The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-12-14
Harding AskslAid
For Agriculture
Executives Annual Message
to Congress Makes a
Strong Plea for Legisla-
ton to Help Farmer.

The American farmer occupied the
most important position in President
Harding's annual message to Congress
which was given to that body last
Friday. The president covered the
entire scope Of domestic and foreign
problems confronting the nation and
laid before congress the most extern
siye legislatN program that has been
outlined by any president in many
years.
The fl st distress Of REIMBURSEMENT
c me to jhe idl mer, and it will not
~ : readjustment fit to abide until he
a. relieved" the president said. The
distress brought to the farmer does
not affect him alone. Agricultural
~ fortune is a national ill fortune.
That One-fourth of our population
which produces the food of the repub-
lie and adds SO largely to our export
commerce must participate in the good
fortunes Of the nation, else there is
zone worth retaining.
The farm loan bureau, which al,
ready has proven its usefulness
through the federal land banks, may
well have its powers enlarged to pro
vide ample farm production credits
as we'll as enlarged land credits. 1t
is entirely practical to create a divi-
sion in the federal land banks to deal
with production credits, with limita-
tons OF time 50 adjusted to the farm
turnover as the federal reserve sys-
tenn provides for the turnover in the
manufacturing and mercantile world.
Special provision must be made for
livestock production credits, and the
limit of land loans may be safely en-
larged. Various measures are pend
ing before you, and the best judgment
OF congress ought to be expressed in d
prompt enactment at the present SEES
sion.
But American agricultural needs
o than added credit facilities. The
credits help to solve the pressing
problems growing out Of war-inlat-
ed land values, and the drastic defla-
$3.50 Va NAiNN ~ "SNb 'NL BSi
nent and deserved agricultural good
fortune depends on better and cheap
er transportation. Here is an out
standing problem demanding the most
rigorous consideration of the congress
and the country.
I'm the last half of the year now
closing the railways, broken in car
rying capacity because Of motive pow
er and rolling stock out of order,
though insistently declaring to the
contrary, embargoed his shipments,
or denied him ears when fortunate
markets were calling. Too frequent
ly transportation failed while perish
able products were turning from pos
sible profit to losses counted in tens
Of millions.
Il know Of no problem exceeding
in Importance this one Of t~ransporta-
ton. We have built forty
per cent Of the worlds railroad mile
age, and yet find it inadequate to our
present requirements. When we con
template the ~inadequacy of today, it
is easy to. believe hat the next few
decades will witness the paralysis of
our transportation or a complete re-
organization on some new basis. - =
This transportation problem can,
not be waived aside. The demand for
lowered costs on farm products and
basic materials annot be ignored.
.- ..,- No4 - H>-f~
on plans to coordinate all transporta-
ton facilities. We should more effect