The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-08-20

l
ed Harry L. Wilson, candidate for
Republican nomination for Governor
in his keynote address at Lewistown
Saturday, Republican and Democratic
legislatures in the state of Montana
have passed more constructive legis-
lation of direct and ~far-reaching
benefit to the farmers of the state
than has probably the legislature of
any other state in the Union within
the same period.
"The radicals, who are seeking the
support of the farmers of Montana
for their Socialistic program on the
plea that they will enact laws of
benefit to the farmers not otherwise
to be obtained, are discreetly and pro-
foundly silent on this subject.
"And the people of Montana, as a
whole, unfortunately, have not had this
record of legislation brought home to
them in such a way as to impress
them with the fact that to secure
remedial laws it is not necessary
to turn the state over to a group of
radicals whose interest in the state and
in the farmers is fundamentally sell
fish, and whose theories, if carried
out, cannot fail in the end to work
grievously to the disadvantage of the
farmers as well as to the whole cltl-
Mr.. Wilson summarized this legis-
lation as follow:
81. The Law for the Creation of
New Counties: A statute giving the
people the power to create new coun-
ties by popular vote, through the OPP
Grafton of which the agricultural
counties of Montana now have two
thirds of the membership of the state
senate and a large majority in the
house of representatives.
" Unfair Discrimination Laws:
Statutes whereby cooperative cream
cries and cooperative elevators, own
ed by the farmers, have greatly in
creased in number, more than two
score of the former and more than one
hundred of the latter now being in
operation in Montana. These two
laws have effectively restrained I'M
fair competition by larger companies
and made it possible for the farmers
to establish these cooperative organi-
cations on a sound and profitable basis.
IS. The State Farm Loan Law: A
statute which has placed at the dis
posal of the farmers of Montana mon
ey at the low interest of six per cent,
with loans running ten years, under
which they have already borrowed
more than four million dollars. At the
time this law was enacted the pre-.
vailing interest rate on farm mortgag.
es was ten per cent, and in some cases
more than that, and the saving it has
effected to the farmers on state loans
alone has already amounted to 81,
GOO, 100000, and probably as much, il
not more, has been saved through the
consequent reduction in rates on pri
waite loans.
a. The S0-called Toll Bill: Thi.
statute passed by the last Legislature
requiring flour mills, to grind or
toll basis at rates to be fixed by tn
State Public Utilities Commission
does for the farmers everything tina
s~tate-owned flour mills could do. Thi
lpur rn,sN,tt- th1 70 :, fo fnln II,
quantity of milling wheat to the mil
and receive in return all of the flou
and mill feed the wheat would max
:. if ground, the mill being limited to
certain charge per bushel for the SCI
vice. Likewise mixed grains may b
taken to the mill and converted int
chop feed at a fixed price.
S.. The Grain Inspection Law: TIL
statute, passed by the last legislator,
enables the farmers of Montana t
. send samples of their grain to two il
spection departments-one at Gres
Falls and one at Bozeman-and IT
ceive at a cost of only 25 cents, a
official grade certificate which
! binding anywhere the grain is sold
: this state, and so absolutely protect
the farmer against unfair grading
The commission has power to enforl
the use of correct scales and to con
pei elevators and mills to clean tt
dockage from wheat and return tt
entire amount to the farmer, less
charge for the cleaning, fixed by tt
commission. Its enforcement is in tt
hands of the farmers themselves, ft
the law provides that at least two
the three members of the commissio
must be grain growing farmers WI
actually live on their farms, and mu:
be chosen by the Governor from tt
lists submitted by organizations
farmers who are engaged in raisin
grain. Storage and all other charge
connected with the handling of grai
are fixed by the commission, al
through this law, the control of grai
marketing in Montana, as far as
can be covered by state laws, is place
absolutely in the hands of the farm
ers themselves.
&c. Mutual Insurance Legislation
Statutes giving the widest latitu(
consistent with sound public policy