The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-10-27
CONFERENCE WAS
HELP TO FARMERS
Recent National Agricul-
tural Confab
'RESULTSAS BENEFICIAL
Secretary Wallace Discusses Par
ley Held In Washington
Last January
Lspeclal to The Free Press. ]

Mcpherson, Kansas, October 26.-
Speaking on the griculturaI sitpa-'
ton at this city last night Secre-
tary OF Agriculture Wallace told OF
the various things winch had been
done by the present administration
to improve conditions Tor the farm
er. Last January a national agrl.
cultural conference was called at
the request of President Harding.
Concerning this conference Secre-
tary Wallace said: y
The National Agricultural Con
feI ence called at the request OF Pres
ldsnt Harding and opened by him
the most thoughtful address on aS-
iiculture ever delivered by a preSi-
dent of the United States, did lot
OF good. 1t was the most representa-
Give gathering OF farmers, farm or
ganazitation leaders, and represen-
tatives Of allied industries that has
ever been held. There were 1886 del
egates in attendance. Tweny differ
en- national farm organizations were
represented by farmers. In addition
there were about eighty individual
farmers from thirty different States.
There were eighteen women delega-
ties. The delegates represented all
onomic belief. There we're men
there of most widely different views
of what ought to be done for agri-
culture and what could be done.
Organized Into Committees
These delegates wereA organized
into committees and spent f1ve
days in Washington. The various
committees submitted reports on
the last day, and these reports were
acted upon by the entire confer
ence. 1t is interesting to note the
recommendation made and what
has been done with them. The con-
ference recommended better agricui
tural credit. That has been consid-
cred by Congess for some months
and undoubtedly a bill to meet the
needs will be passed this coming
season. The conference recommend
ed that the War Finance Corporation
lie continued. That has been proVid-
ed for. The conference recommend
ed that the Federal Reserve Act be
amended to provide fog an agricul-
tuTal representative OH the Board.
/ hat has been done. The conference
recomm ended that the matter of
crop insurance be Investigated, and
congress is now at work OH his in
vestigation. The conference recon-
mended continued Federal aid for
highways. Congress has provided for
this. The conference recommended
the enactment OF law which would
encourage and psotect farmers CO.
operative marketing assertions.
That law has been enacted.
THE conference made a number
Of other recommendation of leSSer
Importance, all of which have either
been acted upon or are considered
either by Congress or by Govern
raent administrative agencies.
The Good Which Came
1.-The good which came out of this
National Agricultural Conference is
not to be measured altogether by
the recommendations it made or the
action which has followed. The
coming together of men of such
widely different views and their
close contact in committees for four
days was tremendously helpful
There were some men who came to
this conference firmly believing that
the government ought to arbitrarily
fix prices on some of the principal
farm crops. They thought that was
fhe only effective remedy for low
prices. They argued that Govern
ment had fixed prices during the
war and so held down prices Of
some crops, especially wheat, and it
was a poor rule that would not work
both ways. think most of these
men went away with their views
considerably changed. l think they
came to see that the plan which
they had been earnestly advocating
would do the farmers more harm
than good.
THE fact of the matter is that no
effort to hold up farm prices by ar
bitrary. Government action could
possibly be successful unless the
Government should step in and ar
hjtrarily control production. Take
the case of wheat farmers in the
Northwest and Southwest. They are
suffering severely now because OF
low prices, and especially because
wheat is their one big cash crop.
They are not getting the cost of pro-
duction. In many cases their fam
lilies are suffering for things actually
needed to make them comfortable.
Suppose Congress should pass a law
fixing the price Of wheat at point
duction and give the farmer Just q
fair profit. How would the Govern
ment enforce that price? Either it
would have to buy the wheat at the
price fixed, or would have to let the
farmer keep the surplus wheat on
his own farm and loan him practi.
cally as much as the price fixed.
What Government Can Do
Now, If production the following
year were not controlled, farmers
would be greatly encouraged by the
profitable price fixed and SOW more
wheat. thus piling another big crop
ON top of the surplus. More than
this, the price would encourage
farmers in sections where wheat is
not now being grown to grow wheat,
because the price would be higher
relatively than the price of corn and
oats. That would result in a very
!arge winter wheat crop in most OF
the corn belt States, which would
add still further Ito the surplus. In
the end the whole scheme would
break down of its own weight ana
the farmers would be worse of than
they were before The one crop
wheat farmers would be especially
hard hit,
at is foolish to close our eyes to
the teachings OF history oft he past
three thousand years. Government
cannot successfully fix prices on
farm crops unless government at
the same time exercises arbitrary
control over production and is pre-
pared to take care OF the surplus
crops grown. Government can see
TO 1t that the farmer has the credit
facilities he needs. Government can
CO. - H. Il ,z1<, 49, x.