The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-05-03
FARMERS NOT
ASKING FOR
VILEGES
Reader Declares Country Has
Not Returned to
INormaICY.I
To the Editor of The Times

| To the Editor Of The Times
VIII you please tell me where I
may find the evidence Of a well nigh
complete return to normal methods"
mentioned by President Coolidge in
his address to the Associated Press?
So far as I can see, things are alb
normal. The farmers are grooming
under their mortgages heavy taxes
and unstable prices for what they
produce while the packers. not salts
I fed with immense profits. brought suit
against the government for 81 or 900
for unfulfilled meat orders which the
Government denied owing, and de-
clared the packers owed the Govern
ment 1000 600 for overcharges. The
packers won. This is to be followed
by other suits totaling about $1,000
900 which of course the packers will
win. as the first suit was a test case.
The railroads are declaring millions
quarterly dividends The steel mills
are running at full capacity, and con-
tinually adding new ovens. Henry
Fords income is estimated at $780,
600, 900 yearly. The Northern Pacific
Railroad, after it had received $780,
los. 1913 from the sale of its Govern
ment bonds. which is nearly twice the
$40, 100000 it cost to construct it, is
asking grant of land in the national
forests of Montana, idaho and Wash
ington, worth $4,000. 900 more.
investigates Crimes
Our Government has spent and is
spending unthinkable sums Of money
to bring to light the crimes Of men
holding some Of the high posts of
honor in our country. Our tax free
securities are valued at 81 $50 942 900.
Few farmers have any securities.
The United States Agricultural De-
partment spends 14S,6S7,7 700 to aid
the farmer. Office salaries take $10,-
395, 900. Where does the farmer bene-
fit by the rest of this sum? The last
two years the agricultural department
has given attention to marketing
stock and grain and the only help to
the farmers was that he was induced
to feed high priced corn to high priced
hogs at a loss to himself but to the
benefit of the packer. In the last ten
years farm taxes have risen 126 per
cent.
Evasion Not Wished
Mr. Coolidge says the opponents
of the Mellon tax plan assume the
country wants to evade the law of
service and seek the benefits of gov
eminent without paying for govern
ment; that the idea that the taxes
on the masses could be cut and more
taxes extracted from the rich was an
unavoidable principle" The farmer
does not wish to evade payment for
government-he could not evade it
he wished. His land. his buildings,
his stock and his grain are all in full
view and the assessor puts his as
sessment on the full value of his
IS or so per cent.
MIR. Coolidge says the welfare OF
the country would be in jeopardy by
paying the soldier bonus. Send our
Senate 20 the wars hereafter for they
apparently would ask no bonus.
And Mr. Coolidge says we are not
going into the League Of Nations!
Well, then. why don't we keep out Of
it? Why have we been unofficially
NEEDING in it? Mr.. Coolidge says
when stability is assured abroad we
will have another conference on linn
itation of ornaments. The first one
did not limit, why ancther? And when ,
stability is assured we'll not need one.
Let US get down to sane, sober think
ing. Our people are a people with
good hearts. Give them a chance to
come forth with clean hands and clean
heerts.
We do not want so many King
Ahabs who covet another's vineyard,
not so many Jezebels to tell what to =
do to possess it. The farmer is not
asking favors, but Justice
n q