The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-05
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN, Director.
Washington, D. C.
THE FARMERS LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM.

| lite program of legislation designed to
help the farmers, with an organized
agricultural bloc or party in each
house of congress backing it, and a
million organized farmers clamoring
for its passage, is one of the most I'M
usual features Of the present congress.
The tendency of the two old parties
to break up into small groups in con-
gress, each representing some definite
economic interest, has been described
| in a previous Haskin letter. The old
parties are tending to lose their mean
| ing. You may know. that a man was
elected on the Democratic ticket with
out having a clear idea where he
stands on anything. But If man
farmers of union labor, or of the
manufacturers, you know at once
where he stands.
So far, the farmers seem to have
made most progress in this open, or
ganized method. They have made
known clearly their views on taxation,
the tariff, Immigration, and other
major measures, and have in addition
procured the introduction Of long
list of hills designed especially to
favor farmers. The following partial
summary of the measures the farmers
are supporting in congress was OBJ
| tanned from the office of the American
Farm Bureau federation, which claims
|
resolution has been passed ap-
| pointing a committee to investigate
agriculture and to inquire into the
cause of its present status According
| to Congressman Sydney Anderson of
| Minnesota, the chairman of the com.
] mittee, the whole scope of the inquiry
| can be compressed into the question::
| What is the matter with the economic
| system of the country, if anything
| with special reference to the service
saE, - %Dl
agriculture2"
| About twenty-five senators and an
/ equal number of representatives have
| Joined together in separate blocs to
| discuss agricultural legislation and to
! try to promote the advancement of
to relieve the economic pressure on
agriculture. These members of con-
gress have the viewpoint that agricul-
ture is fundamental and that it must
| be made prosperous if the wheels OF
| industry are to turn freely. These
| blocs meet separately and usually in
executive session, when plans are laid
| for action.
Road Bills.
| Abe American Farm Bureau fed
| Grafton is working very closely with
both blocS and it is confident num-
! Der of other bills will become laws be-
| fore the closing of this session.
| The federation has been making
| strenuous fight against the Townsend
| highway bill and for the Dowell bill.
| It contends that the Townsend bill will
/ provide for the construction of few
| highways or trunk lines across the
| country and eliminate cooperation be-
tween states and the federal govern
I>ment in road construction resulting in
heavy overhead expense with the ap-
/ pointnent of three commissioners. The
Dowen bill. which is now called the
/ Phipps-Dowen bill, more closely ap-
proaches what the farmers desire
Ifarm-to-narket roads. It would con-
tinue cooperation between the federal
government and the states. The law
| would be administered by the depart
ment of agriculture as at present, and
would establish a definite road con-
| struction policy. AS the two bills now
stand they likely will be referred
eventually to the Townsend senate
committee 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 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 to become a law. This bill pro-
| vides for the regulation of the meat
! packers by the secretary of agricul-
ture, for 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 predicted by
those who are watching legislation
closely that they will be passed this
session. One bill provides 100000
working capital in the treasury de-
partment, which the federal farm loan
board may draw against pending the
sale of a large block of bonds. The
claim was made that it was imprac-
ticable to keep federal farm loan
bonds on the market continuously
and that larger issue should be sold
promptly.
Another bill would enable the fed
/ era1 farm loan banks and the joint
stock land banks to pay 51s 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 organ
iZatons was successful in convincing
| the senate committee on banking and
currency that two bills introduced 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 Expert Corporation.
The farmers are also following very
closely a bill introduced by Senator
| George w. Norris of Nebraska, which
would provide for $100,O0O,000 for
government corporation which would
export agricultural products. The pro-
ponents of this bill had to meet the
argument that this is class legislation.
One of their replies is that 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 33 cents, but
| brings SO cents in New York City,
there is someone besides the farmer
interested in the industry of agrfcul
ture, they say.