The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-02-22


practice. in accordance with an order
of the corporation. (see sec. 100
Wheat purchased by the corporation
NAV be resold by it at such prices on
such terms as it may deem best for
the public welfare. To cover any cost
to the corporation of the handling,
transportation, insurance, storage, and
other charges with respect to the
wheat, the corporation is authorized
to retain from the guaranteed price
cents on each bushel of wheat pur-
chased by it. (see sec. I'D
An embargo upon wheat and wheat
flour is declared, which shall be ef-
fective until July i, 1926. Exceptions
to the embargo are ~ wheat to be
used for seed purposes, ~ in-transst
shipments of wheat or wheat flour,
and (3) wheat imported in compliance
with the tariff act of 1922 for use in
manufacturing flour, which is in turn
10 be reexported. (See sec. 12.)
| The bill provides for the dissolution
of the corporation as soon as possible
after July 1, 1926. Upon the dissolu-
ton of the corporation, all assets and
property thereof shall be converted
| into cash and covered into the treas
ury of the United States as miscel-
laneous receipts. (See sec. 80
At different times numerous wit
nesses have appeared before the COM
mittee and testified as to the condi-
ton of agriculture, and while there
seems to be some improvement in some
products of the farm, it was clearly
shown that the condition of the wheat
grower is growing harder and harder,
and that he has been producing wheat
below the cost of production for the
| last three years, and unless something
is done to stabilize the price of wheat
| in this country there is grave danger
of that branch of agriculture break
ing down and becoming demoralized
One of the saddest stories related
| to the agricultural committee was by
Mr.. John F. Sinclair, who gave his
business as banking and Investment,
and his residence as Minneapolis,
MINI.
Mr.. Sinclair stated that in the last
| IL months there were 956 farm mort
cages foreclosed in Minnesota, 2,456
in North Dakota, 969 in South Dakota
and 955 in Montana.
The question ''Can the farmers
work themselves out of their present
financial difficulties9" was submitted
by Mr.. Sinclair to number of banks
| in Minnesota, North and South >Da-
kota, and Montana, and POI answers
were received. All, with the excep-
ton of five, stated that it was impos-
sible for the farmers to work out of
their present financial difficulty with
the high cost of production unless
something was done to stabilize the
price of wheat by the government.
The saddest story told by Mr.. Sim
clair was of the suicides that have
taken place upon the farm, in which
he stated that last year there were
"a suicides on the farm in Minnesota,
81 in North Dakota, so in South Da-
kota, and Is in Montana, making 16S
suicides in those states in the last 70
months.
Mr.. r. w. Frazier appeared before
| the committee and testified as to the
condition of the farmers in North Da-
| kota.
Mr.. Frazier exhibited newspapers
showing that in some of the counties
in North Dakota more than rs per
| cent of all the farms were advertised
by the county for delinquent taxes.
Mr.. Frazier testified that in Divide
County, N. d., last year there were Is
suicides. He stated that they were all
farmers, with the exception of one
coal miner.
From all over the country comes the
story of the hardships and privations
upon the farm. Everywhere is told
the story of the young men leaving
| the farm. In one one county in Idaho
1900 young men Were reported as
leaving the farms last year.
The story is told of children in some
parts of the country being forced to
go barefooted and denied the benefits
of schools because there was so little
left from the harvest after freight and
expenses were paid that in some cases
charity had to be extended to some of
the farmers in states where the soil
was rich and the harvest abundant. |
This condition, it was shown, existed
to some extent in practically all of
the Northwestern and Western states
1t was shown very clearly to the
committee that the farmers were in
no way to blame for the deplorable |
conditions upon the farm in America;
that everywhere they had practiced
thrift and industry.
1t was stated to the committee that |
the farmers held the government re-
sponsible in a large measure for the |
hardships and privitions they had suf-