The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-06-24
Referendum Vote Taken
Among the Farmers
SEEK LOWER RAIL RATE
Farm-to-Market Roads Sought
Before Building National
Highways

Minnesota farmers in more than
1000 townships, caucuses, called by
the Minnesota Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, showed conclusively their de-
sire in sixteen demands for national
legislation, vital to agriculture, &C
cording to returns compiled In st.
Paul Saturday night. The caucuses
were called by the federation to as
certain the opinion of farmers on
measures pending in congress.
Incomplete returns from SiXty-two
counties showed farmers throughout
the state virtually unit In their de-
mand for immediate reduction OF
freight rates. On the basis of partial
returns, l.. E. Potter, president of
the Minnesota Farm Bureau fedora
ton, said the voting indicated that at
least 10000 of the 17S,000 farmers in
the state could ship quantities of
products, which would be held from
the market by high freight rates, If
rail tariffs were cut before harvest
time.
Ask For Lower Rates.
In nine counties, which sent in fin
al returns from farmer caucuSes in
every township, 6,667 producers an
swered yes" when asked whether
lower freight rates would enable them
to ship much larger quantities of
farm products. OF the SITS farmers
who voted on the referendum only
eleven said they had not found pres
emit railroad rates a grave handicap
in marketing their crops.
Sixteen questions were submitted
as part of a national referendum
launched by the American Farm Blu
reau federation.
Tabulation early returns showeds
That the farmers are voting ten To-
one against the enactment Of gen.
eral sales tax.
They are voting twenty to one in
favor of continuing the excess profit
tax.
Seek Farm to Market Roads
They are voting 80 to 1 in favor of
the construction, of farm to- market
roads prior to the building of great
transcontinental highways under
Federal control.
They favor the immediate compile
Lakes Waterway by majority run
ming as high as 200 to l..
If the votes so far tabulated are
representative of the sentiment Of the
farmers of the state, the producers
line up as follows on other questions
included in the farmers sixteen
For laws prohibiting short selling
of farm products, 1884; opposed,
3,114.
For Federal regulation of packers,
ITO, 403; opposed S,075.
For constitutional amendment for
bidding the issuance of tax exempt
securities, 154,360: opposed 24,11S.
Urged Collective Bargaining
For laws guaranteeing the farm
ers the right of collective bargain
in in marketing their products, Ill.,
LOG; opposed 1872.
For establishment of a $50.000,000
government export corporation to
finance the sale of American crops
abroad, $4,000; opposed, 23,178.
For increasing the limit on farm
land bank loans from 10000 to $25,-
600 there would be 147,430; opposed.
81 ,O4S.
For law empowering the Federal
Reserve board to give priority to
loans for basic production, 1885;
opposed, 6,523.
For legislative action to provide
long time loans for live stock pro-
ducers, 1896; opposed 5,173.
The results of the Minnesota vote
will be telegraphed to Chicago and
added to the votes cast in forty-six
other states. The results then will be
laid before Congress.