Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1921-01-06
SEEDPR0v|S|ON,
STATE LOANS,
Up I D CAUCUS
Measures Recommended
by Dixon Satisfy Major
ity of Members.
w. p. Arnold Of Dawson
County Takes Initiative
in House Leadership.
Special to The Daily Tribune.

Special to The Daily Tribune
Helena Jan 5.-Farmer members of
the house of representatives. or mem
bers who are closely identified with the
farming and stock raising industry, of
which there are between 80 and 40. are
preparing to get together upon pro-
gram of legislation which will prove ben
eficial to agriculture and TO organize
themselves as opposing measures which
might prove detrimental.
Steps have already been taken for
the holding of farm caucus during the
present week, probably on Friday eve
ming, although the exact time has not
been determined by the leaders. So far
there has developed no inclination upon
the part of these farm members to ask
for anything radical and, indeed, most
are very well satisfied with the measures
as affecting them which were recon-
mended by Governor Dixon in his mes
sage.
Few have anything in particular to
offer ALTHOUGH some have ideas that a
number of the existing laws should be
amended to remedy weaknesses and to
meet conditions such as were not an
ticipated when the bills were drafted
So far no real leadership has been
though W. p. Arnold, of Dawson county,
has been taking slight initiative and
will doubtless call the first caucus.
Among the northern Montana farmers
who appear to be interested in the move
are Fred Hanson of Daniels county, I'll.
Il. Rickard of Roosevelt county and +.
B. Gillette of Valley.
Mr.. Hansen fees that the seed grain
and feed relief law should be amended in
order to make it workable. He states
that the bill was intended as relief to
the farmer who had been hard hit by
drouth and that instead it was really
proving burden for the reason that all
of the first crop was required by the
county in meeting the loan which the
county had extended to the farmer. He
feels that the repayment of this money
obtained from the county should be ex-
tended over period of from Cne to five
years and would thus permit the farb,er
to retail such of his crop as he required
for seed and feed, and TO sell enough
to enable him to meet his domestic and
farming expenses pay the interest upon
his loans and be tided over until the next
harvest.
He feels, and in this he is supported
by Gillette of Valley, that loans should
be made only with q provision in the con-
JfacE LlHL proper HBptutdS Oh IdTuliLS
shall be carried out by the borrower ard
that he shall summer fallow and not
"shot gum his seed into the ground as
has been done in many instances in the
state. They state that this seed law
should be a measure for the relief of the
real farmer and that it should not be
wasted upon the "shot gun" farmer who
is fast being driven out of the state by
his own methods. Many of the latter
have already left the state, leaving the
counties holding the sack for the amount
of their loans.
Mr. Hanson also wants change in the
herd law which will permit opening herd
districts from November / until March
Is or April l. He states that this is a
period when no damage to crops would
be done by trespassing cattle and in
many sections where feed is not plenty
it would permit of the stock getting at
the feed and roughage upon open ranges
and along highways which they are now
prevented by the law from reaching.