Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1922-01-04
RURAL ACTIVITIES AND NEWS
# OF INTEREST TO THE FARMER
FARM BLOC SERVING
WHOLE NATION SAYS
BUREAUS PRESIDENT
Howard Defends Agricultural Group
In Opening Session of State
Federation Convention

nOWaIu DeIenQS Agricultural Group
In Opening Session of State
Federation Convention
The agricultural bloc in congress is
working for the best interests Of all
citizens, without selfish motives or Sc
cret dealings, James r. Howard,
president Of the American Farm Bu-
reau federation, said in his address
at the opening session Of the Mime
sofa Farm Bureau federation's third
annual state convention here.
For the first time, Mr. Howard dis
closed that the agricultural bloc was
organized in the Washington Office of
the farm bureau federation, in an eff
fort to force the passage Of construc-
tive legislation Ito save not only the
farmer but the industries of the whole
nation" The farm bloc is responsible
for practically every piece Of construc-
tive legislation enacted in the last six
months, he declared.
Mr.. Howard's address. was devoted
to vigorous defense Of the agricul-
tural bloc. Insisting that the bloc is
mot menace, but national asset"
he said that there have been "blocs
galore" in congress, but that the farm
bloc is the only one ever organized
without selfish motives and in the
interests Of all citizens"
The American Farm Bureau fedora
ton deplores conditions that make
bloc legislation necessary, he said. No
organization he said, has been more
pronounced in it's opposition to class
legislation or the development of class
consciousness. The federation "never
has advocated and never will advocate
any policy that is not for the we'll be-
ing of all Americans" he declared.
With Mr.. Howard Oh the program
of the first day of the convention
were Congressman Sydney Anderson,
chairman Of the joint congressional
commission Investigating agricultural
conditions Mrs. Ellsworth Richardson,
an Iowa farmers wife; Governor J.
A. o. Preus and w. G. Coffey, dean
Of the college of agriculture. The first
days sessions were at University
farm, where the day was set aside as
minnesota Farm Bureau Federation
Day" of Farmers and Home Makers
week. Sessions during the remaining
lNO udy'S VI llc l1ccIIlS Wclc SCucu'
uled for the state capitol. ... :.
"Present banking machinery is not
adapted to the farmers requirements
Congressman Anderson told the farm
bureau delegates, summarizing the
; findings of the congressional commits
sion. -.
! '"The fundamental requirement OF
agricultural credit is that the note OF
! obligation must be of such maturity
. that when it becomes due it can IL
! paid not by making another note, bu
out Of the proceeds of the farm. THAI
requires a longer period Of maturity
than the six months which is now al
lowed in the case of paper discounted
with the Federal Reserve bank. W.
must find some means to make it pos
sible for the farmer to get a produc
ton credit of sufficient length Of ma
turity that he can pay the note whel
it becomes due out of the proceeds O.
the farm. That means paper runnin,
from six months to perhaps thre,
years. The principal reason whic]
iprevents bankers from taking paper o
such maturity now is that there !
no way by which the banker can &c
the money on the paper if it become
necessary for him to get it before tn
paper becomes due. So long as tn
banker finds it impossible to get none
Oh the paper before maturity, if b
needs it, he is going to be unwilling t
make loans for that length of time
I "To meet this situation it is neces
sary to provide a facility throug
which this paper Of longer maturit
can be discounted so /that the banke
can raise the necessary cash If h
needs it, There are three ways b
(which that can be done. One is
, create in the Federal Land banks.
Farm Credit department. Another
to create an entirely new agency, an
, another way is to modify the Wa
+ Finance corporation in such way d
, to enable it to do that sort of bus
! ness. My own judgment about it
that the fairest plan is to create
+ the Federal Land banks a Farm Cree
! it's department having authority
discount for banks-state and natiol
, al, Incorporated livestock association
all banking institutions paper Of tn
character. This paper could be mao
the basis of an issue Of short-time d
! ventures, just as farm mortgages al
now made the basis of farm loa
: bonds under the present farm loa
8 system. a.. 81
s ''What I think we need so far {
: this longer-time credit is concerned,
: nothing more nor less than reser,
bank through which this paper ca
!, Ibe discounted and through which tt
= farmer can reach the investment pc
' of the country" s TIL
!. WEST PRAIRIE FARMERS CLUB,
: HOLDS GOOD MEETIN
: The West Prairie Club met at Il
: Ray ThibodO home on Tuesday, ia
uary 3rd, at which the following pr