Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-11
GRAIN CORPORATION
SEEN AS OUTCOME:
Of VOTE CAMPAI
~ DAVID LAWRENCE

right. 1920
WASHINGTON. Sept. 9.-The
idea of a national corporation, gov
eminent controlled, or the develop
ment of a cooperative plan to take
care of the exportable surplus Of
American farm products, may get
into concrete form as Il consequence
of the diScuSSi ln of agricultural
needs during the presidential cam
paign.
John w. Davis speech in Omaha
amplifying the Democratic national
platform on the subject of an export
commission or corporation does not
reveal whether the nominee is will
ing to indOrSe the McNary- HauSen
bill which caused so much cOntro-
versy at the last session Cf congress,
but both Nh Davis and MIR. La
Toilette are declaring themselves
for the principle of unified control
of exports so as to enable the
farmer to get better prices for his
wares.
Now that it is apparent that the
farmer is getting higher returns,
due to the favorable weather here
as cor tracted with short production
in foreign countries, the dissatis-
faction of the farmer is to some eX-
tent appeased, but it does not pre-
vent the candidates who are after
the vote f. ON pointing out what
seems to them ways and means of
getting even better prices.
Debate Not Yet Over
In other words, the debate over the
iaI, n ! Al q
plus shall be handled has not ended.
Mr.. Davis in his Omaha speech did
not take exactly the same ground
that Governor Bryan, of Nebraska,
did before he was a nominee for the
vice presidency, but he came close
enough to indicate that the influ-
ence Of the Bryan family, which
helped write the idea into the Dem
ocratic national platform, is still
dominant on agricultural questions
and from now on the advice re-
ceived from the vice presidential
nominee may be seen running
through the speeches of the Demo-
cratic nominee 70" the presidency.
Mr. Davis could not very well dis
miss the Democratic platforms pro-
nouncement for an export corpora
I1On, Out IL ne we're dSd lllol Tic lUCct
at heart he need not have dWelt on
the subject in his Omaha speech. He
has come to the conclusion, no doubt,
that the west is vitality interested in
the export problem, and that he is
expected to say something definite
as to his policy on this matter.
Governor Bryan came out for the
McNary- Haugen bill cor something
like it, before the Madison Square
Garden convention. Critics O. the
McNary- Haugen bill have been de-
molishing that proposal, but they
have not always offered an alterna-
tive The west does not want an
alternative. Mr.. La Toilette has not
explained in detail his solution. Mr..
Davis has gone further than PreSi-
dent Coolidge, but to get up real
interest in THE issue he will have
to give a bill of specifications as to
how the export corporation will actu
ally function.
President Coolidge has said that
he wants an inquiry begun to de-
termine the best kind of an or 5anl-
cation to set up. He probably Will
appoint such a board before the cam
paign is over Before that body Will
come many schemes no doubt for
agricultural relief Mr.. Coolidge has
said that congress began Investigate
ing three years ago, but has taken
no action. During the last session
of congress all sorts of proposals
were made, but no action was taken
Bill after bill either was deferred
or sidetrac%ed in the legislative jam
Detailed Program Needed
The chance of arousing the ives:
i0sI
wholly on the kind of solution pro
posed by each candidate should there
be a recurrence of conditions which
in the last two years havO brought
the Brookharts, Norrises, Magnf9
Johnsons and other western radicHlH
to the Height Of power. Tie s'mplU
rise in farm prices may hold nary
votes in line now, but they will nr
still the cry after election for fiome.
thing de finite to market the far Mer;
crop.
BY the time John w. Davi~ ge' S
through with the west he mar dis
cover that a detailed agricu tturfl
program is desired and some nledae
that it will be carried in effect Low
freight rates takes in one Prise OF
the problem of decreased costs, anN
an export corporation looks II the
establishments of a plan that will en-.
able the domestic price of whe at to
ascend in conformity with a higher
export price. These questions are
Of sufficient Importance to turn the
tide in any campaign. Both the
Democratic and independent nomi-
nees are scratching the surface Be
fore November comes they, as we'll
as President Coolidge, will find west
ern sentiment for a concrete plan
more and more insistent, especially
should there be a tumble in any of
the prices of the principal farm
products.