Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-27
HUGHES SAYS AID
TO FARMING LEGAL
Declares it Duty of Government
to Protect Nations Food
Supply.
TAX EXEMPTION NECESSARY
Former Justice of U. s. Supreme Court
Makes Powerful Argument Defend
inc constitutionality Of Federal
Farm Lean Act.

That the genefdi WSllaiC " 49,
tion demands that the government
shall encourage, aid and protect asri-
cu,ture by whatever means ana 10
whatever extent may be necessary 70
safeguard the nations food supply,
even though those means OF ala anu
nrotection shall include the appropria-
tion of government money ana the eA-
tending of government credit, or even
the lending of government moneys
was the contention of former Justice
of the Supreme Court Charles Evans
Hughes, when he appeared In the leu
araJ court at Kansas City as one OF the
attorneys TO defend the constitutional
itv of the federal farm loan act.
Governments Duty TO Aid Farming.
Mr.. Hughes pointed out that from
tho earliest history of this nation there
has been a continuous disbursement OF
public money in aid of agricultural de-
yelonmant. He showed how, while
congress had not attempted to operate
farms and had not stepped into any
state 70 legislate as to the use of farm
lands. still congress had PROVIDED III
formation. had disseminated nstruc-
tions. had distributed seeds, ana had
supported in every manner Whlch was
deemed wise, the great national inter-
est of agriculture He told how the
government had sought to protect agri-
culture from great pests SUCH as the
gypsy moth, the brown-tail moth, the
boil weevil, or even the grasshopper-
all for the general welfare.
He showed how the government had
provided for the distribution of seeds
of new and useful varieties and how 1T
mad provided for the introduction and
protection of insectivorOus birds ana
how it had provided also for the estab-
lishment and maintenance of labora-
tories for experiments in agricultural
chemistry. He told how later the bu-
reau of animal husbandry was estab-
lished to study and to disseminate in
formation as to the proper breeding
and as to the diseases of domestic ami
mails. He told later of how the
weather bureau was taken away from.
the army and put IN charge of the de-
partment of agriculture so that the
farmers and all interested in the pro-
duction and distribution of food might
have comprehensive information as to
rainfall and weather Demonstrations.
Protecting Nations Food Supply.
From all this he reasoned that the
government recognized it as proper
function of government to encourage,
aid and protect agriculture, and he
held that it was the duty of the gov
eminent to guard against any shortage
in the food supply Of the nation. There
fore, he said when this great under
lying industry stood in need of funds
for operation or for development, 1t
was clearly the duty of the govern
ment and clearly within its rightful
powers to provide the means by which
the necessary funds could be placed at
the disposal of those engaged in the
cultivation of the soil
"Here is a great activity" he said,
(which has received financial support
from the foundation of the govern
ment.
"Our position is that the federal gov.
ernrlent was competent in the applica
ton of money and investment OF
moneys in the stock of the federal
land banks, to organize these banks
and to invest moneys in their stock, to
borrow money, and to loan money fer
these purposes and to provide for the
issue of bonds for these purposes Be
ing competent to do this, the govern
ment could organize whatever agencies
were necessary and convenient and
could authorize them to borrow to do
this thing for the government"
Bonds Had TO Be Exempt.
Mr.. Hughes commended that as con-
Gress could create the land banks as
corporations and clothe them with
power to lend money and to issue
bonds, the government could, of course.
protect these corporations and these
bonds issued by them from discussion
or impairment by any action. He said
that ''as the power to tax was the
power to destroy" the government, OF
course, had the right to exempt these
bonds from taxation And this rule.
he said, had particular force in this
case, as the bonds of these banks had
TO be sold in competition with other
tax-exempt securities, and that with
out their being tax exempt money
could not be secured for the farmers
at low rates of interest. To help the
farmer the rate had to be low, and to
get the low rate the bonds had to be