The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-03-07
Conference Urges
Stabilized Price
1000 FARMERS AND BUSINESS
MEN FROM 10 STATES AT
ST. PAUL MEETING.
DEBATE PRICE-FIxING.
MAJORITY RESOLUTIONS CON-
MITTEE REPORT ASKS CON-
GRESSIONAL ACTION.

0RESSIONAL ACTION.
Orderly marketing of farm products
through we'll directed cooperative or
ganizations and immediate congress
sional action to stabilize prices of crops
on a basis of cost of production were
indorsed by delegates attending the
Northwest Agricultural Price Stabi-
lization conference in st. Paul, Feb
ruary 27 and %.
More than / 1,UGG business men from
ten wheat growing states paid their
own railroad fare and expenses to at
tend the meeting, which was called
less than three weeks ago by the Min
nesota Farmer-Banker Council.
Following the conference, leaders
met again, on Friday, to consider more
intimately details of the cooperative
marketing plan. This meeting was
called by the American Farm Bureau
Federation, the Minnesota Farm Bu-
reau Federation, cooperating with
Farm leaders. Principal speakers at
this conference were Walton Peteet,
director of marketing for the Ameri-
can Farm Bureau Federation, and
ponent of farmer-owned terminal sales
agencies.
The keynote of the marketing
phase of the Price Sterilization con-
ference was sounded by Walton Pc
teet. Speaking Tuesday, when he oc-
cupied practically the entire evening
fox discussion of his subject, he urg-
ed that the future prosperity of farm
ing in this country rested, in the last
analysis, on group action in the mar
ket place. This was necessary, he
said, because such policy has been
adopted by all other lines of industry.
The decision as to price stabiliza-
tion was reached only after prolonged
debate, incident to the submission to
the convention of minority and ma
jority reports by the resolutions COM
mittee.
The majority report, adopted by an
overwhelming majority, cited that a
crisis exists in American agriculture;
that the man on the farm is bearing
more than his share of the common
burdens and that while other lines of
business are prosperous, hundreds or
thousands of farmers are facing bank
ruptcy.
Until such time as farmers are in
position, through their own agencies,
to handle and control the marketing of
their products, the resolution, as
adopted, read, 1--WE call upon congress
to Immediately stabilize the price of
farm products on the basis of the cost
of production"
The majority resolution also asked
for the passage of the Gooding bill,
which would create an agency similar
to the wartime u. S. Wheat corpora
tion and establish a minimum price
on wheat of $1.75 at the terminals.
The majority report was adopted
after speaker after speaker had de-
clared, in effect, that the plight of the
Northwest farmer today is little short
of tragic.
The minority report took the posi-
tion that stimulation of prices would
result in further production and
agricultural Generalization and op-
posed to price fixing on any commo-
dity. 1t proposed that the governor
of every state in which wheat is grown
on large scale be asked to name a
commission of three before April l.,
and that these commissions should,
after adequate study, determine fair
price and that the full force of all
farm organizations be used to obtain
that price for growers.
The price fixing question was the
only one upon which there was any
extended debate.
In their addresses before the con-
vention, Governor j. A. o. Preus of
Minnesota and j. F. Reed, president
of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Fed
GRAFTON, urged the Importance of CO.
operative marketing and a reduction
of tariffs on things farmers must
have. Harry Owen urged controlled
production. M. l.. Countryman, vice
president and general counsel for the
Great Northern, explained the diff
ficulties of railroads. Magnus john
son of Kimball reviewed the farmers
position with respect to production.
John r. Mitchell, a member of the
Federal Reserve Board, in reviewing
the activities of that system since the
Armistice, said Federal Reserve Banks
were ready to aid cooperative mar
keting organizations when properly
organized.
E. w. Decker, president of the
Northwestern National Bank of Min
neapolis, praised cooperative mar
keting as the hope of the farmer.
v. E. Anderson of Wheaton, treasur-
er of the Minnesota Farm Bureau
Federation, urged government aid IN
talking on the subject, "The Govern
ment's Duty in Price Stabilizatlon !.
T. E. eastman of Owatonna, con-
demned the Esch- Cummins transporta-
tion act in discussing the railroads
Much of the credit for the success
of the meeting was given to the St.
Paul Association, the Commercial Club
of that city.