The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-30
OUT
DECLINE At
LuNcnE0N
Six Farmers Calculate Cut
in Products in Terms
Of 81 Dinner.

Of 81 Dinner.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial to The Argus.)
Washington, Dec. 30.-Six prac-
tical farmers, members Of the ex-
ecutive committee Of the National
Grange, sat down TO luncheon here
and, reverting for the moment to
the days of barter, they, figured ont
the decline in the prices of farm
products in terms Of Q dollar meal
S. J. Lowell. president of the Ma
tional Grange, sid 1t cost him four
bushels of apples to get the dollar
to pay for his luncheon. During
the war, it would have cost him
only a peck of apples. W. H. Thomp-
son of the Maine Grange, in effect
had to pay q bushel and half Of
potatoes instead OF . peck which
was the equivalent. of q dollar a
year ago. Leslie r. Smith OF Mas
sachusetts had to offer two BUSH
els of onions as coLtrasted with
the war equivalent Of peck Of on
ions. Charles w. Holman Of Texas
could have gotten hi< luncheon for
two pounds of cotton in war times
but now he had to contribute IL
pounds of cotton for the dollar.
Professor T. c. Atkeson Of West
Virginia insisted that there had
been little change on wheat for
while his meal cost him q half
bushel Of wheat, he would have
paid slightly less than that q year
ago. A. M. Loomis, secretary Of the
National Grange, had to pay four
pounds of cheese. whereas hereto
fore the same dollar meal would
have been purchased for two and
q half pounds Of cheese.
Win Sec Harding.
The situation brought about by
the decline in the prices Of farm
products brought the oncefs Of the
grange to Warrington for 4 gener-
al talk ON agricultural policies,
particularly as it will affect the
Harding administration. Several OF
the officers are leaving for Marion
this week to discuss agriculture
with Mr.. Harding. They have read
the reports that Henry C. Wallace
of Iowa has been selected for Sec
retary Of agriculture but would Of
fer no comment. It is said that
they have men Of their own to pro-
pose to Mr.. Harding who have had
more experience as practical farm
ers than Mr.. Wallace but one Of
the group indicated that while Mr..
Wallace may not have been q farm
er as long az they thought neces-
sary. nevertheless he had been on
the farm more years than the ap-
pointees Of the past. Here is the
kind of . secretary of agriculture
the National Grange wants:
What Grange Wants.
"A practical farmer who should
be not only in sympathy with farm
ers but 30 identified by ideas, voca-
ton and effort that farmers will
recognise him as one Of them
selves; the head of the department
must be . man around whom agri-
cultureal interests and workers
will rally With confidence in his
leadership" S
There's another thing the grange
wants from President Harding's
secretary Of agriculture-a cosl
accounting system that will tell
the people of the city convincingly
about the costs of the farm. 9th
er things affecting agriculture tc
be discussed at Marion include q
permanent tariff. Some of the
members Of the grange look ask.
ance at the emergency" character
of the present tariff proposals
Some Of the duties are regarded Al
too high and as likely to invite re.
taliatory tariff wars while othel
schedules are considered far tot
| low.
What the farmers ought Il
have" said s. J. Lowell, president
of the grange, .is . protective tar.
III that will represent the differ.
ence in the cost of production her,
and abroad and nothing more.
believe the job en- be done equita
bly,"
Mr.. Lowell said agricultural con.
ditions throughout the country
were discouraging. largely be
cause the cost of labor had mo-
come down. He said he looked fol
. drop in labor cost next spring
He declared that while plenty o
labor was in idleness the cos
would not come down until som,
Of the savings Of the prosperoul
period through which the natior
had passed were exhausted. Bul
that the cost Of labor on the farm
! would come down he had no doub
whatsoever.
| Labor will come down." he de-
clared emphatically. because i
must come down. Otherwise -ths
farmer cannot afford to produc,
the big crops needed to fed our I'm
mense population"
Opinions vary among member,
Of the grange - to the length o
! the period necessary for . com
nlafa ernnNy,,ic roaA3uafmant nm