The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-07-18
WILSON VETOiIS $2.4O WHEAT TO
HALT $12 FLOUR.
Says New Price Would Mean BIG
Increase in Living Cost.

AheicaSc III luvHS COSC.
Washington, D. c., July 12.-
President Wilson vetoed the annual
agricultural appropriation bill, con
the price of wheat to $24O bushel,
today
The presidents messages said the
increase in the price of wheat would
add ~ to the cost of a barrel of
o4h the and prce Teud Of adS 4Se s$SSSSS $S3SSSSSS
bushel crop of 1918 wheat. 1t also
would cause corresponding in
crease in the price of Canadian
wheat, the message said, and would
add very materially to the general
high cost of living.
growing states will make a fight to
pass the bill over the veto, but indi-
cations are that the wheat price pro-
visions will be eliminated.
The Presidents Message.
The presidents message follows:
signature SO important measure as
H. r. 9O54, entitled An Act Making
Appropriations for the Department
of Agriculture for the Fiscal Year
Ending June 80, 1912 but feel
constrained &C ira to do SO because Of my
view of principle as we'll as wise ex-
pediency, from the provisions of that
part of section IA which prescribes
a uniform minimum price for No. 2
northern spring wheat of $2.40 a
bushel
Il dissent upon principle because
l believe that such inelastic legisla-
tive price provisions are insuscept-
ible OF being administered in a way
that will be advantageous either to
the producer or to the consumer, es-
tablishing as they do arbitrary levels
iaI, TO in1 6nrf 0f ko
normal 5i.n q market @ conditions, dHt and d be- be-
cause believe that the present
method of regulation by conference
with all concerned has resulted in
the most satisfactory manner, con-
sidering the complexity and variety
"It is evident that the present
method of determining the price to
be paid for wheat has had the most
stimulating effect upon production,
the estimated crop of spring wheat
for this year exceeding, all high rec
flying way, By an overwhelming
majority of the farmers Of the Unit
ed States the price administratively
fixed has been regarded as fair and
liberal, and objections to it have
come only from those sections of the
in recent years proved Impossible to
rely upon climatic conditions to pro-
duce full crop of wheat and where,
therefore, many disappointments IT,
the farmer have proven to be un-
avoidable.
APt DO DC Ssy nof beeTe rfter that
the farmers of the country depend
upon the stimulation of price to do
their utmost to serve the nation and
the world at this time of crisis by
exerting themselves to an extraor-
dinary degree to produce the largest
riotic spirit in this matter has been
worthy of all praise and has shown
them playing most admirable and
gratifying part in the full mobiliza-
tion of the resources of the country.
''To very greatly increased pro-
duction of wheat they have added an
increased production of almost every
other important grain, so that our
graneries are likely to overflow, and
the anxiety of the nations arrayed
against Germany, with regard to their
food supplies has been relieved.
agreeing upon a fair price has this
very great advantage, which any
element of rigidity would in large
part destroy-namely: the advant-
age of flexibility, of rendering pos
sible at every stage and in the view
of every change of experience re-
to producer and consumer
Adds 50 u Barrel to Flour.
"a fixed minimum price of ~ Az
a bushel would, it is estimated, add
50 barrel to the price Of flour: in
other words, raise the price Of flour
$3.50 at the mill; and inasmuch as
we are anticipating crop of approx
imately 100000 900 bushels of
wheat, this increase would be equiv
alent to the immense sum of $751;
100000.
''Such an increase in the price Of
wheat in the United States would
force corresponding increase In
the price of Canadian wheat: The
allied governments would. Of course,
be obliged to make all of their pur,
chases at the increased figure, and
the whole scale of their financial
operations in this country. in which
the government of the United States
is directly assisting, would be there
by correspondingly enlarged.
"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 practical
ly every industry in the country.
These added financial and economic
difficulties. affecting practically. the
whole world, cannot, l assume, have
been in contemplation by the con-
gress in passing this legislation.
woodrow Wilson,"
Claiming Exemption.
wo learn from the Leon RepOrter