Morris tribune., 1921-06-24
FREIGHT RATES CHOKE
PUBLIC, BALLOTS SHOW
Overwhelming Farmers Vote Opposes
Sales Tax, Upholds Excess
Profits Tax.
MINNESOTA FARN BUREAU
FEDERATION NEWS SERVICE
BY NEIL H. SWANSON
Edifnn MATHS Cnrnrinn

Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation
St. Paul, June 24-The farmers
Sixteen Points" are sweeping the
state in the farm bureau federation.
Minnesota farmers are telling con-
gress this week just what they need;
and their demands are backed by bal
lots taken in more than 1000 town
ship caucuses called by the Minnesota
Farm Bureau federation. Every
caucus voted on 16 national legisla-
tive questions now pending in con-
gress.
Incomplete returns from ga coun-
ties show farmers virtually unit in
their demand for immediate reduc-
tion of freight rates. On the basis
of partial returns, officers of the fed
Grafton said, the voting indicates that
at least 10000 of the 17S,OOO far
mers in the state could ship quanti-
ties of products, now held from the
market by high freight rates, if rail
tariffs were cut.
In the first nine counties, which
sent in final returns from every town
ship, 6,667 producers answered Eyes"
when asked whether lower freight
rates would enable them to ship much
larger quantities of farm products.
Of the SITS farmers who voted in
these nine counties, only II said they
had not found present railroad rates
a grave handicap in marketing their
crops.
Sixteen questions were submitted
to the farmers as part Of national
referendum launched by the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau federation.
Tabulations of early returns at
state farm bureau federation head
quarters showed:
That the farmers of the state are
voting 10 to l against the enactment
of a general sales tax.
| They are voting 20 to 1 in favor
of continuing the excess profits tax
They are voting so to in favor OF
construction of farm to market roads
prior to the building of transcontin.
entail highways under federal con
i troll.
They favor the immediate compile
tion of the st. Lawrence-Great Lakes
waterway by majority running as
high as 200 to 1.
If the votes so far tabulated are
representative of the sentiment of the
farmers of the state, the producer:
line up as follows on other question:
included in the Farmers Sixtee1
+ Points,:
For laws prohibiting short selling
of farm products, 175,464; opposed
3,114.
For federal regulation of packers
17O,4O3; opposed, 7,O75.
For a constitutional amendmen
forbiding the issuance of tax exemp
securities, 154,36O; opposed 24,11S
For passage of a truth-in-fabri
law, compelling merchants to labe
their goods plainly with the nam
and quantity of the kind of materia
used in the cloth, 177,354; opposed
1872.
For laws guaranteeing the farmer
the right of collective bargaining il
marketing their products, 177,1O6
opposed, 1872.
For establishment of a $50.O00.00
government export corporation to fin
ance the sale of American crop
abroad, 155,3OO; opposed, 23,178.
For increasing the limit on farm
land bank loans from $4,000 to $25
900, yes, 147,43O; opposed, 31,04S
Eor n 1ouy oyoDouorino tho fodora
reserve board to give priority to loan
for basic production, 171,955; oppos
ed, 6,523.
/ For a personal rural credit system
1895; opposed, 4,507.
For legislative action to provid
longtime loans for livestock producer
I173,305; opposed, 5,173.
For establishment of means to fur
: nish credit to farmers on receipts 70
products stored in bonded warehouse
1886; opposed 1852.
These figures were complied by tn
federation in proportion to the major
tiles shown by the first 10000 vote
tabulated.
"The returns have come from par
of the state, officials said, "and W
know they are representative of tn
/. farmers opinions. The percentage @
yes and no votes has hardly varie
since the first reports came in. TIL
majorities estimated on the basis G
the early returns would be proper
tionately larger if every farmer i
the state had voted"
The results of the Minnesota vot
will be telegraphed to Chicago, an
be added to the votes cast in 46 .othe
states in the referendum launched b
the American Farm Bureau fedora
iont. The final results will then b
laid before congress. 'rs
, Hancock had market days on Tues