River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-05-25
CONGRESS SHIFTS
INTO HIGH GEAR

cnlne the majority parry pdSSSO
three experimental measures in the
House last week. The rural credit
bill was strongly criticized on the
floor but passed with few dissenting
votes. In its present form the bill
does not appear to be workable, yet
members generally do not care to go
on record against the principle Of
lowering the farmers loan burden.
In Wisconsin this bill is not likely to
be of material service because of
comparatively low interest rates
paid on farm loans in our State.
Last session | mentioned that COM
mitteeman having the same measure
in hand advised me that in South
western Wisconsin farm loan rates
average lower than in any other
state. | have not verified his state
ment but the rural credit bill is de-
signed primarily to help people who
pay eight to twelve per cent per
annum on farm loans and that takes
in many states, both South and
West.
A second bill which was finally
pushed through the House is known
as flood control bill although it has
no more connection with flood con-
troll than a republican delegate in a
democratic convention. This bill
carried over $51, 100000, covering
two projects, one to reclaim $4,000,
900 acres Of private lands along the
lower Mississippi, toward which the
Government gives two dollars for
every dollar raised by local contri-
buttons and the other project is out
on the Sacramento river where 400,
900 acres Of land are to be reclaimed
with the Government and State
each contributing $5.600,000 toward
the venture. Both lean heavily on
floods, past and future, but it does
not take experts to figure that while
taking floods off from 10000, 900
acres of river basin land and shov-
ing the same floods down be-
tween narrow levees, we are lnvlt-
ing unparalleled floods and waste.
However, the bill had the votes and
votes count.
A third Administration measure
for all those bills have been so term
eds the ship purchase bill. No one
will dispute the assertion that our
merchant marine needs rejuvenating
but over fifty amendments were sub
mitted by republican members de-
signed to improve the bill, according
to their contention. All material
amendments were turned down and
the bill was rushed through, carry
ing S50,0O0,000 more, this time for
the purchase of merchant vessels"
A provision in the bill permits any
one with the approval of the board
to buy stock, providing the Govern
ment retains a majority of the stock
but no member predicted business
men would invest in a proposal that
at this juncture offers no dividends
but probable losses. Section II
shows the probability of losses by
providing that the corporation shall
cease to exist at the expiration of
five years from the conclusion of the
present European war. The Gov
eminent will then automatically
close up business andpocket the loss.
Whether the three measures will
get past the Senate, which is de-
Lucrative body, is uncertain but in
an effort to carry out party pledges
the Administration has put them
through the House. War scares
have diminished and headlines of
sensational papers have been pro-
portionately reduced, but the stir
caused on our own borders and a
real war across the sea has been of
timely service in keeping our pre-
paredness legislative program at
fever heat. A naval bill carrying
$240, 100000 is about to be reported
to the House according to state
ments made by the Committee. Two
years ago Capt. Hobson was jeered
for proposing program of little
more than half the size, but that
was two years ago.
Realizing that agriculture is the
back bone of all business the Govern
ment annually issues yearbooks and