The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-03-09
Capper Tells Farm Bloc's New Objectives
az HARRY HUNT

bloc has only begun to fight"
Thai is the message of Senate
Capper Of Kansas, new leader of th'
agricultural bloc in the, United State!
Senate, who inherited leadership whe1
Senator Kenyon resigned to go on thu
federal bench. Al
The legislation in which, the, blot
has been most active to date Cappel
explains in fdiscussing his plans fol
the future OF this bipartisan agricul
tural gEup, ''has been in the main
emergency measures.
"We are now facing, however, the
task Of getting into law matters that
must form a great, constructive, ma
tional agricultural policy.
lower Freight Rates Of First I'm
portance
"Of first Importance to agriculture
are lower freight rates. We cannot
get back anywhere near to normal un-
til these rates are lowered. AL.
enough it is doubtful that there is a
great deal that congress can do in
Chis line, the matter Of rates being in
the hands Of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, there are two or
three things which would help.
Among these are:
FIRST: Repeal the guarantee
clause of the Esch- Cummings Act.
:SECOND: Restore to state rail-
way commissions power to correct
abuses and determinations in local
rates.
"THIRD: Enact the bill, already
passed by the Senate, revising the
valuation powers of the /. c. C., re.
ducing by about three billions the
present recognized valuation Of the
railways There is no doubt but the
value now recognized is far in excess
Of real values.
Credits for Farmers Next in Import
..a. ance
"Next to the matter Of transpOrta-
ton, is the question of agricultural
credits. We are just now getting
shaped up new credit bill, based on
the findings of the Joint Agricultural
Commission, which would set up new
machinery for more adequate credit
facilities through the Federal Farm
Loan Board.
There is now gap between the
short-term 60day and 90day paper,
and the long-term mortgage loan on
land, which must be filled
".There is need for credits run
ming from six months to three years,
10 farmers and stock raisers, to enable
them to make the necessary turnover
in theiN products.
"The result Of the present finan-
cial system, devised to fit business,
not agriculture, is that the farmer
must often market under the most
unfavorable conditions.
Government Must Help Marketing
Next come the problems OF mar
keting. One of the biggest things
this government can do, believe, is
to shape up a new and efficient code
Or system of marketing it's agricul-
tural products. This is in the inter-
est of the consumer as much as Of the
producer. y
4 To-day the United States has the
costliost and most inefficient system
of marketing of any country In the
world. II
Farm Bloc Proud Of Record TO Date
"That the farm bloc has been able
to get things done is due to the fact
that the things for which 1t has
fought have been fundamentally cor
rect. Among the more notable OF
these measures have been: =
FIRST: The Capper- Volstead CO.
operative marketing bill.
SECOND: The future trading bill,
regulating grain exchanges.
THIRD: The revival of the War
Finance Corporation as an aid to help
ing move farm products.
"FOURTH: Increasing funds avail
able for loans by the Farm Loan
Board by $5OyO00,OOO.
FIFTH: Passage by the Senate of
the bill giving agriculture represen-
tative on the Federal Reserve Board.
"The farm bloc is going TO allow
no letup in it's activities. There is a
big job ahead, and the biggest propo-
sition is To work out a constructive
national program for agriculture.
Farm Conditions Fundamentally Bad
AL uCVClOpAuCHCo VI IAO pooI ~
years have shown that conditions are
fundamentally bad with respect to ag-
riculture. ..@
There has been a steady drift from
the farm to the city.
There have been smaller and
smaller profits for farmers. 4
Tenancy has steadily increased.
"An altogether alarming situation
requires that Congress act to put ag
riculture on it's feet. y
"The bloc has been fighting along
economic, not party lines. It repre-
sents union of those forces interest
ed in helping agriculture and general
economic conditions regardless Of
party affiliations.
II do not believe the bloc. will de-
velOp any new party alignment. But
it will hold, on economic questions
affecting agriculture, strong bi-par-
tisan following"
JERSEY COW IN
NEW RECORD