Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-07-02

OF an .ef1ective budget system that will
function in accord with the principles
Of The constitution. The reform
should reach both the executive and
legislative aspects OF the question.
The supervision and, preparation of
the budget should be vested in the
secretary Of the treasury as the rep
resentative of the president. The
budget. as such, should not bt in
creased by the congress- except by q
two-thirds vote, each house, however,
being free&to exercise its constitutional
privilege OF making appropriations
through independent bills. /.
Agricultural Interests.
To the great agricultural interests
of the country the Democratic party
does not and 1T necessary to make
record Of things actually accomplish
ed. For nearly half q century of Re-
publican rule not a sentence was writ
ten into the federal statutes affording
n dollar Of bank credits to the
farming interests Of America. In the
first term of this Democratic admins
tration the national bank act was so
altered as to authorize loans Of five
years maturity on improved farm
TEN Of farm loan banks. from watch
the borrowings already exceed $780,
O0e, 900 Of dollars and under which
the interest rate to farmers has been
so materially reduced as to drive out
of business the farm loan sharks who
formerly subsisted by extortion upon
the great agricultural interests of the
country.
Thus it vas a Democratic congress
in the administration of a Democratic
president which enabled the farmers
~ A~a~-~o &~n tho Q~~k to- - 1h
tain credit upon reasonable terms and
insured their opportunity for the fu-
ture development Of the nations agri-
cultural resources. Tied up in su-
preme court proceedings. in a suit by
hostile interests, the federal farm loan
system, originally opposed by the Re-
publican candidate for the presidency,
appealed in vain to a Republican con-
greH for adequate financial assistance
beginning and the ending of the cur
rent year, awaiting a final decision OF
the highest court on the validity of
the contested act. We pledge prompt
and consistent support of sound and
effective to sustain, amplify
and perfect the rural credits statutes
and thus to check and reduce the
growth and course of farm tenancy.
Not only did the Democratic party
put into effect a great farm loan sys-
tenn Of land mortgage banks. but 1t
passed the smith-Lever agricultural
extension act, carrying to every farm.
er in every section of the country
through the medium of trained ex'
perts and by demonstration farms, the
practical knowledge acquired by the
federal agricultural department in al
things relating to agriculture. horti'
culture ana animal life; it establish
ed the bureau Of markets. the bureau
OF farm management and passed the
bill, the cooperative farm admins
tration act,i and the federal warehouse
act. la IS.
The Democratic party has vastly
improved the rural mail system and
has built up the parcel post system t.
such an extent as to. render its acti.
vities and its practical service indis'
pensable to the farming community
It was this wise encouragement ant
this effective nee Of the Demo
cratic party for the farmers Of the
United States that enabled this grea
Interest to render such essential serv'
ice in feeding the armies Of America
and the Allied nations of the war ant
s%uccoring starving populations since
Armistice day.
Meanwhile the Republican leader,
at Washington have. failed utterly t.
propose one single to MAKE
rurals@gElife more tolerable.
They have signalized their fffteel
months of congressional power b,
urging schemes which would strip tn
farms OF labor; by assailing the prin
ciples of the farm loan system an
seeking tesaimpair it's efficiency; b!
covertly attempting to destroy tn
great nitrogen plant at Muscle Shoal
upon which the government has ex
pended $4,000, 900 to supply Ameri
can farmers with fertilizers at rea
sonable cost; by ruthlessly Gripping
nearly every branch of agriculture
endeavor. literally Gripping the pro
ductive mediums through which tn
people must. be fed.
We favor such legislation as will
confirm to the primary producers o
the nation the right of collective bar
gaining and the right Of cooperative
handling and marketing OF the prod
ucts Of the workshop and the farm
and such legislation as will facilitate
the expectation of our farm products
We favor comprehensive studies Q
farm production costs and the uncen
sored publication of facts found i
such studies.