Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-12-14

N"hh NNiN VI hlhtilfdi ftutfl-
tlOn Of Farm Bureaus Says Gray
Silver Washington Representative.
Perhaps the most important gather
ing In the history Of the American
| farmer was the convention of the
American Farm Bureau Federation
held in indianapolis lust week. To
date we do not have full report of
| the transactions of that convention. but
the speech of Mr.. Gray Silver. our
| Washington representative. Is full of
Significance. lie tells in very con
else manner the great savings that the
American Farm Bureau Federation has
already achieved for the American PEG.
| pie rs well as the farmer
\ few extracts from his speech at
indianapolis are the following:
You will find ON the walls Of my
office at Washington big bulletin
board on which is listed each bill in
which agriculture Is interested. Fol
lowing the name Of each bill is the rec
ord Of its progress to date. The date
If Introduction, action or lack Of action
Of committee to which Il was referred.
votes on the floor, II any, and various
ether important points referring 10 the
! bins progress
This bulletin board is constant
reminder TO rs that certain congress
men evidently need further informn-
ton as to the needs of the farmer. We
assume that II all congressman under
stood the needs OF agriculture. most
pend'nS favorable legislature would
move steadily forward.
We have way nowadays of meas.
uring everything in money and while
the work Of the Washington office does
not lend itself well to that method OF
! interpreting results, still there are Il
few results that can bc 50 translated
For msance, It might he figured
/ that the reductions in the railway rate
case, whereby the people pay per cent
/ interest on one and three-qmrter bill
/ lion less capitalization than the rail
roads claim, saves the people of this
country $3J0,00O per day. The Amer
I lean Farm Bureau Federation and as
ISOLATED shippers groups made the only
constructive statistical representation
on which such a reduction could be has
I ed and can justly claim the principal
credit for the reduction
| when the railways were negotiating
with New York bankers TO borrow
money at 8 per cent the percentage
made little difference To- them since
their net income is guaranteed your
| Washington representative interfcred,
/ The Interstate Commerce Commission
! took hand and the money was Secur-
ed at I per cent. Two per cent saved
ON from 100 to POO millions makes an
annual net saving of from > TO 4 mil.
/ lion dollars.
The rail-lakc adjustment between
/ Chicago ana New York. which we put
/ through with the aid of the Interstate
/ Commerce Commission made il poSSi-
| bile 10 release thousands Of box cars
previously used to carry grain from
| Chicago and other upper lake ports to
/ Buffalo, and this, together with pres
ire brought to bear on both labor and
railway managers 10 increase eff
cheney, aided materially In relieving
the acute transportation situation that
existed last fall, and had real money
value to the farmer who needed cars.
] nv NNuNNdHtiN NNihll- flbNf ~ Tue
| transportation officials at Washington.
we were able very materially to IN,
crease the box ears sent west empty, 10
move the wheat crop, some OF which
otherwise would have been piled upon
the ground. A total OF 100000 empty
box cars were sent west in this way
The help brought to the sheep and
cattle men as well as farmers, particu-
larry in the west. by the encouragement
given through the Federal Reserve
Board TO local bankers, asking them 90
renew farmers loans wherever posi-
| bic, undoubtedly saved hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars to farmers who
would otherwise have been closed out.
IL is true that but little immediate help
I In the way Of additional credit or ii
nancing was secured from the treas
ury department. but our efforts have
been productive OF much permanent
thought as 10 permanent remedies and
have produced an attitude OF construc-
tive suggestion and helpfulness ON the
/ part of the treasury officials and
Others. which we believe can. in the
near future. be vnacye,l into perman-
ent relief.
THE million and half dollars re
stored to the agricultural appropria
tions hill through the efforts Of the
2