River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-12-30
Our Weekly Letter
From Washington
From James A. Frear, M. c.

Legislation IN 1tSelf VIII not regu-
late trade conditions or bring good
times. No country that passed.
through the war and came out with
enormous debts and abnormal business
conditions to face can hope to return
to pre-war conditions through laws
passed by Congress. An emergency
tariff bill before the House last week
sought to help conditions and received
general support from Republicans and
Democrats, although it offered strong
grounds for attack because of articles
included in the bill. Like all legisla-
ton it was a matter of compromise
and was supported by the writer be-
cause it appeared that 56,0OO,OOO
bushels of wheat had come into this
country from Canada within less than
three weeks and long train loads OF
Canadian wheat were being dumped
across the border every day with the
result that our Western farmers can
not get enough for their crops to pay
outstanding bills and in many cases
they are proposing to abandon their
farms. Over 100000 pounds of
lamb and mutton, dressed carcasses,
were shipped in during recent months
from Argentine and farmers could
hardly get back their freight and
other expenses when shipping their
sheep to market. The writer declared
his position on the bill when it was be-
fore the House and said that people
were abandoning their farms for the
cities with the result that we are be-
coming dependent on other countries
for our food stuffs. Unless we pro-
tect the Western farmers SO they can
support themselves the result will be
disastrous to agriculture and the
country. Many conditions combine to
bring about the situation and the con-
sumner will not get needed relief until
better marketing facilities are had,
but the House has tried to stem the
food of free foreign imports and at the
same time to add estimated tariff re-
ceipts of $1SO,000,000 through the
proposed law. My proposal to force
cold storage meats of the packers
on to the market by heavy taxation
may receive better recognition in the
Senate than in the House.
Recently I received word that Mr..
Fred Price a farmer living near
Knapp had a family of II children, IL
boys and girls. A fine letter tells
of the family and was expecting to
bring it to the attention of the House
in some proper way when Congress
man Small of North Carolina reported
a constituent of his, r. c. Bland, who
had 80 children, although only 26 are
now living. Small has regularly
bought eight suits of clothes for the
father on an original promise made
for every one of the last eight child
rem born. Small told me he made the
offer originally as joke, but eight
suits Of clothes were no joke and he
has finally cancelled his bargain. II
Congressman Small is frightened over
his contract. what of Mr.. Bland with
suits, shoes and stockings for 26 boys
and girls of whom 18 live at home.
AT the Dunn county fair last summer
the writer saw many blue ribbons on
exhibits at Menomonie brought in for
competition but while Dunn county to
date seems to hold the record for size
cf families, down in North Carolina
Congressman Small gets all the red,
white and blue and sweepstakes rib
bons, that are offered for large fami-
lies and Mr.. and Mrs. Bland are his
prize exhibit.
An aftermath of the war is found in
the War Department report that our
army of occupation in Germany since
the armistice has cost this government
1857 ,O65, 900 or $3.50 in round num-
bers for every man. woman and child
in the country. Germany has paid
back $34, $50, leaving a balance
due US of $222,340,000. AS we re-
ceived no indemnity, territory or other
exchange for our $24,0O0,0O0 900 in
debtedness it is hard to understand
why we are spending so much money
to keep our soldiers in Germany to-
Gay. That is matter for the Adj
ministration and not Congress to de- !
eide but with the S10,000,0 100000
Europe owes US on war loans it is
worth considering.
Secretary of War Baker ordered
Colonel" Wentz to buy 100000 tons
of coal at limit of $1f00 ton with
a so cents commission added at time
.,-l,a., GCFA 49,,