The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-24
Says Unit is I'm denia bly,
Growing Institution = Sub
mits Fair Examination of
What Has Been Done.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
BY MARK SULLIVAN


pose the centre of the farm bloc and
give it leadership and guidance come
together more often and act together
more soidly than do the Republican
senators or the Democratic senators.
Further yet, the farm bloc is undeni-
ably growing institution. Its strength
and prestige increases with every is
sue that comes up.
The leadership OF the Republican
party which is supposed to dominate
ihe senate but does not, is in a state
of constant yielding to the farm bloc.
President Harding and a member OF
his cabinet, Secretary Weeks. have in
public addresses spoken critically of
this form Of group action in congress,
bu; the Republican leaders within the
senate and house do not fight it.
At least, they do not fight it vigor-
ously or successfully. Their more fre-
auent and obvious tendency is to let
II have its way. Just now, as the i'm
portanc tariff legislation is about to
emerge from the senate finance com
mittee, it is apparent that Senator
Penrose does not feel strong enough
10 take any course other than largely
10 let the farm bloc write whatever
tariff it chooses TO write.
story OF Inception
Since this is a new and important
institution in American politics. it will
be interesting and useful to consider
the story of it's inception and growth.
For that purpose. the best possible
beginning is brief statement of bust
Eess conditions in the farming states
from which these senators and con-
gressmen come, and whose economic
and political ideas they represent.
For such statement there is no
source more authoritative or compact
than to quote few detached SEN
fences from the just issued annual re
port of Secretary Henry Wallace of
the department of agriculture.
Secretary Wallace paints this pic
ture of the farming conditions which
have caned the senators and con
gressmen from farming states to seek
economic remedies through govern
ment action. and to act together politi-
cally toward that end He says:
The purchasing power of the prin-
cipal farm crops of the year 1921 at
the present time is lower than eyer
before known. In times past some of
these crops have sold at lower prices
per sale unit expressed in dollars and
cents, but probably never before have
cur farmers generally been compelled
to exchange their crops per sale unit
for such small amounts of the things
they need.
Excessive Costs.
The improbable year OF 1920 com
relled large numbers of farmers to
borrow heavily to meet excessive costs
Of production, which could not be paid
ont of crop proceeds. The unpreced-
ented drop in prices of farm products
In 1920 came as a stunning surprise
20 the majority of farmers. They had
expected some decline, but nothing so
severe as what actually happened.
Consequently for time they tried
TO avoid heavy sacrifice and continued
their borrowing. Their bankers
shared their belief that the situation
would adjust itself and were willing
10 lend. but prices went lower, and
these loans, together with loans pre-.
viously made, soon added volume to
that mass OF frozen credit of which
we have heard so much talk during
the past year.
During the prosperous years land
rents went up rapidly doubling and
trcbling, and in some cases going even
higher. 1t was human nature that
renters should prefer to pay cash rent
in a time of good farming profits. The
drop in prices for crops in 1920 caused
many of these renters to lose not only
heir labor for that year but their saw
ings as well
Wiped Out Young Man.
Many young farmers who hal
saved several thousand dollars during
the prosperous years were induced tC
buy farms on contract at the peak
pv;ce, making small payments down
with Il provision for yearly payments
of interest and on the principal, OF
main OF forfeiture of all sums pre-
viously paid. The sadly unprofitablC
wear of 1920 wiped out thousands @
these fine young men, and the ever
worse year of 1921 will finish more
of them"
These were and are, the conditions
which caused the senators and con
gressmen from the states most a
fected to be acutely responsible to th'
needs of their constituents. Thos'
were the conditions which brought the
farm bloc into being. 1t was purel,
= case of political action growing ou
of economic conditions. There Wa
never anything in politics more spon
taneous. more natural or more sir
cere.
! do not know just what particula
senator took the initiative. II is cleal
however that from the beginning, tn
acknowledged leader of the movemen
was and Is Senator William s. ken
Won, of Iowa. Another senator close
ly associated with Kenyon in leader
ship is Capper of Kansas. From thes
two outward to the fringes of th'
group are number of senators VIII,
participate in varying degrees in th'
meetings and counsels.
LaFolIette Shares.
Among the Republicans-and TO
! The moment I am speaking of the Re
publicans practically all ar
from states west of the Mississippi
The only Republican senators iron
east Of the Mississippi who have hat
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