The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-02-23

The first real contest between
Congress and the Legislative De
partment of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation has taken place and
the Farm Bureau has materially
STRENGTHENED it's position in Wash.
ington. There have been numerous
skirmishes from time to time In
which the American Farm Bureau
Federation stated its wishes more
or less vigorously and received
kindly consideration, but the first
real test which has called for show
ing Of strength has come in the
case Of the Muscle Shoals nitrate
development proposition.
1t should be understood that the
opponents OF the farmers in this
proposition are the American Cy-
anamide Company, the Chilean Nj
trate monopoly, the fertilizer COM
bine and the great by-products in
tercctS, including the United States
Steel Corporation quite a formida-
BILE array. Washington has been
full of representatives of these in
terests using every possible means
To |-'-r1 - ~-"c--~c - .~.-o~'
the farmer in securing this cheap
nitrate supply. Persistent propa-
ganda has been kept NJ By inter
ested parties using literature under
the guise of THE Press Service"
of New York City.
After thoroughly sizing up the
situation and attempting to work
out satisfactory arrangement with
those ~ charge Of legislation, the
Leoic'"t'va o@ce of the American
Farm Bureau Federation decided to
tale vigorous means to get this
measure fair presentation. The
time seemed to have arrived when
Orgasized agriculture should step
forward and demand consideration
without regard to party promises,
politics or special interests involv-
ed.
Following its defeat, by a narrow
the American Farm Blu
reau Federation wrote every men,
Der Of the House a letter stating
that the Muscle Shoals project
would result in greatly increased
nitrate supplies and materially de-
crease costs; also that it was evil
dem tn the firmer that it was de-
feated through the influence of
large cornorations, who have a sell
fish interest in maintaining fertiliz-
err costs; and further that the vote
not being one of record, asked that
he notify our Washington represes-
tative how he had voted on the
Certain of the leaders in the
Ioren &rdirg themselves in an IN
position, naturally en-
leavored to vindicate themselves, If |
Since there was only one !
direction in which they could kick, |
hey followed that direction and in
sisted that the American Farm Blu
eau Federation had charged men,
,ers of the House individually with
having been approached by fertiliz-
IT interests. They even went so
ar as to call President Howard and
Mr.. Silver before an investigating
on Jan. 10. Despite the
warming of the more sasacious
who realized that this
vas a dangerous procedure and
would very gladly bring out expos
ire which would fL,ther embar:ass
re opponents of tho nitrate propo.
ition, the investigation was carried
ut, and it might be added, in
nost inquisitorial fashion. Little
tempt was made to get at the real
asis of the letter, but the whole
fort was thrown to an atttmpt to
cad into the letter construction
ntirely unwarranted by the Ian
uage used.
Needless to say the American
arm Bureau stood pat" and it is
ommon talk around the Capitol A.,
hat the investigation was a false
nd that the American Farm Blu {
eau Federation fully sustained its
osition. The issue. has now be-
ome a clear cut division between {
ne farmer and consumer jointly on I
ne one side and the special inter-
SITS on the other side.
After a ten day debate on Jan. /
4, the Senate passed the Wads- I
orth Bill which authorizes and l
irects the use of the Muscle Shoals G
itrate Plant for the production of
,rtilizer by a vote OF "a to 80. 4
In his testimony before the House [