Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett

1937 Baltinglass, Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Federation

Source: Wicklow People, 20.11.1937

Miss Bobbett said that sixty years ago under a foreign Government stock was seized by the rapacious landlords, and now under their own native Government the same thing was happening. The farmer’s own pride was his worst enemy. For years they made a fairly comfortable living out of their holdings. When the bad times came the farmer cut down his comfort to its most frugal limit and even went barefooted rather than protest against this unfair discrimination. The result of it all was that other people reaped the benefits of the farmer’s frugality, and the poor agriculturist was compelled to bear the entire burden of the upkeep of the nation’s services.

Realising the urgent necessity of awakening farmers to their present deplorable position and the necessity of a central organisation, the present Irish Farmers’ Federation was formed, and being a registered trade union is strictly non-political or non-sectarian and is controlled by farmers only. It stood for: (1) Fixity of tenure; (2) fair prices for farm produce based on the cost of production; (3) full de-rating of all agricultural land; (4) remission of all land annuities and arrears until agricultural prices became remunerative; (5) readjustment of loan credit charges and loans on suitable terms to farmers to enable them to restock their farms and improve farmhouses and farm buildings; (6) fair representation for farmers on all national legislative and administrative bodies and the election by the organised farmers of the State of a majority of their members on all Boards dealing directly with agriculture.

Miss Bobbett announced that a National Farmers’ Conference would be held on the 6th January, 1938, which would be representative of every county and parish in Ireland and which will proceed to put the federation on a sound and permanent basis. The speaker added that if necessary a strike would be called to enforce their demands, but she hoped that such a step would not be necessary, as it would inflict untold hardship on the poor people living in the towns.