The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-07-29
FARMERS CLAIM
IS CONSIDERED
CONGRESSMAN Riddick Writes of What
Is Being Done For Agricultural
Classes.

Responding to an inquiry of the
Courier as to what especial construc-
tive legislation was being accomplish
ed for the farmer at Washington,
Congressman Carl Riddick writes:
II promised Montana farmers that
President Harding would show a spec
ial interest in aiding agricultural in
terests. He has done this.
Earning interests have been up
permost in the minds, both of Con-
gress and the whole Administration.
In addition to the emergency tariff to
relieve agricultural producers, Con-
gress has enacted a law increasing the
amount of funds available for farm
loans by the Federal Farm Loan bank.
This act has already made $20,000,000
available for farm loans, and this sum
will be increased. The bill to increase
the rate of interest paid investors in
farm loan bank bonds has passed the
Senate and will pass the House in a
to compete in the market with COM
mercial and industrial bonds, and
thereby further increase the funds of
the Farm Loan banks.
In order to expedite the financing
of stock raising interests, the Hard
ing administration took the initiative
in calling conferences of private bank
ers to form a $5O,0O0,O0O fund to be
loaned cattle men on reasonable terms
and for a long time. The fund is ready
and loans are already being made.
Under the arrangements, credit can be
obtained for a maximum period of
two years.
"This makes 100000 900 extra cred
it the Republican Administration and
Congress have provided for the farm
ers in the past 80 days.
There also was the administration
of the special 50, 200, 900 appropriation
for relief of the drought-stricken farm
ers of our own state of Montana and
neighboring territory, although the
bulk of it went to the farmers of Mon
tana. Secretary of Agriculture Wal
ace assumed personal supervision of the
handling of this loan and the money
was distributed in record time. With
in II days after the work started, all
the necessary machinery was set up,
and loans were being made. Over A.
900 loans, aggregating $1,95O,000,
were made, and over one million dol
lars of the fund was loaned to farmers
of our own stated.
"There is some patience over the
delay in enactment of the packer reg
ulation bill and the grain futures bill.
In both cases haste might well mean
waste-of effort and time. These bills
touch basic economic principles and
should be modelled along the funda-
mentally sound lines that underlie
such federal supervisory bodies as
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The enactment of a hastily-drawn, i'll
considered law would only breed dis
satisfaction and greater irritation a
mong all affected parties, and result
in needed changes at the next session
of Congress. When finally enacted,
these two laws will represent the con
sensus of opinion of all interested
parties, fair to all concerned and
possessing qualities of stability and
~permanency.
This Congress has created a joint
congressional agricultural commission
as the result of conferences between
leaders of all the great farm organi-
cations and leaders in Congress. The
comission is now at work and is au-
thorized to make a report within 80
days. 1t is making a ~study-with a
to recommending helpful legis- s
lation-of the economic problems of {
the farmer such as marketing and {
transportation facilities, financial re- t
sources and credits, relation of the
to the producer, etc.
81 have dwelt upon what the Con-
gres has done because, as a member ,
of the dominant party of that body, l
must share in it's responsibilities and
bear my proportion of whatever crit
icism is deserving. But | submit the
above record deserves praise instead of
criticism. None of the enumerated t
legislation is partisan, even though it t
were enacted by a Republican Con- {
gress 1t benefits the Democrat quite ;
as much as the Republican. 1t in
jures no section of our great nation in
order to enrich som other section. l
rely upon the spirit of fair play and
sober judgment which are marked
characteristics of the people of Mon
tana to rebuke the partisan misrepre-
sensations of the above notable list of
achievements" Ii