Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-03-06

was possible by reason of advance III
land values and fertility of soil for pro.
duction. But all fertile lands axe now
under cultivation, land values have
ceased to advance, and farming must bf
put on a sound economical basis, or pro.
duction must be greatly reduced.
Farming, therefore, must be placed
on a sound economical basis and sur.
rounded with such legislative safe
guards as will~place it on a par with
Industrial occupations, and this. If You
please. is the program of the asricul.
tural bloc.
Many will say in reply, Why does
not the farmer limit his production
Let me explain, A farm in Iowa OF
1GO acres. with an investment of $50.
O0O stocked with full-blooded hogs and
cattle. is being operated at loss-a
factory employing ten men, with>a like
investment. is likewise operated at q
loss. The factory manager orders the
ma chinery oiled. the material stored
md the plant closed; but the farmer
cannot close his plant. one year OF
weeds means three years to reclaim
the sale of his stock means ten years
to reStOck.
1 This situat ton originating in the after
effects of the War, brought upon asri
culture the present crisis demanding
solution. The best authorities arc
making careful study OF me contli
lions and suggesting remedies. So.ne
general remedial measures have beer
)agreed upon.
First and foremost. it is fundamc!i,
al that the United States become Il
self-feeding nation, that we formulate
our legislation to encourage our PEI
pie to produce sufficient food for OIL
own consumption. This would involve
sufficient tariff protection on agIicul.
tural products to give our wheat pre-.
ference over Canadian wheat, our sugar
preference over Cuban sugar, Iowa corn
over Argentine corn, Iowa cattle over
Brazilian cattle, our lambs over Aus
tralian lambs: but in face of these
facts citizens of our own country with
sugar interests in Cuba are placing
the tariff on sugar ut Il price that will
close the great majority of the sugar
factories in the United States.
Second transportation must be rev.
olutionzed as to permit the free eX-
change of our produce from one locality
to another. There is every reason why
Iowa should consume West Virginia
applies, and West Virginia should con-
sumo Iowa bacon, beef and oatmeal.
This is fundamental. The whole theory
of rate-making has been discTimina
tory against the Middle West. With the
building of the Panama Canal. trans
continental rates We're reduced to meet
| water competitions. and Midwest rates
were increased to make up the loss.
Free tolls in the Panama Canal arc
opposed by the Middle West, on nc
count of its further reflection in freight
rates to the Midwest.
Further reference should be made
to the following rates:
Richmond to New Orleans. 1.045
miles, $l.44 rate: Omaha to New Or
leans. 1862 miles. S2.791s rate: New
York to New Orleans, 1.345 miles, S.
01H rate: st. Paul to New Orleans,
1876 miles S279E rate: Sioux Falls
to New Orleans. 1,47 miles. $oSS I'll te /;
Portland. (Me) to New Orleans, ], $3.50
miles, $2O51a rate; Denver to New Or
leans, 1910 miles. $3.04 rate.
The Middle West must seek some
outlet for it's produce without such
handicap in rates. This has given rise
to a demand in the Middle West for
construction of the ST. Lawrence route
for water transportation to the Allan.
| ic ocean and the dredging of the Miss
issippi and Missouri rivers for trans
pOrtation to the South.
| L fH' 81. LIN ItUtt Ioulc WOUlu pTU-
ducc cheap electric current that might
elcctrify the rail lines from Chicago.
and give cheap medium of exchange
for commodities.
| Third-Finance. All the financial
machinery of our Government has been
formulated around the commercial and
industrial securities of our country
The Federal Reserve Board members
are experienced men in commercial
banking. The result of such control
was the demand for 90-day dcflation
| to normalcy i'm the Middle West. and
which created a panicky condition in
! agricultural localities. Had the defl;l-
| ton 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 depres.
sion Of the past year would have been
greatly decreased. Out Of this c0ndi-
ton has come the demand for com.
modify loan of the crop production
duration The farmer is refusing tO
sign obligations maturing before his