St. Tammany farmer., 1922-06-10
Agriculture's Legislative
Program
by
Hon. L. ]. Dickinson
Congressman of Iowa, representative
Of the Agricultural Bloc in the House.

Farming must be placed on sound
economical basis and surrounded with such
Legislative safeguards as will place it on a
| oar with industrial occupations. This, if
you please, is the program Of the agricul-
| +ural bloc
Many will ask Why does not the farm
er limit his production? Let me explain
farm in Iowa of 100 acres, with an in
| estn'ent Of $50,Oo0, stocked with full
looded hogs and cattle, is being operated
1t a loss; factory employing ten men,
| With like investment. is likewise oper: t q
Il loss; the factory manager orders t le
| machinery oiled, the material stored, and
| he plant closed; but the farmer cannot
lose his plant-one year Of weeds means
three years to reclaim, the sale Of his stock
means ten years to restock.
Wars After Effects.
This situation, originating in the after
effects Of the War, brought upon agricul-
ture the present crisis demanding solution
The best authorities are making careful
study Of the conditions and suggesting:
remedies. Some general remedial meas
uIeS nave Deen agreed upon.
1t is fundamental that the United States
become sclf-feeding Nation, that we
formulate our legislation to encourage
our people to produce sufficient food for
our own consumption.
Transportation must be so revolution
lied as to permit the free exchange Of our
produce from one locality to another.
New Financial Needs.
All the financial machinery of our
Government has been formulated around
the commercial and industrial sec .:ities
OF our country. The result Of such con-
troll was in the demand for ninety-day
def1ation to normalcy in the Middle West
Had the dehation demanded in October of
1920 been distributed over a period of
three years and been gradual instead Of
spasmodic, it seems to me certain that the.
depression Of the past year would have
been greatly decreased Out Of this,
condition has come the demand for al
commodity loan Of the crop production|
duration.
Marketing crop of food has been here
tofore the business of commission men,
these men have always shown themselves
interested more in the welfare of them.
selves than in the producer. The farmer
has plowed, planted and harvested, trust
ing in the Lord for sunshine and rain, and
the Board of Trade for his market He
trusted the lordzso implicitly that he for
got his own interests, and so the comnis
sion men and the middle men, and th'
warehouse man, the grain gambler, curl
broker, forgot al! about the costs (
production to the farmer, and proceedc
to see how cheap they could buy his GRO,
and how much margin they coul' sell fol
Constructive Legislation.
Agricultural le.i.lation has dealt her,
'ofore atrost entirely with the 5irnpros
snent Of the health of our country /
purifying the food supply, and has al
had to do with the increase Of the 70.
upply of the Nation All of this lcgisIz-t
tion has been from the viewpoint~of IT,
consumer, and none of it has had to 4. t
with assisting in any way the margin {
profit to the producerof such food supply, |
Agricultural legislation OF the future mus
take into account the welfare of thos,
engaged in actual food production, AM
the denand for this Legislation will b.
persistent and convincing.
The West needs the East, and the Eas.
needs the West. Agriculture must havt
a future program. 1t can be made
to the East. We. should |
be a self-feeding Nation. 1t is. to the |
interest Of all industries that agriculture
is entitled to seat in the inner council |
chamber. Our cause should be heard. |
It is not combination Of few political |
office holders, it is National economic
program involving the food and clothing,
happiness and welfare Of our entire popu
lation, and in which the East should CO
operate. National legislation is only a
minor part Of this program, but a necessary
part