The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-01-19
House N G m OriaI
Repres Barney Carlson Intro
duces Memorial Asking Relief
For Farmers

WcSh III puUllouIub COpy VA IlOucc
Joint Memorial No. 2, introduced by
our representative Barney Carlson,
asking congress to pass legislation to
relieve the farmers from their pres
ent predicament The Memorial is
well worth your time reading, and
also Representative Carlson's plea in
it's behalf
WHEREAS. During the last two
years, anu at ine present time. the
market prices oI all principle products
oI Farmers, anu especially breadstuffs
ana meals, nave been and now are
lar Delow the cost OF production, with
no vislDle relief in sight, and
WHEhEAS, The farmers Of the
country are rapidly being impoversh-
eu, tnelr Lands and homes being heav-
ny mortgaged, and the industry, In
general, is decadent, and a more de-
pioraDIe condition threatened, In volv-
ing our entlre financial structure and
wdEREAo, Inc ilves and health OF
our people are dependent upon the
lrult Oh the Iarm, commerce and in
dustry cannot progress, nor can civil
lIzatlon, itself, exist without these
producls, and 1t is essential that the
Iarln industry be enabled to survive
anu continue, and
WHEREAS, No business or industry
SUSTAINING loss can survive for any
considerable length of time, and
WHEREAS, A great public emer~
gency Is impending and we deem IL
an urgent necessity that the general
government exercise all powers pos
sessed by 1t to alleviate this condition,
IN additions TO the financial assistance
heretofore extended to the farmer
NOW THEREFORE BE 1T RE-
SOLVED, The Senate concurring, we
the Eighteenth Legislative Assembly
of the State of Montana, do hereby
petition and earnestly pray the Honor
able Congress of the United States to
enact such emergency laws and meas
ures as may be necessary to enhance
the market prices of breadstuffa and
meats, and to stabilize such prices 30
as to enable the farmer to receivs
prices large enough to cover cost OF
production, pay taxes and interest,
and, at least gradually reduce bis
debts already contracted,
1T is FURTHER RESOLVED.
That a copy of this Memorial be for
warded by the Secretary of State Of
the State of Montana to the Senate of
the United States, and that copy OF
this Memorial be forwarded by the
Secretary of State of the State Of
Montana tot he House of Representa-
tives of the United States, and that
copies thereof be transmitted by our
said Secretary of State to each of the
Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress of the State of Montana, with
the request that they use every effort
within their powers to bring about
speedy action for the accomplishment
Of the ends and purposes in this Mem
Orial indicated.
Following is Rep. Carlsonfs plea to
the house members asking for it's
passage, which was unanimously grant
ed:
Ladies and Gentlemen of This AS
sembly: There are those who have re-
marked to me that there is no use
10 send memorial to Congress. be-
cause Congress can not DO anything
Tor US. They have said to me that
Congress cannot fix prices on farm
products without fixing the prices on
else. | am aware of the
TACT that Congress cannot give the
farmers anything except at the ex-
Dense of some other class, because In
his society, made up Of conflicting
classes where we all cannot make
profit, but who ever does make pro-
1T does it at the expense OF some
1ther class, and the producing class
has always been singled out as the
goat, to furnish profit for the exploit
ng interests. The farmer has been
meek and passive and long suffering;
never asking for anything and never
getting anything. So when he can no
onger bear up under the burden:
when he sees his extinction inevitable,
md the fall of entire civilization at
hand; and something has to be done,
md the farmer has the nerve to ask
rom Congress that may save us.
That seems to be carrying things
90 far. The Agricultural interests has
u FdliOuS tlIu6S TeFOlLeu hkdiubt tAo
'uthless exploitation that they have
)een subjected to, but with no avail,
because the interests, has seen that IL
he farmers would get the cost of pro-
iuction, plus a profit there would be
nothing for them to get. SO 1t was
either that they make profit at
he farmers expense, or else the farm
,r make profit at their expense. l
ully realize how all industries aro
upon one another,
hat we can not bring about condi-
ion that will take profit out Of bust
less, because profit is the pivot on
which our whole system rests. II we
10, our entire system will cease to
but that rule holds true to
agriculture as well as all other indus
ries. Now it is plain that all indus
ries cannot make profit when they
lave to make profit at the expense
If one another Under system where
10 one makes profit, but what that
profit represents is somebody's loss
md that condition cannot be perpetu-
lted only so long as that class can
(Coufiuupd on papa fival