Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-05

The federation has been making q strenuous
fight against the Townsend highway bill and for
the Dowell bill. 1t contends that the Townsend
bill will provide for the construction of a few
highways or trunk lines across the country and
eliminate cooperation between states and the
federal government in road construction result
ing in. heavy overhead expense with the ap-
pointment Of three commissioners. The Dowel
bill, which is now called the Phipps-Dowell bill,
sire-farm-to-market roads. 1t will continue
cooperation between the federal government
and the states. The law would establish a
definite road-construction policy. AS the two
bills now stand they likely will be referred
on highways where some compromise between
the two bills probably will have to be made in
order to pass one of them.
After more than two years of
testimony and discussion of packer legislation,
two bills to control the packing business and live
stock Yards have reached 3D., a POI where one Is
regulation of the meat packers by the secretary
of agriculture, for a uniform system OF account
ing and publicity concerning costs. and applies
the sherman act to the packing industry and
commission men. .
Two bills which would improve the Federal
Farm Loan System have shown fair progress
and it is predicted by those who are watching
legislation closely that they will be passed this
session.. One bill provides $50, 000,0 900 working
capital in the treasury department, which the
Federal Farm Loan Board may draw against
pending the sale of a large block OF BONDS; Tne
claim was made that 1t was impractfcable TO
keep Federal Farm Loan bonds on the market
continuously and that a larger issue should be
sold promptly.
Another bill would enable the Federal Farm
Land Banks and the Joint Stock Land Banks to
pay 5h per cent. instead of 5 per cent. on tneir
bonds, which are now tax exempt. Even with
this exemption feature these bonds have SOLD
rather slowly because of the high rate of IN
terest paid by foreign governments and by our
own industrial concerns.
The Farm Bureau with other organizations
was successful in convincing the Senate Com
mittee on Banking and Currency tnat ~ I've Ir 9ahs
which would have killed the Federal Farm Loan
system including the Joint Stock Land Banks
should not be reported out OF the commlttee.
An Expert Corporation.
The farmers are also following very closely q
bill introduced by Senator George w. MOTIFS n oo oa
for a government corporation which would e1-
port agricultural products. The proponents OF
class Hesitation. One Of their replies Is tkat
whatever helps agriculture will hasten the re-
turn of prosperity to the country. When corn
on the farm in Iowa is worth only 20 cents per
bushel and sells at the station for SO cents. but
brings SO cents in New York City, there IS some
one besides the farmer interested In the INDUSTRY
Two bills have been introduced to assist In H.
nancing agriculture and livestock productlon'
One is tho Sterling bill which would make avail
able 800, 900, 900 during the next three years TO
be loaned by the Federal Farm Loan Banks:
These bills, however. will stand little snow OF
passing il the banking interests carry through
the program which they announced some tme
ago Of lending $50. 100000 to livestock produc-
ers Of the West.
A bill which has been the center of attraction
for some time is the Tincher bill prohibiting the
short selling Of grain. 1t has passed the House
in the near future. All Of the farm organiza-
lions have recommended it before the commit
tee and it also has the approval or the secretasy
Of agriculture. 1t Is pelng pltterly ioushe NY
grain dealers.
For several sessions in congress the farmers
have been very much interested in passing a Dill
which would make it necessary for manufacture
ers of woolens to mark their products so tnat
the consumers would know the percentage OF
virgin wool which they carried. uu, ..
1t is claimed by the American Farm bureau
Federation that two-thirds OF the worlds WOOL
ems are manufactured of shoddy, for only
enough virgin wool is consumed annually to
produce one-third of the output. 1t does not
object to the use of shoddy but It claims that
the consumer should be given the benefit od
wishes to unmask the alias "aH wool" All
woor' of course may be, and generally is, shod-
French Truth n-Fabric bill. Hearings on this
bill have been suspended temporarily by the
House Committee on Agriculture.
Legislation on cold storage Is again on the
docket. Bills have been introduced by Repre-
sentatives Haugen and Hutchinson and by SEN
ator Frelinghuysen. The farmers are interestsa
Committee on Agriculture the statement was
made that the federation wishes the bill so
framed that permission will be given to store
foodstuffs temporarily and in transit without re-
quiring it to be stamped "cold storage II
would also like to see the limit OF storage placed
at approximately one year from the time or
Other bills before congress in which the far
mers are particularly interested are the Capper-
Volstead cooperative marketing bill. and a bill
which would increase the amount of individual
loans made by the Federal Farm Land Banks
from $40, 900 to $4,000. II
The federation will be intensively Interested
in the very near future in a bill which Will be
introduced to provide for the completion OF the
Wilson Dam at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. and Tor
overnmentally owned corporation which may
operate the nitrate plant for the manufacture OF
fertilizer during peace and munitions during
war time. The federation approved this pro-
ject after sending members of their executive
to visit Muscle Shoals last April.
This session of congress promises to write
more constructive agricultural legislation than
any other in recent years.