Phoenix tribune., 1920-11-20
ARIZONA farmer
WRITES HARDING
POINTED LETTE

Following is a letter written ty
H. Shelton to Senator Warren
Harding prior to the election and Il
senator's reply. Mr.. Shelton is own
Of Acre City, Ariz., and for numb
of years has been engaged in the re
estate business in this city. The ID
ter follows:
Phoenix, Ariz., Oct Is, 1920.
Senator w. C. Harding,
Marion, Ohio.
Dear sir-We, the people of Al
zona, are looking forward to your ele
ton with an overwhelming majorit
and outside Of this fact the thing th +
now interests us most as an agricrS
tural community seems to be the
terest of all American farmers, an
that is: what are we going to ed
for our produce which has been dI
veloped and is still being harveste'
on a high labor market?"
In my opinion this is far more inI
portant to American farmers, It'd
diplomats and their friends, than thI
League of Nations will ever be. II
the last few years farmers bave prd
duced what they were led to believ|
our government needed most, AMI
have been at the mercy of inefficierl
and costly labor and have come to th|
place where they don't know wha|
step to take next.
Any degree of consideration give]
on base where they will eithe
break even or make profit, will sci
tie the unrest among this class of in
dustry and help formulate plan t,
Ering about Americas readjustmen
quicker than any other. The farming
industry is the most important amoni
men and beast, as the king himsel
is served from the field.
The farmer should know in SOM
degree what is needed to be produced
and what price to expect. In no othe
way can be keep from guessing, an,
the farming industry is of too grea
importance to be left to conjecture.
Could you make a declaration tina
our government, under your aminis
tration, in the event of your election
will give the farmers an assuranc,
that their security will be taken car,
of in satisfactory manner, so as Il
assure them that they will never hav,
cause to experience again what the.
are now feeling?
The fact remains now that thu
farmers who need the finance mos
are in the worst condition and the.
are in the majority. Our government
could afford to guarantee the Ions
staple cotton farmers 20 per cen
profit plus cost Of production, whicl
would be 81 cents, and in my opinion
it would at once settle all unrest ant
give them chance to begin and plan
for future crops according to the de
mand This could be done through
single declaration and we could con
sign to government warehouses.
Our farmers do not understand how
Uncle Sans financiers can have /;
mortgage on the world and can no
redeem a gold dollar at home. Ther'
is a mistake somewhere. Help u!
correct it.
Sincerely yours,
M. H. SHELTON.
Following is Senator Harding's re
ply:
Marion, O., Oct. 25, 1920.
Mr.. M. H. Shelton,
Phoenix, Ariz.
My dear Mr.. Shelton-Senato
Harding was very much pleased to re
ceive your recent letter and to ge
your views on the farmers problems
The senator is giving this his yer.
serious consideration, and it is hi
earnest hope in the event of his elec
ton that agriculture will progress
steadily and soundly during his ad
ministration
With cordial good wishes, am
Very truly yours,
GEO. B. CHRISTIAN, Jr.,
EHlME Secretary