The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-10-29
DOLLAR WHEAT
NEVER THOUGHT
Of BY HARDING
Democrats Carble Sena-
tors Statement Refer
ring to Peace c Conditions
to Meet Political Needs.

Chicago, Oct. 8.-The charge that
Senator Harding opposed guarantee
ing the American farmer more than a
dollar a bushel for wheat during the
was is being widely and mendaciously
circulated by his opponents. Franked
matter intended to give wrong i'm
preston of Senator Harding's attitude
is being sent through the mails free
at public expense and in other ways,
too, the charge is being circulated.
The facts are that Senator Harding
voted to guarantee the farmer $3.50
wheat, while President Wilson, when
the power was placed in his hands,
fixed the guarantee ostensibly at $780,
though, as a matter of fact, the farm
err got much less than that.
Senator Harding's reference to dol
lar wheat had no reference to the price
of wheat in war time. He was talking
about the price of wheat in times of
peace prior to the great war. He was
not even talking Of the price of wheat
under conditions since the war ended.
What He Said.
While the Lever bill to encourage
food production was before the senate,
July 81, 1917, Senator Harding, in the
course of a running-debate, stated:
81 said that raising 81 wheat was a
profitable occupation in times of peace,
and I said to the senator from North
Dakota, Mr.. McCumber, that the
knowing farmers of the country are
buying land in Ohio at $3.50 per acre
for the very purpose of going into a
commercial proposition of raising
wheat profitably at 81 per bushel-in
times of peace, to be sure" This was
reference to wheat production in
the days of peace when dollar wheat
was looked on far differently from
what it was in the war period or
would be now in the unsettled condi-
tons following the war.
Senator Harding's opponents, though
they know perfectly we'll that Sen
ator Harding voted for $3.50 wheat
nevertheless garbled the statement
which he made by cutting out the las
seven words, gin times of peace to be
sure" and circulating the rest Of it so
as to give the impression that Senate
Harding wanted to hold the farmer
down to dollar wheat in war times.
Sought Higher Prices.
Z The Gore amendment, for which
Senator Harding voted, would have
fixed a minimum price of $3.50 on the
basis of No. 2 Northern wheat at the
local market. That price would hav,
still been subject to increase by the
president. But it could not have been
reduced.
For this amendment Senator Hard
ing voted. The president had already
proclaimed a price of 500 Had the
Gore amendment. as Senator Harding
voted for it, passed, it would not only
have made the price $3.50 instead of
$40. as fixed by the president, but
it would have enforced other condi-
tons to protect the farmers interest,
that would have insured the farmer a
price probably averaging 50 cents
more for his war time wheat than
he actually received
The guarantee of 500 on the basis
Of No. l Northern wheat at the "prin-
cipal interior markets" did not by any
means insure the average wheat farm
er anything like 500 for his wheat.
Much more commonly. he actually got
less than 500. The Gore amendment,
as supported by Senator Harding,
would have meant very considerable
increase to the farmer over the price