The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-20
THE BLOC IN GOVERNMENT

Since the advent of the present ad-
ministration, congress, largely thru the
farm bloc, has advanced s3,50o,000 to
farmers in the shape of seed loans. It
has amended the war finance cor
poration act to permit loans for agri-
cultural and livestock purposes. It
has assured farmer representation on
the federal reserve board. It has le-
Called cooperative marketing for
farm products. 1t has increased the
amounts available for farm loans. 1t
has passed the corrective grain-fu-
lures and packer-stockyard acts. It
has continued in the Fordney-Mc-
Cunber tariff act the earlier protec-
ton afforded to farm products.
The bloc is composed of both Re-
publicans and Democrats and its
course has caused some uneasiness
among party leaders lest ours shall
become a government of blocs rather
than of parties. And this uneasiness
appears to be not without reason be-
cause if one group of congressman
can accomplish so much for a special
interest or a particular section of the
country, there seems to be nothing to
prevent similar group from accom-
plishing as much for some other in
terest or section.
The president has decried govern
ment by blocs. Business interests in
the east have looked disapprovingly
at this obliteration of party differ
ences, fearful that what advantage
was won for the west would be at the
expense and to the detriment of the
east. The west, of course, will have
no more senators and representatives
after the November election than be-
fore, but test straws foreshadow the
election OF more aggressive leaders
and give promise of more intense
bloc consciousness. The program of
the bloc apparently has not yet been
mapped out, and the only guide to
the bloc's future is its past.
1.-THE iron and steel industry, along
with Others" says the Iron Trade Re
view, may be- apprehensive that the
farmer, made vocal by the agricul-
tural bloc in congress, will attempt
to saddle more of the burden of tax
alton upon industry; it may be fear
rul that the representatives of the
farmer will fnjure the delicate fabric
OF industrial economics But it should
quiet its fears with the knowledge
that If the farmer does not buy. in
dustry will have no taxes to nav. and
further, the farmer may be relies
upon to know that since he is the
largest consumer he is the heaviest
taxpayer, in the final analysis. In
dustry might well realize that the
bloc is but a phase or the couutrvss
development, that radicaIism has been
short-lived on the prairies, and what
appears radical today may become
conservative tomorrow"
After all the farmer is the biggest
single buyer of manufactured prod
ucts. Next to the railroads he is the
largest consumer of steel He takes
46 per cent Of the wood manufac-
lures of the country. He buys more
Clothing. textiles and leather goods
than any other class. His buying has
enabled the automobile and truck
manufacturers to set new high pro-
duction marks this summer. Upon
him more than upon anyone depends
the country's prosperity. Perhaps the
country cannot do better than to let
him have what he wants, SO long as
other legitimate interests are not ad-
versely affected.