The Washington times., 1922-01-22
lMONEYAnd TRADE
Farmers Cry for Aid.
A Violent Proposition.
Taxing the Public.
Industries Big Load.
By GEORGE w. HINNIAN.

+, CHICAGO. Jan. 21.-The Govern
;ment must help the farmers with u
billion or even several billion dollars.
Whatever the cost, the Government
must pay 1t; the farmer must be re-
lieved.
This 10 the demand of the president
Of the National Farmers Union. 1t
was made on Thursday where II
would have most effect on Congress.
That 10. In Washington.
The man who made the demand
spoke more or less for 100000 or.
tsanized farmers. So his words must
have been listened to attenively by
Congress. for 100000 farmers have
1900, 900 votes. They are worth con-
Fidering. They mean as much TO
business men as to farmers.
The Government must givo bill
lion or two II need be. But the Gov
6rnment has no money OF it, own:
any money that 1t gives In other peo-
PIES money. So what the demand
comes to Ia that the taxpayers must
give u billion or two. Nor II tina: ell.
A Violent Proposition.
At least two-thirds Of the taxes are
paid by industry and business--ar
least two-thirds. and probably three.
fourths. Therefore, sifted down TO
hard facts, the demand In that $780,
100000 to $500 .0O0. 900 be taken
from one group Of American workers
and handed over to another group of
American workers. This 10 q violent
proposition. To redistribute the peo-
pies property In this fashion would
give all Americans something to think
about, especially the men in trade and
industry who would be the chief sui
ferers. 10 1t practical?
The plans before Congress OF spend
ing money are already colossal.
Load on Industry.
Business and industry financed
most Of the war. The sales OF Lib
srty bonds prove It. Business ana
industry are financing most of the
peace. The records Of the Federal
taxes prove It. Under these two loads
business and industry are still stagser.
ing. What insanity 10 IL then to
propose to put on business and in.
dustry more Of the burden Of others
when they are already bearing al
The farmers hardships are real.
Nobody denies that. But these hard.
ships cannot be cured by crushing
trade and industry-cannot be cured
and surely will be made worse In
most cases. II the new demands Of
the farmers should be granted, and
a. small part Of other pressing de.
mands got through at the same time,
the Government would no longer re-
quire from the taxpayers $4,000, 000. 000
year but $4,000. 100000 or $1,000.
000, 900, and trade and industry would
simply sink hopelessly into the
Plight Of One Farmer.
A farmer in Arkansas has sent Q
letter to the writer regarding his
losses. He tells a melancholy tale
q deficit of $4,000 on an investment
Of $1,000 and his years labor gone
for naught He calls his loss enor'
nous. The money loss. In fact, IL
men at. the industrial centers have
written off 10, 20, 30 per cent in the
last twelve months? He forgets
them. How many inventors in Sc
curities, how many factory owners
or mill operators can limit their
losses to 10 per cent? How many
millionaires. even? The farmer for
gets them.
The sum and substance Of the
matter IL that this h no time for the
forcible transfer of property from one
class Of American breadwinners to an
other, either by the Government OF
any other means. There is not q
case Of such transfer in financial his
tory that has not made bad conditions
worse. The whole world today ID
filled with warnings that confirm the
warnings Of the past.