The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-05

neither rightly understand nor justly
estimate the position and service of
American farmers.
Secretary Of Agriculture.
We believe that the Secretary of
Agriculture should be a practical far
mer and should not only be in SYM
pathy with farmers, but so identified
with them in vocation, ideas and effort
that farmers will recognize him as
one of themselves. 1t is most essen
tial that the head of this department
shall be a man identified in the public
mind with agricultural matters,
around whom agricultural interests
and workers will rally with confidence
in his leadership. We pledge our
selves to secure the appointment of
such a Secretary in the future, re-
CARELESS of politics.
The Land Problem.
Land tenantry is rapidly increas-
ing, farm property is concentrating in
the hands of wealthy land holders, and
abandoned farms are becoming alto
gether too common. In the face of
these conditions every means should
be provided to assist the young man
Of character and training to secure
homestead of his own. The largest
possible number of owners operating
and living on their farms is the surest
guarantee of the perpetuity of Amer
lean agriculture. To this end we favor
such modification of the farmer land
bank law as will extend it's benefits
still more widely. We advocate the
establishment of system of personal
cooperative credit to enable tenant
farmers and small farm owners to ex-
tend their operations and avail them
! selves of the economies which COM
mand of credit always affords.
Farms for Soldiers.
We oppose the proposed plan Of pro-
viding swamp and arid lands, by
drainage and irrigation, for returning
soldiers, as unsound and impractical
and detrimental to the best interests
Of the nation and agriculture. The time
may come that will justify this huge
expenditure Of public funds, but that
time is not now.
This plan fails to take into consld-
Grafton the previous occupations, de,
sires or ambitions Of these boys and
the economic welfare of established
agricultural communities
There is an abundance of unused
end untenanted farms and available
farm lands near established market
centers to supply all needs in this al
rection. The government should. offer
our heroic soldiers boys who desire it,
such help as will enable them to Sc
cure farm homes of their own.
Fertilizer Supplies.
In many sections Of the country the
use of fertilizers is now vital need
in the production Of crops. Any pol
icy that will provide an adequate sup
ply of phosphoric acid, nitrogen and
potash at moderate cost will benefit
agriculture and all the people. A.
ready the necessary machinery has
been provided, largely at Federal ex-
pense; this machinery, if property
turned from war to peace channels,
can be made to provide all fertilizer
materials cheaper than ever before:
The plants used for the production OF
sulphuric acid for munitions may cas-
ily be continued that the unlimited
stores of rock phosphate may be con-
verted into acid phosphate at MN
imum cost. The nitric acid plants es-
tablished by the government for the
production of gunpowder should be
converted into nitrate plants for the
production Of nitrogen for fertilizers,
thus freezing the nation from Deepen,
dency on foreige supplies. Of equal
Importance is the development OF
methods for securing potash of domes-
tic origin, but our peace commission
should be asked to make every effort
to secure proper concessions in Alsace
that potash from that source may be
available at less cost than formerly.
Taxes should be so levied as to en- /,
courage home owning and discourage
land speculation and tentantry. The
income and inheritance tax laws
should be framed so that a much lar
ger proportion should be taken from
large incomes and fortunes, to the end
that the tax may be most justly placed
and. easily borne.
The income tax should be moderate
on small incomes, not to exceed per
cent for the normal. The surtaxes
should be progressively increased I'M
til at least 80 per cent be levied on all
incomes over $5OO,0O0. The revenue
tax bill for 1918 should carry pro-
vision taxing war profits 80 per cent