Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-06-23
In Presenting the Planks They Said
They Didn't Want Anything
Particular for Farmers But
Consuming Public in
General.
ADEQUATE REPRESENTATiON
IN CABINET WANTED
Full Free, and Unquestioned Right
of Cooperative Buying and
Selling.

farmers drove up to the Coliseum
and unloaded twelve broad, sub
stantial planks. They were handed
over to the resolutions committee by
a Macsparran, who has the backing
of practically all organized bodies of
farmers in this country.
The Farmers "Planks."
Here are six of the twelve planks
which are purely agricultural in ma
ture:
Adequate representation in the
cabinet and in the appointment Of
governmental officials and Of COM
missions, on bipartisan basis.
Full, free, and unquestioned right
of cooperative buying and selling.
National control over packers and
all other great interstate combina-
tons of capital engaged for profit in
the manufacture, transportation, and
distribution of food and other farm
products and supplies.
Legislation that will check and re-
duce the growth and evil of farm
tenancy and strengthen the farm
loan system.
Comprehensive studies of farm
production cost, at home and abroad
and uncensored publication of facts
uncovered
Same consideration as is accorded
other interests.
"Want Free Speech Back"
The six planks concerning other
interests in which farmers are con-
cerned are as follows:
Conservation of timber, coal, oil
water power, and other natural re-
sources; their distribution without
discrimination against farmers.
Repeal of laws restricting rights
CT free speech, press, and peaceable
assemblage, and restoration to the
eople of these fundamental rights. -
Opposition to any form of com,
pulsory military training in time OF
reace.
Pledge support fer graduated in
come and excess profits taxes. sup
plemented by a graduated inheri-
lance tax to furnish the additional
revenue needed to meet the cost OF
the war.
| Pledged support to stringent inn
Migration laws, especially those bar
ring oriental labor.
Request for steps to maintain such
parity between money and commod-
tiles as will liquidate national obli-
cations on the basis Of money value
at the time incurred Ever since Sun
day farmers have had their heads to-
gether working out the claims they
wished to present to the convention.
The National Board of Farm Or
CARNATIONS, representing more than
100000 farmers has been drafting
its platform. J. R. Howard and Sena-
tor Gray Silver, both of the Ameri.
can Farm Bureau Federation, which
islands for a million and a quarter
farmers, have been in conference
with the national board. Both organ.
izations unanimously approve the
twelve resolutions offered.
In presenting the planks to the
Republican resolutions committee
Mr. Macsparran said he was not ask.
ing for anything in particular fol
the farmers-"they are able to take
care of themselves" -but was acting
in interest of the consuming public
He cited the prices farmers have
received for their corn, wheat, wool
and other commodities and then con,
trasted what the consumers are pay,
ing' for corn and wheat in the form
OF breakfast foods and wool in the
form Of suits-the consumer is pay.
ing $25 a bushel for wheat, 81 6
Dushel for corn and from SIS to SIS
a pound for wool.
While the farmers are not COINS
to strike" he said. you can heal
them saying in all corners of tn,
country, 'This is my last year on the
farm He laid stress on the hund
reds Of agrees of land that are moi
being cultivated in the United State.
this year,
| R. ID. Cooper, chairman of the ma
tional board OF farm organizations
said, in regard to the farmer.
plapts:
Forty or fifty of us have made
ersonal calls on the candidates and
Practically all Of them realize fully
the importance of our problems
Most all OF these men have said
these problems are to be worked GU,
through cooperative enterprises and
that the great need is to strengthen
| our federal farm loan system