Evening journal., 1921-10-05
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1921
mEREDrrHs SOCIALIST PROGRAM

QUOTING from article by former Secretary OF Agr-
" culture Meredith appearing in the North American
Review the Republican Publicity Association through It's
president. the Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr, declares
The combination Of socialism and bureaucracy which
the Democratic party would establish in America II IT had
the indicated by scheme put forth recently by
E. T. Meredith who was Secretary OF Agriculture in the
latter part OF the Wilson administration Mr.. Meredith
proposes in an article in the North American Review
that the government nx each year IN advance minimum
price il will pay FOR nve commodities the next season.
wheat corn. wool, cotton and sugar"
His theory Mr. Bourne asserts Is that the government
viii be called upon TO buy merely the surplus as the
greater part OF the production OF these crops would be
sold The open market at not less than the guaranteed
price.
He ignores the obvious fact hat n the government is to
guarantee minimum price for these commodities, It will
inevitably be called upon to guarantee prices for cattle
hogs apples oranses peaches peanuts and all other agr
cultural as well as mining and manufactured products
He also overlooks the equally obvious fact that II some
government bureau has the power TO x the price Of COM
modiiies It can influence the market price and there
would be unlimited opportunities for speculation on the
part OF who might be in position to get advance
TIPS as to the action OF the prce-flxns committee.
Neither does he the ultimate result Of adoption Of
that policy-the fixing Of maximum well as minimum
prices-for the government has the power to nx mini
prices to protect the producer It has the equal right
and duty Of fixing maximum price TO protect the con
sumer Here is an excerpt from the Meredith article
which shows the scheme he has fathered:
Decisions for the whole people can be made onl.
through our government and it might be possible for u
10 influence balanced production by governments
nxing year in advance for the following years crops
the minimum price It will guarantee nve articles
wheat which is bread. and cotton which cloth
ing, which is meat and OF which we lmpOr
very large quantity We know the approximate quantit!
OF the nve mentioned crops necessary domes
tic needs The Department OF Agriculture made YER!
careful studies to the cost Of production price
be fixed upon wheat which will permit enough farmer
engage in its production TO give hundred million
bushels, II that be needs higher price will let il
additional farmers farmers so fortunately situated
those who could produce prontably at the lower price
give total production Of seven hundred millio
bushels still higher price win give a stil large
production.
with the prices announced one year in advance II
deemed desirable to curail production OF a give
CROP reduction in the guaranteed price OF the article
which had surplus and increase in the price
the Of which wished TO production woul
discourage a certain percentage OF farmers from rasn
the one crop and result in the desired essened produ
tion and increase the production OF the other crop
which had a shortage. We might at times find III
government with a small portion OF a given crop ham
not absorbed by people or the export marke
and that case the whole people would absorb the su
plus through the government a problem OF mutual II
terest handling it bring harm to the peop
who produced the crop, thus permitting business
along without jar In this situation the price the "a
lowing year that particular crop would be reduced
order to reduce production"
We feel that neither Delaware producers nor Co
desire to be made the objects OF any such Mer
dh socialstic experimentation