Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-05

To that meeting came representatives
of the purebred industry. Federal and
State educators, transportation and
market agencies, the agricultural
press. great packing concerns, and
all the rest. Among these, there was
realization that live stock production
was falling behind the pace of in
crease in human population. 1t was
seen that the ranges were fast being
denuded, and that there was too little
knowledge of benefits and profits to
be had from breeding and feeding a
better class of stock. With all these
things in mind, this exposition was
founded as an object lesson to at
tract and hold the Interest," of pro-
ducers, acquaint them with the reaIi
ties of the situation, and help them
adapt their methods to rapidly chang
ing conditions.
The Union Stockyards Co. offered
the splendid site and buildings that
have been the home of the snow, and
agreed to contribute generously in
financing it. The mana cement, realiz-
ing that the Nations reserve strength
in live stock Improvement through
breeding must lie in the purfbred
animals. offered every incentive
for increasing these supplies, through
this and many other similar educa-
tional efforts. There has resulted a
remarkable and continuing interest
in purebred live stock, until today we
have approximately 100000 regis
tered breeding food animals in the
country. These constitute our foun-
tain of betterment The exposition
has brought together the best prod
ucts of animal huSbandry from all
over the Union, from Canada, and
from other foreign countries. 1t has
Ire al, e.
live stock thought and experience.
Government Aids Work.
The interest of the National Gov
eminent and of many of the States
has been enlisted. The Department
of Agriculture has given active sup
port and practical cooperation. Its
aim has been TO help improve the
standards of your show and to main
tain intimate contact with all agen-
cies concerned in producing and
marketing live stock. One OF its
prime duties has been to keep out
foreign animal diseases and to eradi-
cate any that might gain entrance.
The effectiveness of these efforts is
shown in the success of the Bureau
of Animal Industry in checking every
outbreak of the dreaded foot-and-
mouth disease. Hog cholera and
/
mated. The meat-inspection service
is a protection to producer and con-
sumner alike, and in its field is a
model for the world.
1T is not from any lack of Gov
eminent activity in these directions
that the farmer is suffering. The
troubles Of the farmer are on the
farm and in the market. They come
largely from overproduction. We
4 l., 60 a ~
know by all experience that Govern
ment subsidies or price-fixing would
increase production and aggravate
the evil. We might give away the
SURPRISES, or buy and store them in
definitely; still the cost must come
from the taxpayer, and the farmer
is a taxpayer. But in the end these
efforts always fail. The sound rem
edy is to reduce production. and that
is a remedy which will automatical-
ly apply itself il there is not arti-
fetal interference. Another point
of attack is better marketing. There
are other practical, workable meas
ures of relief for such conditions as
the farmer has recently faced, and
these have been invoked I want to
call attention to some efforts in this
direction.
Cites Tariff BENEFITS.
In the first place, let us consider
the tariff. The present rates on i'm
ports have been criticized as sacri-
ficing the farmer to the manufac-
turer. But, in fact, our tariff en-
ables us to pay American workmen
the highest wages in the world.
High standards of living thus estab-
lished have enabled the people to
consume, per capita, more than twice
as much cotton. dairy products. poul-
try. tobacco, eggs, meats, sugar, and
animal fats, as is consumed in con-
tinental Europe. The American
farmer, while receiving the generous
prices which protection assures him
for many Of his products, gets better
and cheaper machinery than any
other farmer in the world because of
the economies which mass produc-
ton makes possible. We have built
agriculture squarely into the struc-
ture of our protective system. The
farmer receives the maximum benefit
possible from tariff duties on COM
peting farm products.
In international trade the flow of
grain and hog products is outward.
and. therefore, these receive less
benefits of protection. But-in the
case of wool, sugar, eggs. dairy
products. f1axseed. tobacco. nuts,
fruits. and other produce the flow IS
inward, they receive the full meas
ure of protection, and sell in the
home market above the general COM
modify price index. The American
farmer must not be undersold at
home by New Zealand mutton, Ar
gentfne beef. Canadian wheat, DAN
ish butter. Bulgarian tobacco, Chinese
eggs, or Cuban sugar.
Tells of Aid to Farmers.
Contrary to claims often advanced
the present tariff admits free of duty
almost every article the farmer uses
in his business and protects almost
every article raised on the farm.
Whatever may be the trouble with
the farmer. it does not come from the
application of the tariff to his bust
ness Certainly, it cannot be claim
ed that the Government has neglected
over $780, 900 have been placed 1T
the service of agriculture through
the War Finance Corporation.
Three and one-half million dollars
have been loaned in the Northwest
to buy seed.
THE intermediate credit banks
have been established, assuring the
farmer cheap working capital.
LAS President 1 initiated an
Agricultural Credlt Co., with Slu,
100000 capital, for relief of farmers
and banks in the Northwest.
"A drought loan was provided
when needed. Government control
Of grain exchanges, Government con-
| troll of packers and stockyards, q
sound information trade service and
needed increases in tariff protection
have all been granted.
when the farmers asked repre-
sentation on the Federal Reserve
Board they got it. 1 appointed one
farmer to the Shipping Board and
another to the Federal Trade Board
Extremely liberal appropriations
haxe heen made under the Federal