The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-07
America Needs No Elaborate
Agricultural Program.
Farmers Can Work Out Own
Salvation if Given Chance.
FIRST SPEECH OUTSIDE OHIO
Republican Nominee Chief Fea-
ture at Minnesota Fair.
Announces His Expanded Agri-
cultural Platform Today.

State Fair Grounds. St. Paul, Mimi,
Sept. S.-America must stand on her
own feet agriculturally. industriaIly
and politically. Warren G. Harding
declared in a speech at the Minnesota
State Fair here today.
We are then the guarantors of our
own security" he added.
Agriculture is menaced by evils
which demand. not quack remedies.
but careful study and proper action.
the Republican nominee continued.
UNLESS we deal more fairly" he
warned, there may come a conflict
between the organized farmers in the
surplus producing states and those
who insist on buying their crops be-
low production costs.
Need Fewer Land Hogs.
I'VE need fewer land hogs who
menace our future and more fat hogs
for lam and bacon" Harding said.
We need less beguilement in cultivat-
ing a quadrennial crop of votes and
more federation for farming as our
basic industry. We need rest and re-
cuperation for a soil worked out in
agitation, and more and better har-
vests in the inviting fields of mutual
understanding"
Harding put seven planks in his ag-
ricultural platform today-farm rep
| resentation in government; right Of
farmers to cooperative organization:
scientific study and action toward sta
( biliZing prices of farm products; ces-
sation of attempts at price fixing on
foodstuffs: expansion of the federal
farm loan act to aid farmers in the
purchase Of land; most efficient trans
portation possible; revision of the tar
iff to protect the American farmer.
First Speech Outside Ohio.
Harding's speech today was the first
! outside Ohio since he became presi-
Z Dental candidate. altho induced TO
come 10 Minnesota partly because OF
the political situation here. Harding
made no reference to 1t, or to the
farmers Nonpartisan League action
here. His speech was without direct
! reference to partisan politics. altho he
/ scored the treatment accorded the
| farmer in the last seven years.
The government should do every
thing possible toward restoring a ball
ance between livestock and grain pro-
duction to encourage a return to di-
versified farming. Harding asserted.
America must decide whether the
United States shall be a self sustain
ing nation or continue to exploit
agricultural resources and leave to
posterity the task of finding food
enough by strong arm methods IL
necessary to feed the coming nun
dreds of millions. he declared.
/ Farmer Only Needs Free Hands.
| "I have no thought of suggesting
that the government should work out
an elaborate system of agriculture and
then try to impose 1t on the farmers
of the country" Harding continued.
That would be utterly repugnsnt to
American ideals. Government pater-
nalism. whether applied to agriculture
or any other of our great national
industries would stifle ambition, i'm
t4fF r1d
make US a nation Of dependent in
lcompetents. The farmer requires no
Especial favors at the hands of the gov
eminent. All he needs is fair chance
and such just consideration for agri-
culture as we ought to give to basic
4 industry and ever SSek to promote for
our common good"
Reviewing efforts of farmers to or
ganize for their own protection, Hard
ing sounded warning for fair treat
ment lest producers and consumers
fall into conflict.
I'VE have witnessed the restricted
production of manufactures and labor.
but we have not yet experienced the
intentionally restricted production OF
foocstuffs." he added. Let US hops
we never may"
Denies "Dollar Wheat
Harding again denied he has re-
Gently used dollar wheat. taking cog
nizance for the second time of a cam
paign rumor circulating in rural re-
gions.
quoting census figures to show a
drift of people to the cities, Harding
warned the time may come when
American farms cannot supply enough
food for this country.
He paid tribute to the patriotic work
of farmers in raising war crops. but
acknowledged the losses they have
suffered therefrom, and pleaded for
return to normal and resumption Of
the Onward road" again.
IF we shall determine to build up
here self-sustaining national then We
must at once set about the develop
ment of a system Of agriculture which
will enable US to feed our people abun-
dantly, with some to spare for export
in years of plenty and at prices which
will insure the farmer and his family
both financial rewards and educa-
tional. social and religious living con-
ditions fair compara rable to those Of
fered by the cities
"A sound system of fair return upon
invested capital and a fair wage for
the labor which goes into crops and
enough in addition to enable the
} farmer to maintain the fertility Of his
soil, and insure against natural haz-
ards will dive large numbers Of farm
ers to the cities"
Expands His Platform.
Harding expanded his agricultural
program, recently outlined as follows:
The need Of farm representati ton Of
| large governmental affairs is recog-
nized- During the past seven years.
the right of agriculture to voice IN
government administration has been
partly ignored and at times the farmer
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