The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-01-27
EXPER1S-C0NSULT ON
ills OF The FARMER
REMEDY Is SOUGHT
Conference Starts In Effort to Boil
ster Up the Agriculture
Industry.

Sentlng agriculture IN all It's phases
and the industries related to farming,
the National Agricultural conference
wa sconvened here today by Secre-
tary Wallace and Immediately heard
from President Wilson a declaration
of interest and sympathy by the ad-
ministration in the present plight of
the nations farmers together with a
series of suggestions for remedying
existing conditions.
The president in an address touch
ing upon the agricultural cituation to
dictate the course of the conference
discussions, outlined a half dozen
broad questions.
These briefly included:
Practical development of the water
resources of the country both for
transportation and power, including
plans for electrification of the ma
tions railroads. Feasibility of the st.
Lawrence-Great Lakes waterway is
unquestioned, the president said.
Development Of a thorough code of
law and business procedure, with the
proper machinery of finance, through
some agency, to insure that turnover
capital shall be as generously sup
piled to the farmer and on as reason
able terms as to other industries.
Formation of cooperative loaning,
buying and selling associations.
Creation of instrumentalities for
collection and distribution of useful
and true information so as to prevent
violent fluctuations of markets.
Methods for bringing about further
reclamation, re Mobilization and ex-
tension of the agricultural area.
Promotion of a new conception of
the farmers place in the national So
cial and economic scheme.
The president who walked the four
blocks from the White House to the
New Willard hotel, where the con-
ference is meeting, received a hearty
ovation when he appeared in the con-
ference hall.
The delegates and others in attend
ance, including a number of senators
and house members, listened attentive
ly and frequently applauded the ex-
ecutive's statements. Especially strong
applause greeted his declaration for
more adequate credit facilities and ap-
plause also broke forth when the pres
ident made a slight depression to as
sert that present conditions in the ag-
ricultural industry els truly of nation
al interest and not entitled to be re-
garded as primarily the concern of
either a class or a section, OR a bloc"
The president was followed by Sec
rotary Wallace who declared the con-
ference had been called to consider the
present agricultural depression and
remedies for it and also the laying
down of a permanent policy for the
upbuilding of a sustaining agriculture.
At the close of his address, he an
nounced that Representative Anderson
Of Minnesota, chairman of the joint
congressional inquiry commission,
would act as permanent chairman of
the conference and DR.. H. C. Taylor,
chief of the bureau of markets and
crop estimates, as executive secretary.
Secretary Wallace told the dele
gates that constructive efforts proper
ly be made in three fields which he
outlined as follows:
"First, what may be done properly
through legislative action.
Second what may be done through
administrative and education effort,
national and state, by the various
agencies charged with the duty of
fostering agriculture.
third, what may and should be
done by the farmers themselves in
dividually and through their organi-
zation."
The agricultural secretary went on
to say that he had assumed to set
up committees to deal with the various
questions which automatically present
themselves in any gathering called to
consider agricultural problems"
"The agriculture of the nation" Mr..
Wallace declared, els in a bad state
and u entire business and industrial
life is suffering the consequence. High
production costs followed by ruinously
low prices have greatly reduced the
farmers net income and his purchas-
ing power has been still further re-
duced by the disproportionately high
cost of everything he needs to buy"
Representative Anderson in an ad-
dress accepting the Craftsmanship Of
the conference declared the restoration
of normal conditions in the farming
industry was dependent upon the com.
pletion of readjustment of commodity
prices of costs and profits of manufac-
ture and distribution, and upon the
establishing of agriculture transporta-
ton at a profitable level.
"When I consider the desperate
character of the situation" Represen-
tative Anderson said, 81 could wish
that there was some means of bring
ing about this condition of govern
mental action, but I am SURF there is
no magic wand of administrative ac-
ton that can bring about these re-
suits. am persuaded that they only
can be accomplished through a more
efficient organization Of the produc-
ers."
Mr.. Anderson declared that the gov
eminent "must remove the obstacles
which retard, if they do not prevent.
combinations of farmers for the pur-
pose Of sorting, packing or processing