The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-06

ignored the danger of such valuation,
brought to the level Of our own production
costs, making our tariffs prohibltive. 1t
| might do SO in many instances where i'm
! ports ought to be encouraged. 4 believe
] STABILITY of the only promising alterna-
! tive, namely, a provision authorizing
! proeiaiiheq American Naiudtioh uhuSE pr
, scribed conditions on any given list OF
articles imported.
/ Must Hasten Decision.
in this proposed flexibility, AUTHORIZING
increases to meet conditions so likely to
change, there should also be provision for
! decreases. A rate may be just today, and
entirely out of proportion six months from
( today. If our tariffs are to be made equ1ta-
/ bic and not necessarily burden our I'M
ports and hinder our trade abroad, fire.
I quent adjustment will be necessary for
/ bility of modification by act of congress
! for any one of score of lines without
| We snail go a long ways toward stablllIi-
ton if there is recognition of the tariff
! commissions fitness to recommend urgent
/ changes by proclamation.
! 4 am sure about public opinion favoring
\ the early determination of our tariff policy.
| There have been reassuring signs of u
/ business revival from the Geep slump
! which all the world has been experiencing.
Our unemployment. which gave US deep
encouraginGly less and new assurances and
renewed confidence will attend the CON
| gressional declaration that American in
dustries will be held secure.
much has been said about the protective
! policy for ourselves making it Impossible
for our debtors to discharge their ObIiGa-
ton to us. This is a contention not now
pressing for decision If we must choose
between a PEOPLE in idleness pressing for
the payment of indebtedness. or II people
resumfng the normal ways of employment
aHd carrying the credit, let us choose the
| latter.
Must Minimize War Chances.
Sometimes We appraise largest the hu-
man ill most vivid in our minds. We have
been giving. and are giving now, of our
influence and appeals to minimize the like
lihoOd of war and thrown off the crushing
burdens of armament. 1t is all very earn
est, with a national soul impelling. But
n people unemployed and gaunt with
ening war and our greater obligation
today is to DO the governments part
toward resumiug productivity and promot-
ing fortunate and remuneratIve employ
Something more than tariff PROTECTION
is required by American agriculture to
the farm has come the earlier and the
heavier burdens of readjustmenr. There Is
actual depression in our agricnIitnrai IN
sential to the general prosperity OF the
country.
Laws Cannot Cure Economics.
Congress has sought very earnestly to
provide relief 1t has promptly given Such
temporary relief as has been possible buc
the call is insistent for the permanent solu-
ton. 1t is inevitable THAT large crops,
lower prices and short crops advance them
No. legislation can cure that fundamental
law. But there must be some economic
solution for the excessive variation in re-
turns for agricultural production.
1T is rather shocking to be told and 10
have the statement strongly supported
that nine million bales of cotton, raised on
American plantations in a given year, VIII
actually be worth more to the producers
than 1900 900 bales would have been.
Equally shocking is the statement that
700 100000 bushels of wheat, raised by
American farmers would bring them more
than a billion bushels. Yet these are not
Tod world
there are tens of millions who need food
and clothing which they. cannot get: such
condition is sure to indict the social sys-
TEN which makes it possible.
Distribution the Solution.
"In the main the remedy lies in dis
tribution and marketing. Every proper
encouragement should be given TO the
cooperative marketing program THESE
have proven very helpful to the co-operat-
ing communities in Europe. In Russla'
the cooperative community has become the
recognized buIwark of law and order. and
saved individualism from engulfment in
social paralysis. Ultimately they viii be
accredited with the salvation of the Rus
There is the appeal for this expefiment.
Why not try it? No one challenges the
right of the farmer to a larger share Of
what the consumers pay for his product. no
one can dispute that we eannot live with |
out the farmer. He is justified in re-
beiling against the transportation cost. |
Given fair return for his labor. he Will !
have less occasion to appeal for financial
aid: and given assurance that MS laDOFS !
shall not be in vain. we reassure all the |
people of a production sufficient to meet |
our national requirement and guard against
s'The base of the pyramid of civilization |
which rests upon the soil is shrinking thru !
the drift of population from farm to city. |
For a generation we have been expressing !
more or less concern about this tendency |
Economists have warned and statesmen |
have deplored We thought for a time !
that modern conveniences and the more |
intimate contact would halt the movement |
but it has gone steadily on. Perhaps only |
ought TO find less drastic remedy.
r. r. Rates Are Key.
1.-The existing scheme of adjusting |
freight rates has been favoring the basic |
points until industries are attracted to
some centers and repealed from Others A
great volume of uneeonOmic and wasteful /
transportation has attended and the cost |
increased accordingly.
The grain. milling and meat packing
industries afford ample illustration. and |
the attending concentration is readily ap-
parent The menaces in concentration are
not limited to the retarding influences on
agriculture. Manifeshy the conditions and |
terms of railway transportation ought not
be permitted to increase this undesirable
tendency We have a just pride in our
great cities but We shall find a greater
pride in the nation which has a larger
of its population into the
country, where comparatively self sutfi-
my "l-Aie HSih-
cultural and manufacturing interests in
helpfulness and enterprises
md enhanced good fortune. Such a move
ment contemplates no destruction or
-hings wrought, of Investments made or
wealth involved. 1t only looks to gen
,ral policy of Transportation of dfstrih-
ited industry and of highway couStruc-
ion to encourage the spread of our popu-
alton and restore the proper balance ne
.ween city and country. The problem may
we'll have your earnest attention
1t has been perhaps the proudest claim
II orr American civilization that in deal
ng with human relationships it has con-
'tantly moved toward such justice in dis
ributing the product of human energy
hat 1t has improved continuously the eco
ionic status of the mass of people. Ours
las been highly productive social organ
cation. On the way up from the ele-
mental stages of society we have eIiminat-
ID slavery and serfdom and are now far on
ne way TO the elimination of poverty.
Thru the eradication of illiteracy and
he diffusion of education, mankind has
reached a stage where may fairly say
that IN the United States, equality of OPP
portunity has been obtained, tho all r
re not prepared to embrace it There