Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-07
Provoke Consideration.

What should and what should
/, Provoke Consideration.
The above are a few of the ques-
tions that. present themselves with.
the question Of assisting the agricul-
tural interests Of the country. The
Following. are a few Of the answers as
obtained from representative men
who were interviewed on the subject.
h article does not propose 70.
determine the right or wrong or the
principle Of government prtce-fiX1ng
Nor does 1t pretend >to, deal with all
of the questions pertaining thereto. 1t
is less presumptuouS. 1t is, in snort,
but the reflection Of sufficient num-
Der and variance Of opinions to pro-
woke consideration and discussion OF
the subject.
A. j. Scott.
Secretary A., j., Scott Of the North
Dakota Wheat Growers. Inc. said
r that despite the fact that his organl-
cation was perhaps the first to go on
record some time 6 as in favor OF
the temporary resumption of a gov
eminent guaranteed price for wheat,
> he is not now of the opinion hat 1t
Is possible to fix a government farm
price that would be satisfactory to
the bulk of the farmers.
MI. oCOLl Sd4Q lAdL last "A'
when his association asked our rep
resentative in congress to work for a
fixed price for wheat. it was with the
thought in mind hat the u. s. Grain
corporation held $50,000,000 of money
representing profits resulting from
handling wheat during the period or
government price-fixing. and control.
. His organization fet' ne said Ina
: this money should be used In tidlng
the farmers over the readjustment
period. Only wheat, he said. was
4 mentioned by his organization! in ask
Ing for a fixed, price because 1t was
on wheat that the fifty million dollars
was made, but, because other inter-
ests asked hat the price be guaran-
was done.
Now Opposed. J
AS. the matter now stands. ME-:
Scott believes there Is but one way
to solve the problem OF making
farming pay. That, he says. IL by
the farmers controlling the majority
ct their. production, this to be fed to
the market as 1t is demanded. through
the most direct course to ~ mill:
production plus a fair profit and with
tariff protection, against outside COM
petition. IL this was done hes real,
lies IT wouldrtend towards lncrease4
production, but is of the opinion lnat
our soil Limitations would keep the
Droductlon down to q point where r.
would be possible to export n sur
n,us ut whatever price it would bring
and still give the farmers high
average price per bushel. oil or them
I, sharing the loss, II any existed on
the exports.
NJ. r. Murphy.
parhans the most ardent supporter
government price-fXtng inter-
Waved is NJ. F. Murphy pronllne ~
t,.oLar farm owner and student 81
aar;cmltural economics. Mr.. Murphy
is very set in his opinion that solne-
thing drastic must be lone !!n,a.eu ~
ately for the relief OF agr1eut.u.@ ;,
I'll Industry will suffer a depression
or which it will not easily cover
{. zoe a. the forms of relief SO Far pro:
nosaa in bill form, Mr.. Murpny
= vora that Of Congressman Cnlte-
~t"nharson. which calls for a guafan.
iced price, fixed by the, soverni asne
eoch year on the basis OF cost o. ~,
ductlon, the surplus 10 pe eNpUred
and the loss, if<there IS any '
Nv the fgovernment.s ,
y tInwever. Mr.. Murphy has a plan
80 own. which, he consented ~
on+i;ne II is in principle slmilar ~
that of the Wheat Growers, diiier!he
sn that. it proposes to have the eovz
ernment establish thu. agency ans ito
: a,,arattin Membership fin the gov,
ornn,ant agency would be free n
Srti.,nal. Tut sufficiently attracllVe
IL halieyes. to assure successful operT-
alton OF the plan.
His Own Plan.
NJ Murphy would Ak the price
och year on the basis OF
1or Instance, he would the
.ast average weld to be 10 usn
par acre. and the fair price 70 De
x "a ner bushel at the local q
He would arrive at this ssuInpl!o
by figuring the cosls ~ to,, pso
duction per acre SO investment
tn land, $3.50; taxes, $500; ploWing;
e175. seed. at the rate OF q pusnei
md a quarter at $3.50 per pushel
e1a7h: seeding and fharroW1ng'
400: cutting and s%hocKins, Sl:ey;
fwine. Csc; threshing h ten ousnel
at IA cents per .bushel, sl,ao, a az.
hauling the ten xousne en.s oer bushel,
,5soc This makes the total cost o.
s,roducing the ten bushels OF aWneal
m acre Of land $l2.77M.. n
gaa''cted from the guaranteed price
10 per busheE Or, $fb TOR tne
i scre,sI production, leaves VIZ = as
anrnft 10 the farm operator Tor man.
srement. The various tens Of cos
suo,,id include the cost OF mss LABOR
atS Hnweyer, Mr.. Murphy's plan 81 ! :
axed price OF $3.50. per pusnel y y
Conditional, or rather. llnlitea; y
spatNthe farmer would, upon delivery
3 sra nifty Of wheat. receive Hl.5e
sner bushcl on only y per ceht,Sa an.
Il. government receipt Ior-a. ~ :, r.
manning rs per cent. Ihese pescen.
ACES are theoretical, based - .lae -
sumption that 20 per en- represen
the surplus. when WONG ne 9 y "a
at the best price ~ vow 49, 80
She growers then Ns to1D '' 5I palo Peg ralA
would. Be Mlinaimum.
{. a. MISREPRESENTATION here or IN,
at.AAaa aeIl.anu tor eApOtsls 2atlOuit
4 NJ Srsss ~ mice above that guaranteed
~ s.l .ha government Mr. Murph!
Us w : have the farmer reap tn,
s $3.50 n the higher price. he fixet
osina.sha points OUT acting Idnly 2!
ny 1atnimiIn He also ffaYorsA tartf
~ .nctinv against imports tina.
systshas =, attracted BY the us
nn5css This. he says, would g calleS
~ y ~ 9inrHne with similar protec
Lion enjoyed by American " 2 :
!. aspss Murphy IL understood " u y
~ ,,nfayorable towards Mmtl
lt,s,s ante Tor other leading AfaSn
aSrcducts: Corn. cotton, cattle en-!
& 49, hi Caricy,
SsaS. sCarleM Vice president OF IA
" HSflTat Naffoila1S bank, says he is aSop