The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-08
Outlines Agricultural Policies
to Which He Commits Him
self and Party.
NATION SELF . RELIANT
Would Curtail Price. Fixing,
Decrease Farm Tenancy, Re-
store r. r. Efficiency.

store R. R. Efficiency.
State Fairgrounds, St. Paul,
Minny Sept. 3D.. N. S.)-speak.
ing today at the Minnesota State
fair on his first campaign trip
outside of Ohio, Senator. Warren
G. Harding mapped out definite
program OF agricultural policies
to which he committed himself
and his party If elected in Novem-
Der.
Senator Hardins's speech was
devoted solely to agricultural
matters, and among his hearers
were thousands Of farmers from
the great wheat belt Of the north
west. America, the senator de-
clared, has reached the fork Of the
road with regard to agriculture.
From a distinctly rural nation
sixty years ago, we have turned
into an industrial nation wherein
70 per cent. Of the people dwell
in cities and the other 80 per co Mt.
produce the food.
I'VE are rapidly approaching
the zero mark from the standpoint
OF agricultural supplies to the
world" said Senator Harding.
our imports OF farm grown prod
ucts will exceed the exports.
'The time has come when, as n ma
tion, we must determine upon def
mite agricultural policy. We must de-
eide whether we shall undertake to
make the United States a self-sus-
i, tanning nation, which means that we
shall grow within our own boundaries
all the staple food products needed to
maintain the highest type Of civiliza-
tion, or whether we shall continue to
exploit our agricultural resources for
the benefit of our industrial and COM
mercial life, and leave to posterity
the task of finding enough food, by
strong arm methods, IL necessary, to
support the coming hundreds of mil
lions.
Believes in Self Reliant Nation.
II believe in the self sustaining, in
dependent, self reliant nation, agri-
culturally, industrially and politically.
We are then the guarantors of our
own security and are equal to the
task" ~.s
Senator Harding asserted that he had
not thought of the governments working
out an elaborate SyRtem of agriculture
and then imposing 1t upon tho farmers
OF the country. THAT would be utterly
repusnant to American ideals" he said
Government paternallsm whether ap-
piled to agriculture or to any OF our
great national industries would strife
ambition, impair efficiency, lessen pro-
duction and make us a nation of de-
pendent Incompetence
But souething ought to be done. the
senator said, and he enumerated them as
follows:
!. Give farmers larger repre-
sentation In governmental affairs.
2. Grant farmers the right to form
cooperative associations to market
their products.
8. Reduce abnormal fluctuation
of prices in farm products. The re-
publican party pledges itself to a
scientific study of this problem.
4. Put an end to uncertain price
fixing of farm products and to ILL
considered efforts arbitrarily to re-
! duce farm product prices.
5. Administration of the farm loan
law to help men own their farms
and extension of the lonf term
credit plan.
6. Restore railroad transportation
to an efficient state SO that losses
to market farm products.
Z. Revise the tariff in order to
protect labor. agriculture and indus
try from lower foreign standards
In conclusion Senator Harding said:
I'VE need fewer land hogs, who
menace our future, and more fat hogs
for ham and bacon. We need less be-
guilemcnt In cultivating quRdrennial
crop of votes and more consideration
for farming as our basic industry"
Speech Of Senator Harding.
Fellow Citizens OF Minnesota-It is a
matter OF very great satisfaction and
a very particular interest to me to join
with you in this notable exhibition of
the agricultural industry OF your won
derfu state. | come to you with n
common interest and very common
concern for the welfare of our country.
While It is In my Thought to speak to
YOU specifically concerning agriculture,
! want to so convey my thought ms TO
haze It known that I am thinking not
of the welfare alone OF those engaged
in agriculture, but the welfare OF agri-
culture as 1t relates to the good for
tunes of the United States OF America.
I very much deplore the present day
'endency to appeal to the particular
group in American activities. IT has
become a very common practice to make
one address to those who con-
stitute tie ranks OF labor, another TO
those who make up the great farming
community and still another to the
. manufacturing world and its associates
in commerce, and to other groups oil
less importance. There Is very ma
tural and very genuine interest In
each and every one. but the utterance
of a political party nominee ought. in
every instance to he inspired by pur-
pose to serve our common country ii
America is TO 20 on ana come TO the
heights of achievement. we must Of
EtrN for ND
all"
That Dollar Wheat Tale.
Let me say, in passing, hope II is
entirely seemly to remind you that no
public man. particularly no public ser
want from the great Nheat-raising state
of Ohio. would dare to think. much less
to say. he believed in dollar wheat
amid the price wildnesS which the world
is contemplating today. ] speak OF IT,
because we are getting acquainted to-
day and do not mean TO have any mis-
understanding between you and me. and
! will not be grossly and unfairly mis-
represented.
have helped to cut sixty-cent wheat.
! have known IL 10 sell at forty cents:
I have followed the cradle. and sweatcd
behind the reaper when binding was a
cross TO bear. and ] know | spoke the
truth when I said, some years ago, tnat
Ohio farmers, in the normal Gays ne
fore the war. rejoiced TO raise dollar
wheat THAT statement had no refer
Cnce to wartime: none 10 the present
after-war period. Conditions. assWcn as
prices. have changed since ] made that
perfectly natural and truthful state
mcnt. and other great and important
changes are IN contemplation. and no
misrepresentation is necessary TO bring
them about.
: Food many years aEo a Chinese
philosopher uttered profound truth
when he said: The well-heing ~ peo-
PIE is like a tree, agriculture is us
roots. manufacture and commerce arc
its branches and Us life; IN the root it