Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-10-19
De MOcRATIC LAWS
THAT HELP FARMERS
Federal Employment Bureau One
of Many Wilson Achievements.
MONEY FOR CROP MOVING.
Rural Credits, Federal Reserve Act,
Good Roads. Warehouse Law, New
Grain Standards and Improved Mar
ketine System.
Rv a d 0pEL1.

BY FRANK G. ODELT.
Editor of the Nebraska Farm Magazine.
DO you know that your pestotlice is
one of the new things Uncle sam has
started during the present adminiStra
ton. Secretary Wilson OF the depart
nient of labor has tackled the task of
bringing the jobless man and the man
less job together, and now every post
Office is an agency of the United States
employment service. The postmaster
is equipped with blanks for listing mp
Dlications for labor or for employment
and is instructed to help get the worker
and the job in contact.
While this may appear to be princi-
pally in the interest of the worker, il
is really one of the numerous far
reaching things started for the benefit
of the farmer by the administration
of President Wilson. The increasing
scarcity OF farm labor has become II
problem to the farmer, especially in
the wheat growing and fruit growing
sections. This labor, which is of u
seasonal character, necessarily must
be performed largely by itinerant
workers. Some agency which will meet
this demand and relieve the laborer of
the graft Of employment agencies is
necessary. Uncle Sam has started it.
A single illustration Will show how
the system works;
In the Willamette valley of Oregon
thousands of temporary workers are
needed in hop picking time. On Aug
20 the Oregon Journal of Portland
printed a news article about the new
government employment agency, stat
ing that GOO families could obtain i'm
mediate employment in the hop yards
by applying at the Portland division of
the federal employment service.
This is another item added to the
mass OF accommodating evidence which
shows that the Wilson administration
has tried to give both labor and the
farmer a square deal. For the first
time in history this administration has
placed the needs of rural districts
sduarcly before congress ms of equal
Importance with the interests of the
llluiltiui ccnteTS.
And why not? Financial centers
would not moun to much without the
nine billion dollar crop of the Ameri-
can farmer. But the interests of the
farmer have not always been so prom
lnently and favorably considered by
congress as they have during the last
three years. The record of Democrat.
claims for farmer support is a record
of accomplishment. 1t reads like this
IN the passage of laws and admins.
tratiVe acts:
What Has Been Done For the Farmer.
CURRENCY REFORM. = The fed
eral reserve act, under which the farm
er's paper is given special consideration,
including permission to national banks
to loan on the security of farm lands.
RURAL GREDITS.-An epoch max
ing legislative measure which will re.
lieve the farmer of the incubus of the
short time loan at eXtortionate interest.
This measure alone, when in full force,
will save the farmers of the Unised
States n hundred and fifty million
dollars annually in interest CHARGES.
GOOD ROADS.-Seventy-fve million
dollars made available for the develop.
ment of roads from the farm to the
market, under conditions which will
prevent wasteful use of the n
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION.
Fhe passage of the Smith-Lever act
brings to every American farm.
through the joint cooperation of the
federal government and the states, the
help of these agencies in solving the
business problems of the farmer
COTTON FUTURES ACT-Deals a
death blow to gambling in this great
staple.
UNITED STATES WAREHOUSE
ACT. Enables owners of stored prod.
Nets to obtain loans on warehouse re,
teipts o nearly approximatiny the
full value of the product.
GRAIN SrANDARDS.-A law en-
acted last August authorizes the see.
rotary of agriculture to establish otfi
cial grain standards. This law is work
ing. The farmer who has been robbed
through iussled grain grades FOR year.
will appreciate it's value.
CROP MONlNG.-The surplus funds
Of the treasury, department have beer
placed directly in the banks of the
south and west to aid in moving crops
during the customary season of money
shortage.
INTEREST ON GOVERNMENT
DEPOSITS. * Banks holding govern
ment deposits are o required to pay
2 per cent interest. This cuts off a bic
graft which formerly came from the
free use OF huge sums of the peoples
money. More than a million dollars
revenue annually Is now derived from
this source alone.
IMPROVED MARKETING SYS.
TEM.-The farmer has for years felt
| the power of the market combine.
with Its waste, in%efficiency and dis
honesty. The Office of markets and the
rural organization service, established
|in the department OF agriculture dur.
ing this administration. are working
on scientific lines to promote better
marketing and cooperative business
50 HIAN