The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-10-27
Al TURNING POINT IN
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY

1ueTe ID no power among mEu eQus1i
to personal contact.
It was a realization of this fact
that caused the federation Of labor to
move headquarters years ago to
Washington. The labor temple is a
monument to their foresight and idea
of preparedness. They are there in
the watch tower of organized wage
earners. Have they produced results ?
Read the record of the legislation
favorable to labor enacted since they
established their Offices in the national
capital Look at the wage scale, the
payroll Of American labor for your
answer.
The big corporations have always
known the power of personal contact
with the powers that be and they are
always represented at the seat of
government. Ninety odd per cent of
the long line railroads of America
are represented by spokesmen located
in the Muncie building. The short
line railroads are represented by
spokesmen located in the Riggs Ma
tienal Bank building.
The United States Chamber of
Commerce is an organization of, for
and by the business men Of America,
commercial and industrial business
men. Last year they paid 100000 for
"a lot on which to build palace which
is TO cost $2,000,O 900. This is to be
the headquarters, close to the law
makers, close to the heart of the ma
ton, where they can look out for
their interests.
The organized farmers have estab-
lished an Office in Washington also.
They are doing as others do, but later.
They have not as yet financed their
project to the commanding position
that the others mentioned have.
Thirty of the largest agricultural
organizations in America sent repre-
sentatives to Washington in October
to consult with the Federal Reserve
Board and the secretary of the treas
ury to ask that they make operative
certain features Of laws already en-
acted, features that would mean mill
lions of dollars to the farmers and no
loss to the ultimate consumers of
farm products, and they were turned
down.
The things asked were:
The establishment Nof the war
FINANCE corporation which would bring
immediate relief by carrying the cot
ton crop to the cotton mills of the ole
world and allow them to place their
goods ON the market before paying
for the raw cotton. The lack of ability
to finance themselves having closed
their operations and paralyzed the
cotton trade Of the world. The same
principle applying to other export ma
Iterials.
Every official. with the exception
of the secretary Of the treasury, in
dorsed i'm the strongest terms thi.
proposition" is the words of tht
president Of the American Cotton As
sociation.
| And what do you suppose was tn,
ldefense put up by the secretary? Her,
il is: 1T would not be wise to increas,
the Indebtedness of the government
Iof Central Europe for the purpose O
marketing agricultural products there
do not think it wise for the govern
lment to subsidize our producers or t,
maintain or increase the level O
Iprices here by stimulating sales t
European countries which find them
Iaelves unable or unwilling to max
payments for their purchases"
Il There you have it. He doesn't wan
the markets opened. They are closed
What does bankruptcy of farmer
mean to the honorable dignified secre
ltary of the treasury? A man who ha
been secretary of agriculture and
would seem would have imbibed
: reasonable understanding and sympa
THY for farmers, in his new positio
of secretary of the treasury. shows
positive antipathy to proposal to saw
!. millions to the country without injur
to the consuming public, for The cor
consumers win finally pay as muc
; as they would were the crop marked
] led gradually as the farmers are desil
. lous of doing.
q The other thing asked for was tn
carrying out of the spirit, letter an
! purpose of the federal reserve Law
, That liberal extensions of credits
|. allowed on commercial paper base
ION farm products which meet the r,
J lquirements of the federal reserve &C
i due to the fact that our exports haz
! been blocked by inability of Europea
markets TO respond to the demand
Iof trads, for lack of finance.
) This was refused also.
s The only thing left for the farn1el
Z to do was to form an export corpor'
7 ttion and finance it, opening up Il
] foreign markets in spite of the hand
leap brought about by the collapse
Z lcredits and the depreciation of foreie
I Exchange.
ii This is under way. tt is propos.
s to capitalize an export corporate
{ for handling cotton for 500, 900, 90