Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-07-19
WILSON VETOES
S24O WHEAT
Says Patriotic Farmers Do Not
Need Increase to Stimulate
Production.
WOULD ADD TO LIVING COST
Arbitrary Basis Is Not Fair to the
Producer or Consumer, Asserts
President in Message
to Congress.

Washington, July 10.-PreSlQenC
Wilson vetoed on Friday the annual
. agricultural appropriation bill, con-
tanning an amendment increasing the
price of wheat to $40 per bushel.
Members OF congress from wheat
growing states will make fight to
pass the bill over the veto, but indi-
cations are that the wheat-price pro-
visions will be eliminated. The presi-
dents message said the increase in
the price Of wheat would add So to
the cost of barrel Of -four, and
would add $387,OOO,OOO to the price of
the 9OO,OOO,0OO bushel crop of 1913
wheat.
The presidents message follows:
Il regret to return without my sig
nature so important a measure as
81. r. 1854, entitled An, Act Making
Appropriations for the Department of
Agriculture for the Fiscal Year End
ing June 30, 1919 but feel con-
strained to do SO because of my earn
est dissent from the point of view of
principle as well as wise expediency,
from the provisions of that part of
section IA which prescribes a uniform
minimum price for No. 2 northern
spring wheat of $2.4O a bushel.
i dissent upon principle because i
believe that such inelastic legislative
price provisions are insusceptible of
being administered in a way that will
/ q n Mt =
Queer or to the consumer, establish
ing as they do arbitrary levels which
are quite independent Of the normal
market conditions.
'It is evident that the present
method of determining the price to be
paid for wheat has had the most stim-
ulat1ng effect upon production, the es-
timated crop of spring wheat for this
year exceeding all high records in a
very remarkable and gratifying way.
By an overwhelming majority of the
farmers of the United States the price
Enthusiastically fixed has been re-
garded as fair and liberal, and objec-
tons to it have come only from those
sections of the country where, unfortu-
nately, it has in recent years proved
impossible to rely upon climatic con-
ditions to produce full crop of wheat
and where, therefore, many disap-
pOintments to the farmer have proven
to be unavoidable
Personally, / do not believe that
the farmers of the country depend
q cfi loft Of n
their utmost to serve the nation and
the world at this time of crisis by ex-
erting themselves to an extraordinary
degree to produce the largest and best
crops possible. Their patriotic spirit
In this matter has been worthy Of all
praise and has shown them playing a
most admirable and gratifying part in
the full mobilization of the resources
of the country.
ITO very greatly increased pro-
duction of wheat they have added an
increased production Of almost every
other important grain, SO that our
granaries are likely to overflow, and
the anxiety Of the nations arrayed
against Germany with regard to their
food supplies has been relieved.
"The administrative method OF
agreeing upon fair price has this
very great advantage, which any ele-
ment of rightly would in large part
destroy-namely the advantage OF
dexibility, of rendering possible al
every stage and in the view Of every
/ oh Of n inc IA
which will be fair alike to producer
and consumer.
"a fixed minimum price of $40 a
bushel would, it is estimated, add So
words, raise the price Of flour from the
present price Of 5000 to $3.50 at the
| mill; and inasmuch as we are antici-
pating crop Of approximately 9OO,.
| 100000 bushels Of wheat, this increase
would be equivalent to the immense
sum of 1887, 100000.
"Such an increase in the price OF
wheat in the United States would force
| corresponding increase in the price
| Of Canadian wheat.
"The increase would also add very
materially to the cost of living, and
there would inevitably ensue an in
crease in the wage paid in practically
| every industry in the country. These
| added financial and economic Difficult.
ties, affecting practically the whole
world, cannot, / assume, have been in
contemplation by the congress in pass
| ing this legislation.
WOODROW WILSON,"