Evening star., 1920-09-14
':AlNERICA FIRST, y HARDING
SAYS TO CALIFORlNZANS

moral, the natural and the legal in
ternational rights to determine who
shall or shall not enter into our coun-
try and participate in our activities.
With new realization of the neces-
sity of developing a soul distinctly
American in this republic we favor
such modification Of our immigration
laws and such changes in our inter-
national understandings, and such
policy relating to those who come
among us. as will guarantee to the
citizens of this republic not only as
suitability of alien born, but the
adoption. by all who come, of Amer
lean standards, economic and other
wise. and full conservation to
American practices and ideals.
American Agriculture.
find that your presence here gives
me opportunity to put before the
American people, through you, a con-
sideration of profound Importance. to
which, | have been giving attention
and will continue to give a deserved
attention. Changes have been taking
place in our national life which re-
quire recognition and study. and none
is more important than that which
sure ourselves that American agris
culture shall be restored to vigor and
prosperity. 1 believe, and have said
repeatedly, that the agriculture of
nation. and not it's industry, it's com
merce or its cities, is the nations
backbone. / believe. and l have SAID
repeatedly, that we must put the
land-owning farmer back on our soil,
and provide for the loan of the capl-
tai when necessary to buy and oper-
ate farms; that we must encourage
cooperation in the buying by the con-
sumner and in the selling by the
farmer of our food products; that we
must increase our facilities of roads,
railroads and mountaineering that
we must invite the farmer into our
representative and executive branches
of government to get his counsel and
assistance, and have said that these
measures were not special privileges
for the farmer, but that the preserva-
tion of our agriculture with sufficient
prosperity, so that it should share
equally with industry, and have equal
ability to pay labor, was not only the
farmers business. but everybodys
business-the consumers business,
the city dweller's business and the
vital concern of every one who wants
to have for himself and his children
three meals a day.
All Are Interested.
Because the safety and prosperity
cf the farmers of this country are
our own safety and prosperity ana
permanance, no man, woman or child
in the United states can Iall TO nave
an interest in protecting our basic
industry that of agriculture -
wherever protection is necessary by
the proper use of tariff regulation.
The time has come when we are
ceasing to be a food exporting ma
ton, and must look well to guaran-
teeing that we shall be self-sustain-
ing. A failure to be self-sustaining
in agriculture, in our food supply.
will mean the weakness which af-
f1icted and threatened one or more
of our great allies in the world war.
failure to be elf-sustaining would
be menace to us in war, and men
ace to us in peace. We have ade-
Cuate national and international rea-
sons for keeping alive our neces-
sary agricultural industries when
they are threatened by competition
from lands of cheap labor or new
and exploited soil. by a protective