Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-06-11
TO FOOL FARMERS ON
WORLD COURT PROPOSAL.

Senate are planning to commit
the next Congress early in its
career in order to delay and if
possible prevent favorable ac4
ton on President harding's rec
ommendation for American
partnership in the international
court created by the League of
Nations.
Much of the sentiment in fay-
or of American cooperation
with Europe is to be found
where also the cry for lower
taxes and cheaper transporta-
ton is loudest-that is, among
the farmers. 1t is the belief of
those who would use these do
nestle issues as a barrier in the
path of international fellowship
that the question of freight
rates will be especially acute
next autumn while crops are
moving to market under the
handicap vi charges heavy
charges which absorb all the far
mer's profit.
Save as a means of defeating
President Harding's proposal for
American adhesion to the Inter
national Court transportation
and taxes are of little concern
to these ''irreeoncilabels." They
would be willing enough to per-
init freight and taxes to remain
as high as they are now j t hey
could circumyetn the presi.
dent by playing the game in an
ldent by playing the game in an
other way. They are merely try
ing to use these domestic issues
to block the road to this coun-
try's participation in Internal
tional affairs.
On President Harding's side
another factor is fighting, how
ever. This is the growing real
ization among the farmers that
unless Europe's stability and
credit are restored she can not
buy the agricultural surplusses
which must be sold abroad at
good figures if the producer in
this country is to get a remun-
erative price for what he sells
in the domestic market. Under
standing Of this fact is pretty
general among the farmers
right now, and is sure to be
even more widespread if the
next crops are sold practically
at the cost of production as
were those Of last fall.
American farmers are fixing
their minds and their hopes ON
profitable foreign market for
only solution Of the economic
difficulties which have plunged
thousands of them into insolv-
ency and bankruptcy. Two at
tempts to cure the farmers ills
by enacting tariffs on agricul-
tural products have failed, and
the farmer is now going 10 ap-
ply a new remedy-the stabili-
cation of Europe through Amer
lean cooperation.
The farmers tariff" of 1921
not only did not improve agrt-
cultural conditions in the United
States but actually left them
worse than they were in the
previous twenty-one years. Of
ficial statistics of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture-now nm
der Republican Secretary
prove this statement. Secretary
Wallace has issued set Of flo
ures showing that the farmers
dollar, measured in terms of all
commodities, had purchasing
power Of only 81 cents in 1921
rms was the lowest value rep
lstered since 1899, during the
Mckinley administration IN
1922 the farmers dollar was
worth 80 cents, the lowest gince
1907, the second year of the
Roosevelt administration.
Measured in other than farm,
products the farmers dollar
Is now worth 59.5 cents. al
though the Fordney-McCumber
tarlf law, which was supposed
70 help agriculture, has been in
operation for eight months. In
TACT the Fordney-McCumbel
tariff has contributed to the de.
preclatlon of the farmers dol.
lar by increasing the price OF
every commodity he consumes
"hlie stimulating the price Of
only a few of his products anc
'nese lew only to slight degree