The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-07-28

s.
WEEKLY LETTER
Washington, D. G. July 22.
The views Of Congressman ]. II.
Sinclair (Republican) and Senator G..
M. Hitchcock (Democrat) in the caus-
es Of our economic ills and their sug-
gestions as to remedies no doubt will
be Of interest to our readers. Con-
gresham Sinclair says:
"My opinions as to the accomplished
and pending legislation of the the
9th Congress is not altogether un-
biased. / view all legislation from the
standpoint Of my constituents, who
are mostly farmers. 1t has been pretty
well demonstrated that our national
prosperity is dependent upon agricul-
ture. It is, in fact, the basic industry
and when it prospers all other lines
Of industry prosper with it. 1t would
appear that this view is not shared
by the leaders in Congress for 80 per
cent Of all measures enacted during
this trying time has been for the bene-
fit of special business interests. BY
this mean the large manufacturing
and Industrial interests Of the nation.
It is true that numerous measures
have been introduced in Congress with
the hope of relieving the existing ag-
ricultural depression, for it must be
conceded that agriculture, above all
other industries, has suffered the most
severely from the readjustment and
deflation through which we are pass
ing. The Department Of Agriculture
estimates that on last years crop
alone there was a shrinkage OF over
5000, 100000. This vast amount nee
essarily cut the purchasing power OF
the farmers, and to it may be traced
much Of the loss in sales of goods OF
which manufactures complain.
"The hazards of chance with which
the farmer has to contend-hail,
drought, rust, insects, etc are great
enough and are constant factor,
without adding to them violent price
fluctuations and unfair marketing
conditions. All who have Investigated
the question are unanimous in declar-
ing that agriculture is entitled to bet
ter marketing conditions. It is the
business of Congress to furnish this
relief. The fundamental elements Of
marketing are transportation and
credit. At the present time the farm
er faces the highest transportation
charges in the history of the country,
SO much SO as to prohibit the exchange
of commodities from one section Of
the United States to another. Lower
freight rates are inevitable before
farmers can be prosperous. Today
there is little or no credit available.
This is especially true as far as grain
and live stock are concerned. We must
have long time credits at reasonable
rates of interest to build up agricui-
ture, and it should be made easier for
the farmer to get this credit than for
those who speculate in his product.
This is work that the 9th Congress
has not yet. attempted, although 1t
has been suggested by numerous
members. When this has been accom-
plished farming will again take its
place as the most successful business
in our country, and our farmers will
be in a position to buy the products
of the overstocked mills and factories
believe this is Ear more important
than the tariff, tax regulation or re-
funding the Allied debt-matters now
engaging the attention of Congress.
Senator Hitchcock makes the fol.
lowing observations as to the accom-.
plishments of the 9th Congress:
Considering this as the beginning
of new Administration, it presents
strong contrast to the beginning o1
Administration under Wilson eight
years ago. At that time the new Pres.
ident had very definite program ane
boldly assumed the leadership Of his
party with which he felt the country
had entrusted him. He entered upor
program Of constructive Legislation
which resulted during the first fou1
years Of his Administration in sucl
great measure as the Federal Banl
Act, the Farm Loan Act, the Fedora
Trade Commission for the protection
Of business against unfair methods
the Good Roads Legislation, the Chile
Labor law, the Canal tolls bill, ant
other measures which made stroni
appeal to the American people. HI
was charged with being a dictator AM
he certainly was very compromising
in adhering to his policies.
Looking at the present administra
ton, we will. not find anything lik
the degree Of achievement. Perhap
the opportunity does not exist to max
SO great record. Certainly there ]
q general opinion throughout tn
country that little or nothing has bee
/ accomplished and little or nothing ]
proposed for action BY Congress.
"My idea IS that something shoul
/ be done on q large scale and in . con
I structive way to restore commerce t
4 America. Our exports now are onl
half 81 what they were year ag
and our imports have decreased !
about the same proportion. We ca
almost say that our internations
y commerce 10 IN collapse. Iwo-third