Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-08

erS of the country.
The president, who was accompa-
MED by Mrs. Coolidge. was In Chicago
FIVE hours. After his address he at
tended luncheon given by farm ou-
reau officials. while Mrs. Coolidge was
guest of honor at similar function
rendered by their wives. Crowds lin
ing the streets of the business district
gave the city's distinguished visitors
an enthusiastic greeting as they pass
ed to and from the hotel in an automo-
bile, the top down to afford a better
view. despite the raw. cold weather
One of the passages of the presi-
dents speech which brought round
of applause twas a reference TO MS
life as a boy on the farm and his con-
tention that I'VE can not stop with
the mere acquisition of wealth."
"The ultimate result to be desired"
he continued, sis not the making OF
money, but the making of people. In
dustry, thrift and self-control are not
sought because they create wealth but
because they create character. Ihey
are the prime product of the farm we
who have seen it and live It, we
know"
The president launched into an at
tack of proposals that the government
engage in the buying and selling of
farm produce and direct or Indirect
price fixing with the following OBJ
servations:
This would be dangerous under
taking. And as the emergency is not
so acute it seems at present to nave
lost much of its support. No matter
how it is disguised, the moment the
government engages in buying ana
selling, by that act it is fixing prices.
Moreover, it would apparently de-
stroy cooperative associations and all
other maketinr machinery. For no
one can compete with the government.
Ultimately it would end the indepea-
dence which the farmers OF TINS
country enjoy as result or centuries
of struggle and prevent the exercise
of their own Judgment and control IN
cultiyating their land and marketing
their produce.
Government control can not be d.
yorced from political control. The
overwhelming interest of the consum-
err. not the smaller interest of the pro-
Queer, would be sure to dominate in
the end"
Referring to the cooperative move
ment as the most important develop
ment of late years in the agricultural
field, and emphasizing the crop sur
plus problem as a vexing factor IN
the farm price situation, Mr.. Cool
idge expressed the opinion that with
the economic information furnished
by the Department of Agriculture,
with better warehouses and storage
facilities and better credit struc-
ture, much can be done to take care
of the ordinary surplus.
with production influenced by
Il r.~tr AMT
he continued, with adequate storage,
supplied with necessary credit and
the orderly marketing effected
through cooperative action. agricul-
ture could be placed on sound and
independent business basis. While
the government ought not to under
take to control or direct, it should
supplement and assist all efforts in
this direction
"The leaders in the cooperative
movement with the advice of the
Department of Agriculture. have pre-
paraed what is believed to be an
adequate bill embodying these prin-
ciples, which will be presented to the
Congress for enactment. | propose
actively and energetically to assist
the farmers to promote their welfare
through cooperative marketing"
AS TO proposals for the organiZa-
ton of corporations through which
the government would directly or in
directly fix prices or engage in buy
ing and selling farm produce, the
President made this observation:
This would be a dangerous I'M
dertaking, and as the emergency is
not so acute, it seems at present to
have lost much of its support. No
matter how it is disguised the mo-
ment the government engages in
buying and selling. by that act it
fixes prices. Moreover. it would ap-
parently destroy cooperative associ
ations and all other marketing ma
chinery, for no one can compete with
the government. Ultimately it
would end the independence which
the farmers of this country enjoy
as a result of centuries of struggle.
Government control cannot be d.
vorced from political control. The
overwhelming interest of the con-
sumner, not the smaller interest of
the producer, would be sure to DOM
mate in the end. Unless
we fix corresponding prices for other
commodities, a high fiyed price for
agriculture would simply stimulate
over-production that would end in
complete COLLAPSE.
"The Initiative of the farmers
themselves. with such assistance as
can be given them by the govern
ment without assuming responsible
ity FOR business management.
through financing and through the
cooperative movement. would appear
to be wise method of solving this
problem. OF course I should be will
ing to approve any plan that would
be devised in accordance with sound
economic principles.
ITO have agriculture worth any,
thing, it must rest on an independent
business basis
Turning to the effect of the tariff
on agriculture, Mr. Coolidge told his
audience that the free list, consti-
tuting 81 percent of imports, was
constructed especially to favor the
farmer and contains more than so
articles. which he purchases, like
fertilizer. leather harnesses, farm
machinery. coffee. binder Irvine.
barbed wire and gasorne''
OF the ST go. 100000 of goods pay
ing imports last year, $3.50, 000,0 900
was on agricultural projects. "levied
solely to protec. the farmer" he
pointed out. continuing: THUS so
percent of our imports either come
in free or nay a duty to protect the
farmer This must he further in
creased by $3.50. 000.O00 more of i'm
ported luxuries = and leaves only
IL percent of our imports upon
which the agricultural industry pays
any part of the tariff.
"But on the other hand. our in
dustrial and city population pays the
tariff of the $7S0,0O0, 900 worth Of ag-
ricultural imports and also partici-
pates in the 500000,0O0 worth Of
imports outside Of luxuries. While
the farmer pays part of the duties
on II percent of our imports which
do MT he naAt l,i,,n d,,stu.. 4