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

The people of the east are being en-
lishtened in various ways Of the CON
| ditions confronting the western farm
| ers and why it was deemed necessar!
by members of congress representing
the farming interests of the country tf
get together to protect the rights OF
the greatest industry in the entire
country.
Hon. l.. j. Dickinson of this district
made an address a few days ago before
the City Club of Washington, ID. C..
and went into the discussion Of pro
blems now of absorbing interest and OF
far reaching Importance to all tie 200
pie. The address was full of useful IN
formation and shed new light upon
some features of economic conditions
demonstrating the necessity of union OF
action to correct some Of the things that
need correcting and which can be cor.
rected by legislation.
The Freeman-J ournal reprOdnces Il
part of Mr.. Dickinson's address, deem
ing it timely and very informative, and
hopes readers generally will peruSe it
carefully. Our congressman seems (.
grasp the subject and presents toe
western view with a candor that must
carry conviction and with clear,,ss
that indicates a thorough knowledge Of
the subject. He said, among other
things:
In presenting to the City Club of
Washington an outline OF the Bloc
program, | want to first give you Il
definite and concrete idea of the econ
omic, as we'll as the political elements
involved.
BY discovery and colonization oar
county was first inhabited in the East
and the colonization gradually extend
ed itself toward the west. Result: the
producer of food in the early days OF
Ohio raised his food, shipped it to New
York and Boston, accepted the price
offered, less transportation, and was
content. Later, the Illinois farmer
"aiscd his crop, shipped it east TO New
portation and was content. Later. the
markets of the East were replaced with
central markets of the West, and Chi
cago became the New York for Iowa
Dakota, Nebraska. etc. Result: the
farmer raised his grain and shipped it
to market. accepted the price offered,
less transportation, and went home con.
tent. Conclusion: the West raises food
stuffs, ships to Eastern markets, az.
cepts the price offered, less transporta-
ton, and has rested more or less con-
tent
In turn, we purcha Sc Pittsburgh steel,
Pennsylvania coal, New Jersey fertiliz-
er, at price fixed f. Q. b. delivery,
and pay for all material labor, Overhead.
taxes and freight. when it is received.
And agriculture, with less than a. per
cent of our people occupied therein.
pays Il great deal more than its fair
share of the transportation charges
When l take the food production fig
ures for all New England states, in
Guiding the east. half of New York, and
find that all that is produced in that
section in one year will not feed The
population of that some section for "A
longer period than one week, l conclude
that the East is interested in the food
production of the West. When l cx-
change food for your industrial pro-
duet. ! must accept your price for my
grain and pay costs of transportation.
but when | accept Franklin auto
mobile. the company charges me with
all material. all labor. all overhead and
all taxes. and delivers at the station
in New York with freight collect.
When New York sees they are paying
such large per cent of the Federal
taxes. they forget the large per cent
Of that tax charged against the pnr-
chaser and paid by the consuming West.