The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-01-10
RESOLUTIONS OF
.$IOO AN ACRE CLUB

Valley City, N. D., Jan. 10.-At the
annual meeting OF the mid-winter fair
OF the One Hundred Dollar an Acre
Farmers club, which has Just adj
journed, a resolution was adopted
which will attract considerable atten-
ton. 1t was proposed by C. j. Lee
who owns and operates a large farm
of 5000 acres near Valley City. The
resolution was adopted unanimously
and reads as follows:
Whereas: Section Is, called the
drawback provision of the Payne-AI-
drich tariff law, provides that products
imported into this country and export
ed after being manufactured must be
Identified in order to entitle the
manufactures to a rebate of 90 per
cent Of the duty paid by him; and
Whereas, a subordinate oaicer of
the treasury department of the United
states has made q ruling that import
ed wheat under the drawback system
may be milled in conjunction with do
nestle wheat, and a rebate or draw
back obtained at SO per cent of the
duty paid when the flour is exported
made from a mixture Of such foreign
and domestic wheat; and
Whereas, upon the theory that for
eign and domestic wheat under the
drawback system could not be mixed
congress has been repeatedly asked 10
amend the law so as to admit of such
a mixture, and has refused to amend
the law; and
Whereas, the almost universal COM
struction of the drawback section re-
ferred to has been contrary to the re-
cent construction placed upon it by the
assistant secretary Of the treasury;
and
Whereas, the assistant secretary
made such ruling upon arguments
presented by members of the MiIlers'
association or trust without. asking for
any arguments or hearing upon the
part of the wheat producers. and by
such unwarranted and improper con-
struction has attempted to give to the
flour manufactul ers that which has
been repeatedly refused by congress-;
and
Whereas, it has never been claimed
by the -four manufacturers that the
price Of flour would be reduced on ac-
count Of such mixture OF foreign and
domestic wheats under the drawback
system, and consequently that the
high cost Of living would not be af-
fected but instead a body blow would
be dealt to the farmers; and
Whereas, the ever-accommodatinx
treasury department is likely to make
similar rulings which will in effect
mean a free list for barley, flax and
other grains;
Therefore be it resolved by the One
IIW1TaImAl 1888 TAf1nw ~ -
club of Barnes county. North Dakota,
I'd That the attention Of the pres
ident Of the United States be respect.
fully directed to the outrageous ruling
made by the assistant secretary Of the
treasury;
(2) That the members OF the con-
gressionaI delegation from North Da-
kota be requeSted to bring to the at
tention Of congress the high-handed
and unprecedented action Of the treas
ury department. by which 1t has att
tempted to practically place wheat
upon the free list and to rob the farm
ers of their small share of the pro-
tective tariff system;
(3) That the granting of such
special privileges by Secretary Curtis
to the flour manufacturers upon an
Elk parte application and without in
any way giving a hearing to the great
wheat reproducing interests, which will
suffer 80 greatly if such ruling be adj
hered to, should be investigated by a
committee Of congress;
4) That copies of this resolution
be forwarded to the president OF the
United States; Hon. Al. j. Gronna,
United States senator; Hon. p. j. Me-
Cumber, United States senator; Hon.
H. T. HeIgesen and Hon. L. B. Hanna,
members of congress: