The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-06-29

claim credit because OF what nature
has done for us. 1t Is only in the man
ner in which we are conserving and
developing our resources that we con-
fer distinction upon our citizenship
i and fix our place among the nations.
In Belgium and Holland the ocean is
brought to their cities and it is well
known fact that those countries are
world powers in commerce and manu-
facture.
In the strategy of trade our COM
petitors have wisely acted upon the
4 principle well known to physics, that
it is easier to move body floating
in liquid than to carry it on wheels.
AS an illustration of this statement
want to call your attention to ship
ment of rice that is being made from
my district at this time. The Lake
Charles Rice Milling Co. is shipping
1920 pockets of rice through /the
! intercoastaI canal by barges to Orange
Tex, to connect with a steamer sail
ing direct to Hamburg, Germany. Now
the rail rate from Lake Charles, La,
to Orange, Texas, is rs IL cents per
100 pounds, whereas the barge rates
by water is only 10 cents. 1t should
be plain to any thinking man that II
we are to sell rice in Germany in COM
petition with foreign rice, we must
make the effort to reduce freight
rates. And here is an example of
what the waterways can do for COM
munity. And then, too. this is a per-
manent relief.
Let us hope tina the bill appropriat
ing money for federal aid in the build
ing Of good roads will pass before the
end of this session. We must not con-
slider the pleasure, only that we get
out of good roads, but we must think
of the future of the motor truck in
transportation. We we'll remember
how the motor trucks from the farms
saved New York during the last rail-
road strike there. l never appreciated
the real value of good roads until
visited Europe. There is one lesson
we should learn from France, especi-
ally in connection with good roads,
and it is the Importance of setting
aside fund for proper maintenance
after we have built good roads.
Every time we ask for appropria-
tons for the improvement of our
waterways and good roads, we are in
varibly met with the cry Of extrava-
gance and we are told that we must
practice economy. 1t is false economy
to refuse appropriations for such wor-
thy improvements. What we should do,
if we wish to practice real economy
is to see, that the money which is APP
propriated for these projects, and
other projects as well, is spent econ
omically. and where it is really need.
: ed. And the only way to practice
such economy is to adopt policy and
follow it instead of vappropriating in a
/ piecemeal way.
Our terminal facilities mast be i'm
proved too, because we will never have
; the full use of our waterways until
provision is made for loading and un.
+ loading and storage.
Our marketing facilities must also
be improved Our whole system OF
wholesaling and retailing is inefficient
and uneconomical. A recent investi.
CATION conducted by the government
/ showed these effects. / heard it said
at a conference of farmers, merchants,
and bankers in New York the other
8 day that the producers of American re.
/ ceive about one-fourth of the price
t paid by the consumers that the people
$ of Holland receive due mainly to the
9 difference between the systems n
0 transportation, marketing and distri
1 button.
!. The farmers of this country are be
a ginning to understand that organiza
/ ton and cooperation in a business
g way is Necessary to bring about a
), bettermeEt of these conditions. Thal
G is why we are asking that their organi
8 cations be authorized by federal Law
: and accountable to the. department o.
agriculture. That is why, toe, they
s asked for committee to investigate
Il agricultural conditions and repor
5. back to congress.
II The consumers as we'll as the pro
" ducers should welcome the develop
n ment Of a marketing system, Operated
II and controlled, by the men who nIatuI
a ally produce the products. This ma,
h. look like a dream to those who hav
k become used to the specializing an
st gambling method of marketing that ha
T. been developed in this country, bu
il it is not a dream. It is possible tina
/. brains, patience, and organization ca
s bring to full success such system
le Until the gap standing between tn
Is producers and consumers of this cour
Is try is crossed and the unfair middle
Il men are eliminated, there must, G
er necessity, remain misunderstanding
r. and bad feeling between the peopl
,s.s..- =. 49, IT. ,ao-4 49, o-5 4I,o ~.