The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-02-27
BUREAU ENDORSES
GOODING MEASURE
SPOKANE CHAMBER ASKED TO
RECOMMEND $1.75 FIXED PRICE
FOR WHEAT.


kane chamber of commerce went on
record yesterday noon at Spokane as
recommending to the executive com
mfttee of the chamber of commerce
that it go on record approving the
GOoding bill, calling for a fixed wheat
price for three years on the basis of
$1.75, northern spring. The vote in
favor of the action was IL to 10
on the second ballot after the first
ballot had shown a 10 to 10 tie.
G. p. Mix and George N. Lamphere
represented the Moscow chamber OF
commerce at the meeting. The gen
eral discussion followed an address
by Mr.. Mix, who was introduced by
Chairman J. K. Mccormack as the
man who really launched the move
ment for a fixed price which Sena-
tor GOoding incorporated in the bill
bearing his name. The Moscow cham
ber was the first organization to go
on record as favoring fixed price.
See Great Relief.
Nothing, we believe, can relieve
the situation as the Gooding bill can,'
said Mr.. Mix. A survey of 235 farms
from Garfield to Moscow and over
toward Colfax shows that 10000
acres in 1919 produced 900 bush
eels to the acre. In 1920 the same
farms with $4,000 acres in crop pro-
duced 100000 bushels, or 80 bushels
to the acre. The farms averaged 1876
acres In 1919 the cost of produc-
t1on was $1.69 bushel average, and
in 1920, it was s1.56 Costs were
from $1.20 per bushel up.
&c The farmer is not getting the rec
ognit1On from the government he
considers himself entitled to because
he is not organized on a national
basis The Gooding bill with a guar
anteed price of $1.75 at the primary
markets will relieve the depression
in every wheat growing district. 1t
would injure nobody. 1t will not in
crease the price of bread and start
the vicious circle of high prices.
Prices of other commodities are al
ready up. 1t will not cause over
production because the farmer will
be able to go into greater diversifi-
cation 1t is not special legislation,
not bonus and not subsidy
Want Federal Protection.
The government increased rail
road wages and boosted farm labor
costs just double. The wheat freight
from Idaho to Cnicaso is SO per cent
Of the value of the wheat. The far
mer is getting 112 per cent of the
1913 price and others 169 per cent
and up. The government fixed rail
road rates and guaranteed the roads
six per cent 1t guaranteed a silver
price of 81 an ounce. 1t costs the
government $72,OO0,O00 more to carry
second class mail than it gets out
of it. We want the government to
give the wheat grower the same pro-
lection as other lines which are aided
by the tariff.
In the last two weeks, l have
attended many meetings on the Good
ing bill, attended probably ten. On
ly one perSOn-an attorney-spOke in
to the measure. The far
mer is entitled to consideration. 1t
won't cost you a nickel and it won't
cost the government anything because
foreign countries will go on the same
basis. You asked us to support the
Columbia basin, although it means
more competition for us because it
will be settled by people to grow
wheat. We approved it because we
felt it would help you. Now we ask
you to approve something that will
help u.s."
FINDS COrdlal1ty Lacking.
Mr.. Lamphere corroborated Mr.. |
Mix's remarks.
6 can't understand why anybody |
opposes the Gooding bill as econom-
ically unsound when it. raises the
wheat price from 80 cents to $1.75,"
he said. "It will be great help |
even if it is temporary Either re-
ject it or approve it. We were glad /
to approve the Columbia basin to
help you. When we ask your ap-
proval of something that will help
us we don't find the same cordiality"
Following is the resolution as
adopted:
Whereas, a serious crisis exists
the agricultural districts
Of this country, in that the market
price of wheat for the last two years
has been far less than the cost of
and
Whereas, the Inland Empire is
an agricultural commun-
ty devoted principally to wheat rails
ng, and that during the war the far
ners were encouraged to extend OPP
srations and others to extend credit
@ them for the furtherance of agri-
culture and especially the raising of
wheat, and
Farmers Need Help.
Whereas, the price defIation of
arm products has not been followed
,y a proportionate reduction in the
cost of production, the result has
the farmers to point where
hey can no longer continue opera ;
ions unless some immediate relief is {
and
Whereas, the benefits given by the
var finance corporation are not un-
lerestimated, but that legislation ex-
ending credits will only delay the
Inevitable bankruptcy of the wheat
,rowers, but that agriculture must
eceive a price for wheat large
nough to cover cost of production S
nd pay taxes and interest, and at l
east a partial reduction Of debts al '
eady contracted Il
NJ II. - u