The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-08-18

M. Reed, Pullman; George Sievers
Moscow; Jack Collins, Palouse; MARI
Green, Orofino, and G. w. Jewett
PomerOy. The committee immedi
ately withdrew to frame the resolu
tions.
United States Senator Frank R
Gooding, author of the Gooding mini
mum price bill, explained in detail
the provisions of the bill and urged
especially the Importance of organi-
Zation and cooperation on the part
of the farmer.
Senator Gooding said in part:
There is an old saying, and I am
sure a very true one, that sometimes
great public calamities bring us to a
realization of truths we will learn
in no other way, so if out of the great
! crisis that has overwhelmed agricul-
ture in the last few years, the far
mers Of this country can learn the
Importance of organization and CO.
operation, then the hardships and
privations and great losses the far
mers have suffered in the last few
years will not have been in vain. If,
out of it all, the farmers of this
country can learn that this is the age
of organization and combination, and
that capital and labor are highly or
ganized in every part of the country,
and that the selfishness of capital and
labor can only be met by organiza-
ton and cooperation on the part of
the farmer, there will be some chance
of the farmer receiving again a fair
return on his labor and investment.
Agriculture Needs Organization
"I do not believe that there is any
hope for any branch of agriculture
in this highly organized country of
ours today without organization, for
know of no way of meeting organiza-
ton, except with organization; and
when I say the farmers must organize
in an agricultural community like
this, I mean all the people, regard
less of occupation, for the lawyers,
the doctors and the merchants are
all farmers-they are all acting
part in the great work of the farm,
and there is just as much wealth
left in an agricultural community
after the harvest is over, as the far
mers receive for their farm products
after the costs of production are met
and the freight rates are paid to carry
them to market.
AT the present time there is so
little left for the wheat grower, after
the freight rates are paid, that in
many cases his crop will not pay the
cost Of production, and he is unable
to meet his obligations. In the great
crisis which has overwhelmed agri-
culture in the last four years, hund-
of dc nfo 20 ,o1-c,h hou
lost their farms to the mortgage COM
panies, and must commence life over
again to provide a home for their
declining years. The great war
brought new conditions and new prob
lens to every country on earth. In
this country organized capital and
organized labor have been able to
meet these new conditions, and, to
some extent, profit by them. Some
branches of agriculture, also, which
are organized, have passed the crisis
so far, in fairly prosperous condi-
ton, but those branches of agricul-
ture that are without organization
have been unable to meet these new
conditions.
Business Must Help
"I want to say to the lawyers, the
doctors and the merchants and all of
those who live in agricultural COM
munities like this, who must depend
largely on the wheat grower, that un-
less you help the farmer solve the
great problems which confront him
today, many of you, with the farmer,
will be forced into bankruptcy, and
will have to commence life over again.
"What we need in this country is
a national organization of all the
wheat growers in every state in the
union, and If we can perfect such an
there will be some |
chance to make right some of the |
great wrongs forced upon the wheat |
growers by their own government |
during the war"
Senator Gooding then asserted that |
The grain corporation violated the |
spirit of the price guarantee law
passed by congress and became
speculator and profiteer in handling
the farmers wheat and that the fed
eral reserve board at secret meet
ing in Washington, May 18, 1920,
entered into a conspiracy for the pur-
pose Of debating the country, restrict
ng credits and breaking down prices
and increasing freight rates.
Discusses Produce Sterilization
The senator then went into the mat
,er of stabilization Of the price of |
'arm products by legislative enact
ment and said he could understand !
1ow many would consider it social
stic, as he had harbored the same
view up until very few years ago.
After becoming member Of the SEN
.te, however, and learning something
If the deplorable condition Of the
wheat grower, brought about, he said,
oy unfair and unjust discrimination,
le changed his views and decided that
action is necessary if the
wheat farmer is to survive. The SEN
ltor said that during two years as
/ member Of the agricultural COM
nittee of the senate, he listened to
stories of the deplorable conditions
If agriculture in different parts of
he country, and as result made
careful study of the situation, find
ng that the government had subsi-
lized and stabilized about everything
Use in the country but farm products !