The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-12-15

Washington, Dec. s.. President
Harding appeared before congress with
his annual message on the state Of the
Union. The following is u partial text
OF what he said:
There never again will be precisely
the old order; indeed, l know Of no
one who thinks it to be desirable. For
out of the old order came the war it.
self, and the new order, established
and made secure, never will permit its
occurrence.
1T is no figure Of speech TO say we
have come to the test Of our civiliZa.
aion. The world has been passing-is
Today passing-through Il great crisis.
The conduct of war itself is not more
difficult thar the solution Of the prob
lens which necessarily follow.
Considers Home Problems.
81 am not speaking at this moment
OF the problem in It's wider aspects of
world rehabilitation or of international
relationships. The reference is to our
own social, financial and economic
problems at home. These things are
not to he considered solely as prObleniS
apart from all international relation
ship, but every nation must be able
TO carry on for itself, else its interna-
tional relationship will have scant inl-
p~Ortance.
DOUBTLESS II OWn people have
emerged from the World war tumult
less impaired than most belligerent
powers; probably we have made larger
progress toward reconstruction. . =.
Had we escaped the coal and railway
strikes, which had no eXcus for their
beginning, and less justification for
their delayed settlement, we should
have done infinitely better. But Labor
was insistent on holding to the war
heights, and needless forces Of reac-
ton sought the prewar levels, and both
were wrong.
The railway strike a~ccentuated the
difficulty of the American farmer. The
first distress of reimbursement came to
the farmer, and 1t will not be a read
justment fit to abide until he is re-
litNth lie t1Sll = W w III
farmer does not affect him alone. Agrl-
cultural i'll fortune is Il national ill
Saved From Disaster.
This congress already has taken
cognizance of the misfortune which
precipitate deflation brought to Amer
Jean agriculture. Your measures of re-
lief and the reduction of the federal
reserve discount rate undoubtedly
saved the country from widespread d:a-
aster. The very proof Of ~helpfulness
already given is the strongest arg.-
ment for the permanent establishment
of widcned credits, heretofore tempo
rarily extended through the wal finance
corporation.
The farm loan bureau, which al
ready has proved its usefulness through
the federal land banks, may well have
Its powers enlarged to provide ample
farm production credits as well as
enlarged land credits.
I'm the last half of the year now
closing the railways, broken in car
,ying capacity because Of motive
power and rolling stock Out OF or.
der. though insistently declaring to the
contrary, enlarged the farmers
shipments. or denied him cars when
fortunate markets were calling. Too
frequently transportation failed
while %perishable products were turn,
ing from possible profits to losses
counted in tens of millions.
Rail Problem Vital.
81 know of no problem exceeding
in importance this one of transport
tation. . We~have built 40 per
cent of the worlds railroad mileage,
and yet find it inadequate to our
III esen requirements. When We con
template the inadequacy Of today, il
is easy to believe that the mex few
decades will witness the paralysis OF
our transportation-using social scheme
or Il complete reorganization on some
new basis.
"Manifestly, we have need to begin
on plans to coordinate all trans
DOIlutioiI luNIiitINF1. We Siouih ~
effectively connect up u rail lines
with our carriers by sea. We ought
to reap some benefit from the hundreds
OF millions expended on inland water
ways, providing our capacity to utilize
as well as expend. We ought To turr
the motortruck into n railway feeder
and distributor instead Of Il destroy,
ing competitor.
This transportation problem can
not be waved aside. The demand
for lowered costs on farm products
and basic materials cannot be ignored
hates horizontally increased to NEE,
Increased wage OUTLAWS during the wal
imitation are not easily reduced. Wher
some very moderate wage reductions
were effected last summer there was
A. 3 per cent horizontal reduction IL
rates. l sought at that time, in a yer!
informal way, 20 have the railwa,
managers TO go before the interstate
commission and agree to
heavier reduction on farm products