now, this could 
mean but one thing—namely, that the dealers in turkeys 
in New York (’ity had a secret understanding (not in 
Avi’iting, Avhere the law could reach them, but likely 
arranged over the telephone .so that the law could not 
reach them) to curtail the supply of turkeys coming 
into New York City so that they could keep the price as 
high as possible. 
The picture is supposed to shoAv Senator Brown 
driving his turkeys to market. I’erhaps the picture 
NOW WATCH ’EM SCAITER 
Reproduced from the N. Y. Telegram 
as fairly resembles Senator BroAvu as the luinch of 
turke.vs resembles the A’oters of .Teft’erson. But for 
that “big stick’’ both Avould break uAvay! 
Pennsylvania Law of “Common Carriers” 
Between two towns a certain party claims to have a 
charter from the State Higlnvay Department by which 
he can operate a number of automobiles or jitney busses 
and at the same time forbid anyone else from running a 
hack betAveen the two toAvus. What I wish to know is: 
Is it possible for anyone to secure a charter or certifi¬ 
cate from the State Highway Department by which to 
operate a hack to the extent mentioned here? V’hen all 
auto owners are compelled to pa.v a licei'se do<‘s that 
not give them the right to run Avhere they Avish and 
Avhen they Avish? And Avould anyone be subject to ar¬ 
rest for running a hack over said route? w. K. i*. 
Penn.sylvania. 
HE folloAving statement gives in general tei*ms 
the chief points of the Pennsylvania law. Any¬ 
one can apply to the Public Service Commission for 
a certificate authorizing him to act as a common 
carrier and if it be shoAvn that the applicant is a 
suitable person, has or can procure the necessary 
facilities to carry on the business, and that thei*e is 
a necessity for the .service, a certificate will be 
granted. 
Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Law 
1. All motor vehicles must pay a license fee to the 
State JlighAvay Department. Thi.<s has nothing to dn 
Avith the use to Avhich the OAvner puts his car. This 
license in no wi.se authorizes the car owner to engage 
in the business of a common carrier of passengers. 
2. The Public Service Commission law requires all 
persons or companies proposing to engage in any publi<j 
utility or commou carrier service first to .secui*e from 
>that Commission a certificate of public convenience. 
3. Jitneys or automobiles when engaged in the com¬ 
mon carriage of pas.sengers for hire are commou car¬ 
riers required by law to secAire such certificates. 
_ 4. The te.st which the law requires the Public Ser¬ 
vice Commi.ssion to apply to each application is, is tin; 
ser\;ice necessary and proper for the safety, accommo¬ 
dation and convenience of the public? 
5. It is obvious that in determining this main ques¬ 
tion, others must be decided. Is the applicant a fit per¬ 
son or corporation to be granted a certificate? Has lu'. 
or can he prwure adequate facilities with which to per¬ 
form a public service? Is he i)reparcd to meet the re¬ 
sponsibility and burdens of such service, if he be per¬ 
mitted to enjoy the pi'ivileges, for obviously he must 
fulfill the dutie.s if he accepts the benefits? Over all 
then comes the question, does the public need this par¬ 
ticular service? If the public is well served by others 
already engaged ni common OJirriage, the later applicant 
can hardly mainiaiu that his service is nece.s.sary for 
public accommodation. Back ot r.hi.s. of course, is the 
economic truth that all public service is in a sense a 
tax on the public using it. If unlimited com petition 
among commou carriers is permitted, it means a loss or 
revenue so that the standards of .service re(ialred by the 
(’ommission in the public interests cannot bo main¬ 
tained. 
6. The Commission folloAving this economic principle 
holds that if its regulating pow-er is to be exercised .so 
as to .secure the best service at the mo.st reasonable rates 
in the interest of a dependent public, it must not open 
the door to unnecessary and useless competition Avhereby 
the carriers’ income would be so reduced or divided as 
to prevent them rendering the pre.s<‘ribed and neces¬ 
sary kind of service. Such a condition would burden 
not benefit the public. 
7. These tests are applied to all applications for cer¬ 
tificates and as the answers are so the orders follow 
Some are granted, others refused. 
8. If a person becomes a public servant by applying 
for and securing an authorizing certificate, the right.s 
under it cannot, Avith fairness to the public, be exer- 
ci.sed on the mere Avhim or convenience of the certificate 
holder. Common carriage, whether railroad, street car 
or Jitney, requires reasonable regularity and certainty. 
All forms of common carriage must be operated in good 
weather as well as bad; on lean days as well asi re- 
miinerative days. Public service of any kind implies an 
obligation to the public and therein it differs materially 
irom merely private entei‘prise.s. 
The Federal Land Banks’s Business 
^ It doe.s not .seem to be generally known that the 
Federal Land Bank at Springfield, Mias.s., is doing 
bu.siness. This bank represents New England, NeAv 
York and NeAv Jersey. Up to date the following a.s- 
soclations have been organized in the last naimul 
states: 
Mohawk Valley N. F. L. A. of S<-henectady, New 
York. ^ ' 
Oswego County No. 1 N. F. 1.. A. of Oswego, New 
Y ork. 
Columbia County N. F. L. A. of Martiudale, New 
Y ork. 
Dutche.ss County N. F. L. A. of Poughkeepsie, New 
York. 
Rochester N. F. L. A. of Rochester, New York 
First Orange County N. F. I.. A. of Middletown. 
New York. 
Oneida County N. F. L. A. of Rome, New York. 
North County N. F. L. A. of Watertown, New York. 
Saratoga Countyy, N. F. I.. A. of Saratoga Springs. 
New York. 
Tompkins County N. F. L. A. of Ithaca, New York. 
Pharsalia N. F. L. A. of l’har.salla, New' York. 
First N. F. L. A. of Jamestown, New York. 
People’s N, F. L. A. of Rochester, New Y^ork. 
Broome County N. F. L. A. of Binghamton, New 
York. 
First N. F. L. A. of Atlantic County, Mays Land¬ 
ing, N. J. 
I’iscataAvay ToAvnship N. F. L, A. of New Market. 
N. .1. 
Passaic County N. F. L. A. of Paterson, N. J. 
Dcean County N. F. L. A. of Barnegat, N. J. 
Monmouth County N. F. L. A. of Farraingdale, N. J. 
First N. F. L. A. of Woodbine, N. J. 
Fir.st N. F. L. A. of Sussex County, Newton, N. J. 
As for 
business 
done. 
the folloAving 
statement 
shoAVS the 
total of 
applications and 
loans 
from May 
It to August 1 1: 
No. 
.Ymount. 
No. 
Amount. 
Ylaine .. . 
.... 4 
101 
.$193,485 
87 
$146,.300 
N. 11. . . . 
... 1 
14 
23.195 
Vt. 
•> 
21 
126,600. 
r 20 
114,700 
Mass. ... 
....10 
208 
579.895 
123 
270,475 
Conn. . . 
.S 
131 
374,030 
62 
181.900 
R. I. 
_2 
37 
92,460 
14 
35,5.50 
N. Y. ... 
. . . .16 
2»50 
873,i)09 
76 
247,155 
N. ,1. . . . 
88 
221,835 
27 
55,85(i 
Total . 
. . . 50 
MIO $ 
12,485,409 
409 
$1,051,930 
