The Republican journal., 1920-10-07

has been practically ignored, and at
times the farmer has suffered griev.
ously as a result. The farmer has a
vital interest in our trade relations
with other countries, in the admins
tration Of our financial policies and in
many Of the larger activities of the
government.
Second-The right of farmers to
form cooperative associations for the
marketing of their products must be
granted. The parasite in distribution
who preys on both producer and con-
sumner must no longer sap the vitality
OF this fundamental life
Scientific Study.
Third. - The Republican party
pledges itself to a scientific study Of
agricultural prices and farm produc-
ton costs, both at home and abroad,
win view to reducing the frequency
OF abnormal fluctuations here. Stabili-
zatlon will contribute to everybody's
confidence. Farmers have complained
oltterly of the frequent and violent
fluctuations in prices of farm products,
and especially in prices of live stock.
ihey 40 not find such fluctuations in
the products of other Industries. In a
general way prices of farm products
must go up or down, according to
whether there is plentiful crop or a
snort one. The farmers raw materials
are the fertility of the soil, the sun
shlne and the rain, and the size of his
crops Is measured by the supply of
these raw materials and the skill with
which he makes use Of them. He cam
not control his production and adjust
II TO the demand as can the manufac-
turer. But he can see no good reason
why the prices of his products should
huctuate SO violently from week to
week and sometimes from day to day.
To Stop Price Fixing.
Fourth.-We promise to put an end
to unnecessary price fixing of farm
products and to i'll considered efforts
arbitrarily to reduce farm product
prices.
Government drives against food
prices such as we have experienced
during the past two years are vain and
useless. The ostensible purpose of
such drives is to reduce the price the
consumer pays for food The actual
result is unjustly to depress for time
the prices the farmer receives for his
grain and live stock, but with no ap-
preciable reduction in the price the
consumer pays. Such drives simply
give the speculator and the profteer
additional opportunities to add to
their exactions.
Fifth.-We favor the administration
OF the farm loan act SO as to help men
who farm to secure farms of their own
and to give to them long time credits,
needed to practice the best methods of
diversified farming.
We also favor the authorization of
associations to provide the necessary
machinery to furnish personal credit
to the man, whether land owner or
| tenant, who is hampered for lack Of
working capital. Unfortunately as
| land increases in value tenancy also
| increases.
An Increasing Evil.
| This has been true throughout his
! tory. At the present time probably
one-half of the high priced land in the
corn belt states is farmed by men who.
because of lack of capital, find it nee
| esSary to rent. This increase in ten
| ancy brings with it evils which are a
| real menace to national welfare. The
tenant who lacks sufficient working
capital and who too often is working
under a short time lease is forced to
farm the land to the limit and rob it of
its fertility in order to pay the rent.
Amid such conditions we have ineffi-
cient schools, broken down churches
and a sadly limited social life We
| should therefore concern ourselves not
| only in/helping men to secure farms
| of their own and in helping the tenant
| secure the working capital he needs to
| carry on the best methods of diversi-
! fed farming, but we should work out I
system Of land leasing which, while
doing full justice 10 both landlord and
te.ant, will at the same time conserve
the fertility of the soil.
transportation Systems.
Sixth-We do not longer recognize
the right to speculative profit in the
operation of our transportation sys-
TENS, but we are pledged to restore
them to the highest state of efficiency
as quickly as possible. Agriculture has
suffered more severely than any other
industry through the inefficient rail-
road service of the last two years.
Many farmers have incurred disas-
trous losses through inability to mar
ket their grain and live stock. Such a
condition must not be permitted to
continue. We must bring about con-
ditions which will give us prompt serv-
ice at the lowest possible rates
Seventh.--We are pledged to the re-
vision of the tariff as soon as condi-
tons shall make it necessary for the
preservation of the home market for
American labor, American agriculture
and American industry. If we are to
build up a self sustaining agriculture
here at home the farmer must be pro-
tected from unfair competition from
those countries where agriculture Is
still being exploited and where the
standards of living on the farm are
much lower than here. We have asked
for higher American standards; let US
maintain them.
So long as America can produce the
foods we need 1 am in favor Of buying
from America first.
Fewer Land Hogs.
Under a sound system Of agrlcul-
ture, fostered and safeguarded by wise
and fair administration of state and
federal government, the farmers of the
United States can feed our people for
many centuries-perhaps indefinitely.
Farming is not an auxiliary; it is the
main plant, and geared with it, insep-
arably, is every wheel of transporta-
ton and industry. America could not
go on with a dissatisfied farming peo-
pie, and no nation is secure where land
hunger abides. We need fewer land