Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-08-14

self so as to merit recognition. He
pointed to the written agreement with
Mexico to negotiate a treaty of amity
and commerce such as has not been in
existence since 1881.
Equal Opportunities for All.
OF discrimination Of all kinds, Presi-
dent Coolidge said: This is one coun-
try; we are one people united by COM
mon interests. There should be no fa-
vorites and no outcasts; no race or re-
ligious preJudices In the government.
America opposes special privilege for
anybody, and favors equal opportunity
for everybody. 1t has adopted these
conclusions because they are the logi-
cal conclusions Of our ideals Of free
dom. Moreover. we believe they con-
tribute to our material welfare. We
oppose the artificial supports Of privi-
lege and monopoly because they are
both unjust and uneconomic. They
are not right, They do not work"
The Farm Situation.
Reviewing the situation of the farm
err the President said that one Of the
first thoughts in 1921 was for the re-
lief and revival of agriculture as a
fundamental industry, and touched
upon the credits of between three and
four hundred million dollars extended
through the War Finance corporation,
an additional $5O,000,000 provided for
the relief of the cattle industry, and
the formation of $1OOOO,OOO corpora
tion in the spring which, 1t was esti-
mated, can furnish $100,OOO,0OO for d.
versification and relief in the North
west. He told of the activities of the
intermediate credit banks, directly and
indirectly assisting 100000 farmers.
The President commented on the
present upturn Of prices for agricul-
tural products.
The government rendered great
deal of assistance" he said, "and
private enterprise co-operated, but the
fundamental remedy was provided, as
1t always must be provided not so
much through the enactment Of legis-
lative laws as through the working
out of economic laws. Because the
farmers have thoroughly realized this,
they have on the whole opposed price
fixing by legislation. While maintain
Ing that sound position, they have
seen partial relief come in natural
way, as 1t was bound to come.
We now need In agriculture more
organization, cooperation. and d.
versif1cation. The farmer should have
the benefit of legislation providing for
flood control and development of in
land waterways, better navigation east
and south from the Great Lakes,
reclamation, and especially relief for
those who cannot meet their pay
ments on irrigation projects. But the
main problem Is marketing. Co-opera-
tive effort, reorganization of the
freight7rates structure, good business,
and good wages in misunderstanding, and
the settlement of European affairs will
all help to provide better market con-
sditions.
~ "The Republican platform recognizes
that agriculture should. be on basis
OF economic equality with other indus
tries. This is easy to say, but the
farmers themselves and their advisers
have, never been. able to agree on
plan to provide 1t by law. Now that
nature and economic law have, given
some temporary !. relief. 1 propose,
therefore, to appoint committee to
Investigate and report measures to
the congress in December that may
help secure this result which we ali
desire. I want profitable agriculture
established permanently. l want to
see the dollar Of the farmer always
purchase as much as any other dollar.
Under the polcy Of protection and
restrictive Immigration" he asserted,
mo de1ation OF wages has occurred.
While the cost OF living has gone
down, wages have advanced. The II
hour day and the seven-day week
have practically been abolished. The
uninterrupted operation OF public util-
tiles with mutually satisfactory and
legally established methods of adjust
Ing labor questions have been sought.
Collective bargaining and voluntary
arbitration have been encouraged. Re
publican rule has raised the wage
Garner to higher standard than he
ever occupied before anywhere In the
world"
Reduction Of Expenses.
President Coolidge then pointed out
that the people Of the country, be-
Cause of the war have had to re-
create nearly, one-fifth of our national
resources. We can make up the loss,
he said, only by saving part of what
we produce each day
1T is for that reason" he contin-
ued, that, the. present administration
has made every possible effort to cut
down the expenses Of government
The expenses Of the government reach
everybody. Taxes take, from every
one a part Of his earnings. and force
everyone to work for a certain part of
his time for the government.
When. we come to- realize that the
yearly expenses of all the governments
in this country have reached the stu
pendous sum of about $7,5OO,0O 900.
we get some idea of what this means
OF this amount about $500, OOO, 600 lis
- l.