Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-16
er toward the misery scale that pre-
walls abroad has ever been devised.
Protection Policy Needed

err toward the misery scale that pre-.
walls abroad has ever been devised
Protection Policy Needed
"Were such protection removed
the result would be felt at every
fireside in the land. our industry
would anguish, factories would close
commerce and transportation would
be Stagnant, agriculture would be
come paralyZed, financial distress
and economic depression would reach
over the whole country.
Before we are carried away with
any visionary expectation of promot-
ing the public welfare by a general
avalanche of cheap goods from for
! eign sources, imported under a Sys-
tenn which, whatever it may be call
ed. is in reality free trade, 1t will be
we'll first to count the cost and real
ize Just what such a proposal really
| means.
Il am for protection because it
maintains American standards Of
living and of business, for aSricul-
ture. industry and labor. / am in
favor of the elastic provisions of our
| tariff law. / propose to administer
them, not politically, but judiciaily
LAS the business of the world De
comes stabilized, without throwing
| all our economic system into con
fusion. we can raise or lower specific
| schedules to meet the requirements
/ of a scientific adjustment.
II confess that my inheritance
| and personal experience have bred
in me a keen interest in the vel
| fare of agriculture.
perhaps the very hardships that
! those who have been enga ged in it
| have encountered have caused it to
be the chief source of that independ-
| ence and stalwart citizenship which
| has contributed so laVishly to the
| glory Of American life. 1t consti-
| tutes an element in our nation of
| such Importance as to be worthy
of the utmost solicitude and con-
Germ.
Zone OF our first thoughts in 1921
was for it's relief and revival.
Farm Relief Laws
"As many as Is laws have been
passed to assist and support this
| fundamental industry.
Through the War Finance cor
poration it has been extended cred
it's Of between $500, 900, 900 and $400,-
| 100000
I'm addition to this, government
activity provided about $50, 100000
| from private sources for the relief
| of the cattle industry, and in the
early spring of this year 100000
900 corporation was formed, which
| it was estimated could furnish $780,
| 000 900 for Investigation and finan-
cial relief in the northwest.
| The intermediate credit banks
| have loaned over 5000 900 to in
dividuals and cooperative market
! ing associations, which assisted di-
rectly and indirectly over 500, 900
| farmers.
Notwithstanding all this, agri-
culture was subjected to an era of
most serious depression.
Several of its great staples like
cotton, cattle, hogs, corn. and wheat,
suffered from low prices, due to
oVerproduction, unbalanced condi-
tions between costs and sale prices
in agriculture, industry, and labor,
and the disorganization of the mar
| kets of the world.
But for the enormous buyin s
power which the high wages of in
dustry put behind the market for
American food products, especially
meat, the agricultural regions would
| have experienced even a far more
| sever financial crisis.
Prices Improve
due to a change in the world
supply, prices Of products have be-
| gun to improve, even so far as to
| increase land values.
| THE government rendered a great
deal of assistance and private enter
prise co-operated, but the funda'
mental remedy was provided, as 1t
| always. must be provided, not Sc
much through the enactment of leg
islative laws as through the working
| out of economic laws.
Because the farmers have thor
oughly realized this, they have on
the whole opposed price-hxing by
legislation.
"While maintaining that sound
| position, they have seen a. partial
| relief come in natural way, as it
| was bound to come.
| eve now need in agriculture more
| organization, cooperation, and oil
versification. The farmer should
have the benefit of legislation pro
vlding for flood control and develop
| ment of inland waterways, better
| navigation east and south from the
| Great Lakes, reclamation, and espe
ciallv relief for those who can not
| meet their payments on irrigation
| projects.
keting.
"Co-operative effort, reorganiza'
ton of the freight-rate structure
good business, and good wages in
manufacturing and the settlement
OF European affairs will all help to
provide better market conditions.
"The Republican platform recog'
n;zes that agriculture should be on
a basis Of economic equality with
other industries. 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.
To Name Committee
| "Now that nature and economic
| law have given some temporary re-
| lief, I propose, therefore, to appoint
a committee to investigate and re
port measures to the congress In
| December that may help secure this
| result which we all desire.
II want profitable agriculture es'
tablished permanently. I want to
see the dollar Of the farmer always
| purchase as much as any other
| dollar.
"A wise, skilled, and unselfish
leadership can do more than any
thing else to rescue agriculture. The
farmer needs leaders WHO will stay
with him, who have the tact ard the
courage necessary for management,
| and who have the fidelity to refuse
Political prefermont and business op
| L5r.In.ty.
There are such leaders. In the
sacrifices they make to serve the
farmer lies the greatest hope Tor
| his salvation.
| ..Thnse who toll have always