Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett
1939 Mostrim, Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Federation
Source: Longford Leader, 26.08.1939
This is not a movement to put the Government out of power. We want justice. Let the Government keep their seats in Leinster House, the farmers don’t want their seats; a good farmer much prefers to be at home minding his business and so would we to-day but this is a National duty, somebody has got to take it up, and it is my duty to be here to-day, to help the working farmers to get justice because I am a farmer myself and a working farmer at that, said Miss Elizabeth F. Bobbett in the course of an address at a public meeting in Mostrim on Monday.
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Miss Bobbett was received with enthusiasm. Addressing the gathering as her fellow farmers, she expressed her pleasure to be with them to tell them of the Farmers’ Federation, its foundation and what it stands for. It was established, she continued, after consultation with farmers of fourteen counties in Eire who met in Dublin time after time at their own expenses. In 1936 they held their first conference and the Federation was registered as a trade union in 1937. Being registered as a trade union, the Irish Farmers’ Federation is non-political, no matter what political party a member of it belongs to he can come out from his meeting and take any part he wishes in politics. As a trade union politics will not be allowed to interfere with its business. The members of the Farmers’ Federation are at liberty to vote for whom they like in elections. If the farmers of Longford want to put a farmer on for the Dail they are quite at liberty to do it. The farmers of County Wicklow did so. The same as other trade unions. The members of the Federation were at liberty to vote for whom they liked. As a registered trade union the Farmers’ Federation has certain protections, the same as other trade unions. Its members were entitled to go on strike if they liked. Membership of the Federation is open to all farmers and farm-labourers, to owners and users of land, whether they be small farmers or large farmers.
We do not draw the line between small farmers and large farmers, Miss Bobbett continued. I have been for the past five years asking the farmers to come together in their own interests and in the course of that time we find the politicians trying to divide the farmers and the farm labourers, trying to play the labourer against the farmer because they know of course that the small farmers are in the majority. They play them against each other not, of course, for the benefit of the farmer but for the benefit of getting their votes. They will promise them the sun, moon and stars to get the majority votes. The Farmers’ Federation is ruled by majority and it is up to the small farmers to come into the Farmers’ Federation and rule it when they are there in majority.
It is open the same as any other trade union and I would urge that all would belong to the one Federation because one small association or county is not going to get anywhere, she said.
The immediate aim, and which must be won before 1939 is out, is immediate relief for farmers in general in this country. It is to get that immediate relief we are demanding and have put it up to Dr. James Ryan, partial compensation for our losses in the economic war. The demand is based at the rate of £1 on the valuation of agricultural holdings with a minimum of £25 compensation, so that a man with a valuation of £4 would be entitled to £25, as in the case of a man with a valuation of £25 and on a valuation of £100 the amount would be £100.
During the economic war three-year old bullocks could not be sold because they were looking for those with two teeth, and yearlings had to be sold at prices as low as 30/- and 45/- when they should be worth £10 or £12. Poor old skins of cows died in numbers throughout the country last year; despite the efforts to minimise this fact Miss Bobbett said she was aware it was very bad in many areas. This also was a result of the economic war because during that period the farmer, to get money to carry on, was obliged to sell off his best stock and retain the interior lots.
Mr. Childres, T.D., had admitted that there were £88'000'000 involved in the agreement with England. That £88'000'000 belongs to the farmers of Eire and we are determined we will get some of that for the losses we suffered in the economic war, said the speaker amid applause.
The time has arrived, she added, when farmers for their own protection and for the protection of their workers must unite and pull their whole weight in the task of securing justice being done.