The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-11-22
FARMERS WELFARE
WILL BE WATCHED
Senator Smith and Congressman
Lee Active-Important Legisla-
ton To Be Enacted in
Next Few Months,

house and senate on the reasSem-
bling of congress until the extra ses-
sion has passed into history some
time in the summer the eyes of the
agricultural world will center upon
two Southerners-Senator E D Smith
of South Carolina, ranking Democrat
on the senate committee on agricul-
ture, and Gordon Lee of Georgia,
holding a similar position in the
house.
With the defeat for denomination
of Senator Thomas P. Gore of Okla
homa, which removes him from con-
gress after March 4, Senator Smith
will become first man or ranking
Democrat on this committee on the
senate side of the capitol. 1t will
be the South Carolina senator who
will take care of the minority or
Democratic interests as they shall
come up from time to time.
+. Congressman Lee, who has been in
the house many years, worked his
way up to the position which he now
holds-ranking member on the house
agricultural committee-by years of
hard and faithful work, and just as
Senator Smith will protect the inter-
est of the Southern people on the
senate side, so will Mr.. Lee be on
guard in the house.
One of the big problems that will
face these committees will be the
amendments to present laws provid-
ing that more liberal credit system
shall be brought about.
Legislation will also be put through
to bring about a scientific and ade-
quate marketing system calculated to
stabilize the markets for the farmers
and at the same time to relieve the
consumer of excessive prices.
The farm loan act will undoubtedly
be broadened and improved and a
plan of personal credit authorized.
The result of this would be to en-
able the man of small means to get
start in the farming industry, in
live stock raising or in some other
branch of agriculture.
There is no doubt of the fact that
the tariff will be revised to meet the
needs of the farmer and to protect
him against the invasion of cheap
wheat from Canada, cheap corn from
Argentina, cheap products from Asia
and other competition which is prov
ing ruinous to the farming interests
generally. With these three propo-
sitions given attention, consideration
will then be directed in all proba-
bility toward a series of matters of
interests to agriculture, including
better rural schools, good roads and
number of other matters.
With the population leaving the
farms and drifting to the cities, the
nation is in a'bad way unless some
thing can be done to cause more pro-
duction. The latter will depend upon
the working out Of a comprehensive
marketing system, which will be of
value not alone to the farmer, but
also to the consumer. Elimination of
the middleman with his profits is the
goal to which attention will be d.
rected.
While it is likely that efforts will
be made when these matters come
up to array city against country, it
is believed that it will be shown
that the interests Of both the pro-
ducer and the consumer are intimate
ly connected in these scientific mar
keting plans.
Another big question will be what
to do with the meat packers and to
determine whether or not they are in
combine to keep up the prices of
meat products while the cattle grow
er maintains that he is receiving
starvation returns for his stuff.
1t is probable that many of the de-
fects which now confront the people
will be overcome when amendments
are offered and passed regarding the
federal reserve system.
At any rate, whatever is done the