The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-06
Frederic Haskin's Letter
The Farmers Legislative Program.

AnoSher Dill would enable the
federal farm land banks and r.
joint stock banks to nav az ~
cent instead of 5 per cent on -
bonds, which are now tax exer,Dt
Even with this exemption fes,,,--
these bonds have sold rather ST.
ly because of the high rate ~ !.
terest paid by foreign government,
and by our own industrial Gomez
The farm bureau with pthar a.
CARNATIONS was successful IN con
vincing the senate COMMITTEES -
banking and currency that two Hill
introduced by Senator Reed $50 800
of Utah, which would have lima
the federal larm loan system m
Guiding the joint stock land hanks ,
should lot be reported out of tbs
committee
An Export Corporation.
The farmers are also following
very closely bill introduced nv
Senator George W. Norris of Ne
braska which would provide IN,
s100, 100000 for a government cor
poration which would export agri.
cultural products. The proponents
of this bill had to meet the argu-
ment that this is class legislation
One of their replies is that what
ever helps agriculture will hasten
the return of prosperity to the coun-
try. When corn on the farm in
Iowa is worth only 20 cents Der
bushel and sells at the station for
80 cents, but brings So cents in
New York city. there is someone be- I
sides the farmer interested in the
industry of agriculture, they say.
Two bills have been introduced to
assist in financing agriculture and
livestock production One is the
Sterling bill which would make
available $10O,00O.000 during the
next three years to be loaned by
the federal farm loan banks. These
bills, however, will stand little
show of passing if the banking in
terests carry through the program
which they announced some time
ago of lending 100000 to live
stock producers in 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 and will be reported from
the senate committee in the near
future All of the farm organiza-
tions have recommended it before
the committee and it also has the
approval of the secretary Of agricul-
ture. 1t is being bitterly fought by
grain dealers.
For several sessions in congress
the farmers have been very much in
terested in passing a bill which
would make it necessary for man
ufacturers of woolens to mark their
products so that the consumers
would know the percentage Of virgin
wool which they carried.
1t is claimed by the American
farm bureau federation that two
thirds of the world woolens are
manufactured of shoddy, for only
enough vigin wool is consumed an
nually 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 bene-
fit of knowing what he is buying.
The federation also wishes to IN
mask the alias "alI wool. All
wool" of course may be, and gen
orally is, ShOddy. The bill the
farmers are backing is the truth
in-fabric bill. Hearings on this
bill have been suspended Temporarily
by the house committee on agrieul- (
ture.
Legislation on cold storage Is
again on the docket. Bills have
been introduced by Representatives
Haugen and Hutchinson and BY
Senator FreIinghuysen. The farm
ers are interested in this Legislation
and in testifying before the com
mittee on agriculture the statement
was made that the federation
wishes the bill so framed that per-
mission will be given 10 store food
stuffs temporarily and in transit
without requiring it to be stamped
cold storage" 1t would also Ike
to see the limit of storage placed al
approximately one year from lac
time of production.
Other bills before congress IN
which the farmers are particularly
interested are the Capper-V0lsteau
cooperative marketing bill, ana
bill which would increase the
amount of individual loans made Dy .
the federal farm land banks from .
$4,000 to $4,000.
The federation will be intensFeN {
interested in the very near future IL
a bill which will be introduced 70
provide for the completion Oh inc
Wilson dam at Muscle Shoals ala
and for the govermentally owner
corporation which may operate ulS
nitrate plant for the manufacture u
fertilizer during peace and nun.
tions during the war time ~
federation approved this PROV"
after sending members OF their e.
ecutive committee to visit MuSO''
Shoals last April.
This session of congress piOL
Uses to write more constructive agl.
cultural legislation than any OH"
in recent wears. .