The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-23
PRESIDENT
IS CHEERED
AT 'AC' MEET
Calls for New Place in Ma
tons Economic Scheme
for Soil Tillers.

Washington. Jan. 23.-Attended
by approximately three hundred
delegates representing agriculture
in all its phases and the industries
relating to farming, the National
Agricultural conference was con
vened here today by Secretary Wal
lace and Immediately heard from
President Harding a declaration Of
interest and sympathy by the ad-
ministratiOn in the present plight
of the nations farmers, together
with a series of suggestions for
remedying existing conditions
The president in an address
touching upon the agricultural sit
uation in detail, but without at
tempting to dictate the course Of
the conference discussions, Oulin-
ed a half dozen broad questions to
the consideration of which the con-
ference might give its attention.
These included:
of law and business procedure, with
the proper machinery of finance,
through some agency. to insure
that turnover capital shall be as
generously supplied to the farmer
and on as reasonable terms as to
other industries.
Formation of cooperative loan
ings, buying and selling associa-
tions
Creation of instruentalities for
collection and distribution of use
full and true information so as to
prevent violent fluctuations OF mar
kets.
Practical development of the va
ter resources of the country. both
for transportation and power, in
Guiding plans for electrifCatiOn Of
the nations railroads
Methods for bringing about fur
ther reclamation, rehabilitation ex-
tension of the agricultural area
Promotion of a new conception
of the farmers place in the nations
social and economic scheme
The president, who walked the
four blocks from the White house to
the New Willard hotel, where the
conference is meeting, received a
hearty ovation when he appeared
in the conference hall.
The delegates and others in at
tendance, including a number or
senators and house members, list
ened attentively and frequently ap-
plauded the executives statements
Especially strong applause greeted
his declaration for more adequate
credit facilities and applause also
broke forth when the PRESIDENT
made a slight DEPRESSION to assert
that present conditions IN the agrl-
cuItureal situation, lis truly ma
tionaI interest and not entitled TO
be regarded as primarily the con
Germ of either q class or u section
or bloc"
Wallace Speaks.
The president was followed BY
Secretary Wallace, who declared
the conference had been called 10
consider the present agricultural
depression and remedies for II,
also for the laying down of a per
manent policy for the upbuildlng OF
a sustaining agriculture.
Secretary Wallace said that con
structive efforts might properly be
made in three fields which he out
lined as follows:
"First-What may be done prop
erly through legislative action2
"Second-What may be done
through administrative and educa-
tionaI effort, national and state. by
the various agencies charged with
the duty of fostering agriculture
Third: What may and should
be done by the farmers themselves
individually and through their OF
ganization?
1T is not my purpose" " the see
retary continued. TO suggest what
you shall do here Realizing. how
ever, that you have come at our IN
vitation and that your time is pre-
cious we have made plans TO help
you use this time to the best posi-
BILE advantage
He said he had assumed to set
I'D committees to deal with the va
rious questions which autOmat5cal-
ly present themselves in any gath
ering called to consider agrIcultur-
al problems"
"The agriculture of the nation 90
Mr.. Wallace declared, is in bad
state and our entire business and
industrial life is suffering in conse-
quence High production costs fol
lowed by ruinousIy low prices, have
greatly reduced the farmers net in
come, and his purchasing power
has been still further reduced by
the ispropoTtiOnateIy high cost OF
everything he needs to buy +"