Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-19
SENATOR HARRIS DEFENDS
AGRICULTURAL BLOC''

and bank failures Immediately fol-
low. When the western farmers can
not raise cattle, wheat, and corn at
a profit, and the southern farmers
lose money in the production of
cotton and other products, they have
nc money to buy from the manufac-
turers of the east. Every section OF
our country is dependent upon the
other, and when we help another
section we are helping our own.
Aim to Help Farmers
"Mr. President, the agricultural
bloc is composed Of Republican and
Democratic senators from the agri-
cultural sections Of the south and
in helping the farmers, and know
.ng full well that when the farm
ers are prosperous manufacturers
and all others engaged in business
will benefit and share in the pros
perity. I hope I may be pardoned
for reminding eastern senators who
are 'criticizing the bloc that if Re-
publican senators did not vote for
legislation to help the farmers they
would be left at home in the next
should be so in the agricultural Sec
lions of the south, and a senator
who does not do his utmost to aid
agriculture should be left at home.
There have been in the past few
senators from the agricultural Sec
tons of the south and west who
did nothing to help the farmers and
were reelected, but I am glad that
hn
not longer be deceived, and business
and laboring people depending upon
the farmers success are demanding
that their representatives in con-
gress support legislation that will
benefit the farmers. -
while we hear adverse criticism
Of the agricultural bloc, let us con-
slider the good work it has done. En-
eryone knows the terrible financial
condition of the country last year.
The farmers lost more on their
l92O-21 crop than they can save in
several years; they were unable to
pay their merchant or banker, ana
the banks had loaned all they could
under the law. The federal reserve
BOARD did not come to their relief as
hey should nave. Congress was in
session, and, without doing anything
to help the condition Of the farmer
or business man, the senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. LODGE, the lead
er Of the Republicans in the senate,
made motion to take a recess for
several weeks. 1t had the support
OF other leaders on his side of the
chamber and would have passed had
1T not been for the Republican mem
bers of the agricultural bloc voting
with most OF the Democrats. The
motion to adjourn was defeated by
the close vote of u to "a. voted
against adjournment. Had my col
league and I voted for the motion,
the senate would have recessed
without giving any kind Of relief
to the farmers and business men.
Passed Norris Bill
"By defeating the motion to adj
journ, congress remained in session
and passed the Norris bill, which
placed $1,000 100000 held by the war
finance col poration at the disposal
OF the farmers, business men, and
bankers who wished loans on agri-
cultural products and live stock at q
low rate of interest. Nearly every
bank in the south and west was
loaded down with such paper and
they had no money to loan for the
usual demands. But by discounting
all such paper with the war finance
corporation they had money to &C.
commodate other demands of legiti-
mate business. Except for the pas.
sage of this law, and the agricultural
bloc is responsible for it, in some
agricultural states a large number
of banks, business men, and farm
ers would have failed in business.
MIR. President, the agricultural
bloc is not trying to discriminate
against the east or any other Sec
ton, but the western and southern
senators, members of this bloc,
knew that agriculture in our Sec
lions was not receiving the consid-
GRAFTON by the government which it
deserved. We have banded togeth-
er, not to get favors but simple JUS
tice. The western farmers were
pioneers and their strength Of char
acter and courage developed that
section, which has done so much
for our country, and the sons Of
those brave men are not going to
let partisan politics or anything else
interfere with their fighting for JUS
tice with southern Democrats, also
interested in agriculture.
when cotton, the principal prod
uct Of the south, is shipped to Liv-
erpool and other European ports
via New York freight is charged
for every mile along the route to
the port and overseas. I hope, Mr..
President, that we may succeed in
changing this discrimination in
ocean rates from the south. 1t is
| just as important to the southern
| cotton producer to get cheap ocean
freight rates as it is to the manu-
facturer of the east.
'The south and west have stood