Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-12-11
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Nashington.-Rec Secretary Of
the Navy Daniels spoke at several
larxe cities In the west on the pros
meet OF better times for the farmers
Of the country, incidentally as the re-
suit of tariff and currency legislation,
but specifically perhaps as the result
of legislation establishing a rural
credit system. The hopes which Mr..
Daniels held out of beneficent accom-
plishment were high and the Demo
Gratis hope of course that his prophe-
cies will be justified by the facts Of
the future. In one of his speeches in
the west the secretary of the sailors"
said
The new tariff will remove from
the farmer the excessive charges for
every article needed in cultivation
and in the home, and will cheaper
the living of the farmer. The new
currency bill that will soon be law
will be followed by wise legislation
providing for rural credits and for eff
fective laws which will be put into ex-
ecution against all forms of monop-
oily. These blessings are almost in
sight and their gradual unfolding will
mean a new and a better day for the
dwellers on the farms"
Senator Fletcher of Florida is at
work on rural credits legislation
which will be a part of the admins
tration program for the winter ses-
sion OF congress. A commission has
been studying rural credits and will
submit findings which will be put into
the president gives his sanction the
opinions OF the commission put into
legislative form eventually will be-
come the law OF the land.
To Consult McAdoo and Houston.
This matter of rural credits is large
ly treasury matter, and it is expect
ed that Secretaries McAdoo and Hous-
ton must be reckoned with before the
legislation is accomplished, Just as
one of them had to be reckoned with
prior to the final framing Of the
Glass currency bill. Just how much
Mr.. McAdoo has had to do with the
suggestions already put forth in con-
gress for proper form for rural cred
Its legislation does not appear. It
seems likely, however, that the presi-
dent will insist that Mr.. McAdoo and
Mr.. Houston agree before anything
definite Is done.
Representative e. r. Bathrick of
Ohio has prepared rural credit
measure in which It is said that the
farpnaru ~ tho oouptry chou, daan In
terest. Mr.. Bathrick says, perhaps
superhuously, that the heart OF the
farm credit matter is lending money
at a lower cost and on better terms
than at present. Mr.. Bathrick has
been going from one farmers con-
vention to another explaining the
terms of the bill.
1t seems to be the Ohioan's idea,
and 1t possibly may be the one
that will take with the house OF rep
resentatives, that government aid is
the surest way of guaranteeing a
farm credit system for this country.
It is said that there are two gen.
eral systems for giving cheap money
10 farmers, one the Bathrick plan and
the other that looking to the forma-
ton OF farmers cooperative societies
through which they can borrow
money for themselves Both these
systems were studied by the Ameri-
can congressional commission which
spent some time In Europe digging
into the subject.
Danger 10 Cooperative Plan7
The cooperative plan has its ad-
herents and they are forceful in pre-
senting their views of the question.
The Ohio representative seems to
think. however, that such a system
would run the danger of falling into
the hands OF the wall Street finan-
ciers." He thinks the government It.
self should accept the mortgages
and on this security issue bonds, the
proceeds from the sale on which could
be furnished to the mortgage givers
at maximum interest rate of four
and a half per cent. Mr.. Bathrick
seemingly has IDEAS that some people
would call merely progressive and
others would call radical. He says
tnat the government would derive
profits from the transactions de-
scribed and that II he can get his
ideas into legislative form these pro-
hts will be applied to the building of
country roads.
Let the government be the lender
on the farm mortgage" urges Mr..
bathrick. That is the only sure way
20 lower the interest rate. Not cent
Of the taxpayers money need be used.
The government can borrow and lend.
1t can be the trustee for the lender
and borrower, take no risk, and make
profit for the whole people.
The laborer in the city viii not
complain. The money lender will COM
plain In the name of labor, but actual
iy for himself. Labor knows that gov
eminent loans to farmers will help
farm production and take the farm
ooys competition out OF the city"
Plans for Canal Zone Rule.
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