Evening journal., 1918-07-13
Wilson VETO HITS
S2.40 Wheat PRICE.
President, in Message,
Points TO Necessity OF Not
Disturbing Allies Finances
DEMOCRATS NOW
IN POLITICAL HOLE

WASHINGTON, July i3.-The pros
e pect Of farmers receiving basic price
$ Of s2.40 a bushel for wheat went glim'
!. mering yesterday. when the President
}. sent TO Congress his veto Of the agri-
I cultural appropriation carrying the
: wheat price as an amendment. With
! the prospect Of a higher wheat price
. there also went glimmering the GER
tainty that flour VIII cost $3.50 a
barrel at the mills instead of Si0.50 a
! barrel as at present.
: The House adopted s240 wheat a
week ago by a vote Of $50 to i06.
A perfunctory effort was made to
pass the bill over the Presidents veto.
Chairman Lever IS c. Of the House
Committee on Agriculture asked for
"the regular order" after the veto mes
sage was read, which meant putting
the question up TO the House whether
the bill should pass despite the veto.
Immediately the House was thrown
into an uproar, proponents Of the
higher price trying TO obtain adjourn
ment but failing. Finally a motion OF
no quorum was made and the roll call
disclosed that only 209 answered-not
a quOrum-and IL was not possible to
do anything with the measure today.
The veto message follows
ITO the House Of Representatives.
II regret to return without my sigma
ture so important measure as H. r..
1864, entitled An act making appropri-
ations for the Department Of Agrieui-
ture for the fiscal year ending June
30, i9i9,' but feel constrained to do so
because Of my very earnest dissent,
from the point OF view of principle NJ
we'll as Of wise expediency. from the
provision Of that part OF section Ii
which prescrlbes a uniform minimum
price for No. ? Northern spring wheat
Of s2.40 a bushel
81 dissent upon principle because |
believe that such inelastic legislative
price provisions are insusceptible of be-
ing administered in way that would
be advantageous either to the producer
or to the consumer, establishing az
they do arbitrary levels which are quite
independent Of the normal market con-
dltlons, and because I believe that the
present methods Of regulating by con-
ference with all concerned has result
ed in the most satisfactory manner,
considering the complexlty and variety
OF the subject matter dealt with.
ut is evident that the present method
OF determining the price to be paid for
wheat has had the most stimulating ef-
feet upon production, the estimated
crop of spring wheat for this year eX-
ceeding all high records in a very re-
markable and gratifying way.
by an overwhelming majority OF the
farmers Of the United States the price
administratively fixed has been regard
ed as fair and liberal. and objections
to it have come only from those see
tions OF the country in which unfOrtu-
nately il has in recent years proved
impossible to depend upon climatic
conditions TO produce a full crop OF
wheat and where, therefor, many dis
appointments to the farmers have
proved TO be unavoidable.
personally l do not believe the
farmers Of the country depend upon |
the stimulation of price to do their ut
most to serve the nation and the world 1
at this time Of crisis by exerting them
selves to an extraordinary degree TO
produce the largest and best crops pos
sible. Their patriotic spirit in this mat
ter has been worthy of all praise and
has shown them playing a most admir-
able and gratifying part in the full
mobilization Of the resources OF the
country.
ITO a very greatly increased produc-
ton Of wheat they have added an IN
creased production Of almost every
other important grain so that our
granaries are likely to overflow ana tne
anxiety OF the nations arrayed against
Germany with regard to their 1000 sup
plies has been relieved.
1.-THE administrative method OF agree
ing upon price has this very great
advantage which any element OF rig
idity would in large part destroy; |
namely the advantage OF fexlDllity oi
rendering possible at every Stage anu
in the view Of every change OF expert
enec a readjustment winch VIII De lair
alike 10 producer and consumer.
"a fixed minimum price OF s2.4O
nor bushel would. It is estimated, add |
40 per barrel TO the price OF hour III
other words. raise the price Of Hour
from, the present price Of $1,000 at the /
mills IN $3.50 at the mills, and mas
rn,,cb as we are anticipating a crop OF
annroxinately 9O0.OOOOO0 bushels OF
wheat This increase would be equiva-
lent to the immense sum of $685., 100000.
"Such an increase Of the price OF
wheat in the United States would force
a corresponding increase in the price
of Canadian wheat The Allied Govern
ments would, Of course, be obliged to
make all of their purchases at the in
creased figure, and the whole sale OF
their financial operations in this coun-
trv in which the Government Of the
limited states is directly assisting
would be thereby correspondlngly en-
larged.
"The Increase would also add very
materially to the cost OF living and
there would inevitably ensue an in
crease in the wages paid In practically
every Industry In the country. These
added financial and economic difficulties
affecting practically the whole world
cannot. | assume. have been in contem-
plation by the Congress in passing this
legislation.
WOODROW WILSON"
The test on whether the House can 4,
pass the bill over the veto Of the /.
President has not yet come, but there [
is scarcely any doubt that IL Will fail. !
Chairman Lever, In charge OF the bill,
Is willing TO accept the Presidents /:
stand and without his active support 1t !
has but a sorry chance.
Democrats from wheat States feel {
hat the President has put them in a |
lole. though they have been practically {
for q week that the veto was {
coming. Republicans from the big
wheat growing sections Of the North I
.-oe4 40 oor.o fbov viii rain In flp .