Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-05

[ers. Tho Dowell bill. which Is now
called the Phipps- Dowell bill. more
closely approaches what the farmers
desire-~farm-t m-to-mnrket roads. IL
would continue cooperation between
the Federal Government and the states.
The law would be administered by the
Department of Agriculture as at pres
ent. and would establish n definite
road-construction policy. As the two
bills now stand they likely Will be re-
ferred eventually 10 the Townsend
Senate Committee on Highways where
some compromises between the two
bills probably will have to be made in
order TO pass one of them.
After more than two years OF inter-
mittent testimony and discussion of
packer legislation, two bills TO control
the packing business and livestock
yards have reached a point where one
is likely 60 become a law. This bill
provides for the regulation of the meat
packers by the Secretary of Agricul-
ture, for a uniform system of account
ing and publicity concerning costs, and
applies the sherman Act TO the pack
ing industry and commission men.
Two bills which would improve the
Federal Farm Loan System have
shown fair progress and it is pre-
dicted by those who are watching Leg
islation closely that they will be passed
this session. One bin provides $780,
100000 working capital in the Treas
ury Department, which the Federal
Farm Loan Board may draw against
pending the sale of a large block OF
bonds. The claim was made that II
was impracticable to keep Federal
Farm Loan bonds on the market con-
tinuously and that a larger issue
should be sold promptly.
Another bin would enable the
Federal Farm Land Banks and the
Joint Stock Land Banks to pay 5is
per cent instead of per cent on their
bonds, which are now tax exempt.
Even with this exemption feature
these bonds have sold rather slowly
because of the high rate of interest
paid by foreign governments and by
our own industrial concerns.
The Farm Bureau with other or
ganizations was successful In convinc-
ing the Senate Committee on Bank
ing and Currency that two bills In
troduced by Senator Reed Smoot of
Utah, which would have killed the
Federal Farm Loan System including
the Joint Stock Land Banks. should
not be reported out of the committee.
An Export Corporation.
The farmers are also following very
closely a bill introduced by Senator
George w. Norris of Nebraska which
would provide for 100000 600 for a
Government corporation which would
export agricultural products. The pro-
ponents of this bill had to meet the
argument that this is class legisla-
ton. One Of their replies Is that
whatever helps agriculture will hast
en- the return of prosperity TO the
country. When corn on the farm in
Iowa is worth only 20 cents per bush
el and sells at the station for SO
cents. but brings SO cents in New
York City, there is someone besides
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 Sterl-
S100. .0O0. 900 during the next 3 years
10 DC tbdiiN0 EN AtRG tGSIdA
Loan Banks. These bills, however
win stand little show of passing If
the banking interests carry through
the program which they announced
some time ago. of lending $50 100000
TO livestock producers in the West.
A bill which has been the center of
attraction for some time is the Tin
cher bill prohibiting the short selling
of grain. 1t has passed the House and
viii be reported from the Senate Com
mittee in the near future. All of the
farm organiza tions have recommend
ed it before the Committee and il
also has the approval of the Secre-
tary Of Agriculture. 1t is being bit
terly fought by grain dealers.
For several sessions in Congress the
farmers have been very much inter
ested in passing a bill which would
make il necessary for Inanufactur-
ers Of woolens 10 mark their prod
ucts so that the consumers would
know the percentage of virgin wool
which they carried.
II is claimed by the American Farm
Bureau Federation that two-thirds OF