The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1921-08-12
CARRIER GRAB
PLOT CHARGED
TO PRESIDENT
NORRIS lSDlcrs PRES. HARDING
AIDS FOR BLOCK TO
FARMERS CREDIT
President Sends Message To senate
Urging Sidetracking Of
Norris Bill
BY ALTER W. LlGGETT

BY ALTER w. LlGGETT
Washington, d. c., August g.
The recent assertion in these dis
patches that 'sthe Harding admins
tration and its reactionary spokes-
men to the senate are doing every
thing in their power to block the
passage of the Norris farm export
bill," has been completely vindicated
by the subsequent facts. Two days
after the article appeared, President
Harding sent message to the SEN
ate urging the sidetracking OF the
Norris bill and the substitution Of
farm credits TO bs provided through
revival of the war finance corpora
tion. Hot on the heels Of the read
ing of this message in the senate.
proving pre-arrangement. Senator
Kellogg introduced the substitute
measure authorizing the war finance
board to extend credits to the rail-
roads and the fxsmers. Il
Called Farm Bill Plot
There is not the slightest
doubt that Harding's recommen-
dations we're the result OF
carefully hatched plot to kill
the Norris farm export bill
and to ensure the passage Of $780,
000.0 grant to the railroads at ono
stroke. 1.-The refunding' Of $780,
900, 900 to the roads has been scg-
gested in administration circles for
nearly 10 days, but there has been
considerable opposition aud MEN,
bers of the agricultural bloc in par
ticular announced that they would
not vote for additional grants to the
railroads unless the Norris bill were
passed.
Harding, Mellon, Hoover, Lodge,
Edge, Penrose and others were de-
termined the Norris bill SHOULD not
be passed, and it was announced un-
officially, but APPARENTLY on the hest of
authority, that the president would
veto the measure IL it did muster
enough votes.
Then someone conceived the idea
of coupling the gift to the railroads
with the plan for farm credits and
Harding fell into line and executed
his amazing right-about-face. His
message to the senate stressed the
sad situation of the railroads and
dwelt upon the nations moral obli-
cation" to the carriers, but to avoid
the president also briefly mentioned
the need of the farmers for an ex-
tension of credit and declared that
this could be handled through the
war finance corporation.
Sought Farmer Support
Harding hoped thus to line up
farmer sentiment ipl favor of further
morley grants to the railroads and to
allay the opposition of the agricul-
tural bloc According to the terms
of the Kellogg bill, the war finance
board will have final say in the ad-
ministration of credit extension and
it is safe to predict that the railroads
will get their $500. 100000 first
and that the farmers NAV get small
er sum later, provided any funds
were left after the raid by the trans
portation agencies.
Senator Norris has badly declared
that President Harding. Vice Presi-
dent Coolidge, Secretaries Hoover ana
Mellon and Eugene Meyer. Jr., de
rector Of the war finance board. had
conspired by "secret and mysterious
methods" to defeat the farm export
bill and to substitute Mr.. Hard
ing's proposal that aid for the rail.
roads and farmers be incorporated IN
single bill. This plan was later
abandoned. said Norris. when the
president was told that It would be
dimcult to keep certain senator's in
line.
'sBut the president forgot to cor
rect his message" added Norris. "If
he had left the railroads out Of It.