Morris tribune., 1921-08-05
FOOD PRODUCTION IN DANGER
CONTINUED from page bne.)

facturer and merchant.
It is imperative that provision be
made to extend the normal agrlcuI-
tural credit over a period equal to
the normal turnover in agricultural
industry. We believe that certain
measures already under consideration
in congress will go far toward accom-
plishing this result, namely:
Authorizing an increase of the in
terest rate of federal farm loan bonds
and Joint stock land bank bonds from
5 to 51h per cent, without increasing
the interest rate charged on loans to
farmers. Such legislation, we be-
lieve, will make these securities more
readily marketable and provide more
funds for agricultural loans.
Increasing the limit on federal
farm land bank loans to individuals
from $4,000 to $4,000.
Furthermore, we hold equally i'm
perative the establishment Of ade-
uuate rediscounting facilities, either
farm land bank system, or some other
agency to be established, to extend
credit to individual farmers on farm
nroducts stored in bonded warehouses
properly safeguarded.
We regard inadequate financing as
the root of the economic evils now
demoralizing agricultural produc-
ton and distribution. Reduced pro-
duction and reduced efficiency of pro-
duction are inevitable results of in
adequate income, capital and credit.
The consequences already are mani
Testing themselves in this state.
Twenty-six per cent of the county
farm bureaus in Minnesota which
sent in their periodical reports on
farm labor conditions as of July I,
1921, reported the demand for farm
labor below normal, rejecting de-
creased production either as the
cause or the result of the farmers
inability to hire the help required to
produce a crop in normal times.
While accurate figures are not
available, observations of the mem
bers of the board, the directors OF
Minnesota Farm Bureau federation,
lead to the unanimous statement that
there has been a serious increase in
rural mortgage foreclosure proceed
ings in the last four months.
Transportation Railroad freight
rates must be reduced to level that
will restore the movement of the
necessities of life, before the farmers
purchasing power can be restored or
the consumer can be benefited by the
decline in the original selling price
of farm products.
Freight rates have been increased
to the point where they have set up
an actual blockade between producer
and consumer; present rates are an
embargo on the distribution of the
necessities of life; they are directly
responsible for actual destruction and
gross waste of food, as we'll as for
reducing the farmers income at the
same time that they increase the cost
of food to the consumer.
Specific evidence in support OF
these statements is offered as follows:
Of 28,888 Minnesota farmers who
were asked the question, will you
be able to ship materially larger
amount of farm products if freight
rates are materially reduced" 27,94s
answered Eyes" and only 945 sale
"no"
The wool growers in Dodge county
Minnesota, in pooling their wool
bought all sacks at &c ga cents
apiece; the cost of shipping thes'
sacks from st. Louis was $11.33 o!
almost half the purchase price.
When oats were selling at 16 cent
a bushel at st. Lawrence, So. Dakota
this summer, and corn was selling a
the same place for rs cents bushel
the freight rates on the 16 cent oat
and rs cent corn amounted to 8!
cents hundred from St. Lawrence t.
Owatonna, MINI. Furthermore rail
road freight tariff not only laid thu
virtual embargo on shipments o
oats and corn from that part of Soutl
Dakota to points in Minnesota, the
also Disseminated against rural com
munities in favor of dealers in tn
terminal markets. The freight Of
oats and corn to the twin cities,
miles farther, was Fl cents hundre
pounds. This statement is vouche
for by Thomas E. eastman, Steel
=
county farmer.
Many carloads of onions produce
near Dodge Center, Minnesota, wer
dumped because freight rate charge
amounted to more than the price Q
the onions on the market. Thi
statement is vouched for by c. L. Nc
Nelly, county agent.
Another report sent to the Mime
sofa Farm Bureau federation state