Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1926-10-20
THE COOLIDGE ADMINISTRA-
TION AND THE FARMER.


Democratic candidates for Congress?
Because the Republican admins
tration has utterly failed to take a
single step. legislative or executive,
to rescue agriculture from its SER
ious distrss, for which the Coolidge
Administration, through its favorit-
ism for Special Interests, has been
largely responsible.
In its platform adopted at its con-
vention in 1924, the Republican par
ty made the following pledge:
1.-THE Republican party pledges it.
self to the development and enact
ment of measures which will place
the agriculture interests of America
on a basis of economic equality with
other industries to assure its pros
perity and success"
Has this pledge been kept?
In the Sixty-ninth Congress, the
Republican party holds a majority of
seventeen in the Senate and of sixty
four in the House. This Republican
majority has failed to pass a single
constructive measure intended to
benefit the farmer.
This Republican majority not only
defeated the farm relief bill urged
! bv the farmers themselves, but fail
ed to pass any measure whatever de-
signed to give the greatly needed re-
lief.
The Responsibility
/ Responsibility for failure to keep
its platform pledge lies with the
Coolidge administration and the Re-
publican leaders in Congress.
When the farm relief measure was
under consideration and it appeared
certain that it would be passed, Sec
retary of the Treasury Mellon. Presi-
dent Cooldge's closest adviser and
voicing the Presidents views, de-
nounced the farm bill as subsidy"
and "Price-Fixing Measure" From
that day, the farm-relief bill was
doomed Whose is the responsible
ty? Let Representative Tllson, OF
CONNECTICUT, Republican leader OF
the House. answer!
Representative Tilson, in a speech
in the House Of Representatives on
the closing day of the session OF
Congress adjourning last july SAID;
"What | say as to the Second of
performance for the session. applies
more particularly to the Republican
majority in the House, for as we are
responsible and must bear the blame
for that with which fault may be
found. by the same token we are
justified in claiming the principal
credit for that which is good"
+ Later Representative Tilson in a
statement made to the public press
at Pauls Smiths, New York, upon is
suing from a conference with Presl-
dent Coolidge, said the farmers need
expect no aid from the Republican
! Congress at the session to open IN
December. Mr.. Tilson said it was
clear to him that Congress was OPP
posed to the proposed farm relief
legislation, with its provision for
sterilization of prices. and he could
see "No need for any Farm Rellet
Bill in the short session."
Thus the administration has not
onlv failed to redeem any and every
pledge made TO the farmer, but It's
resnonsible leader in the House OF
REPRESENTATIVE boldly tells the
/ farmers they may not expect any
relief.
Obviously, the farmer only hope
/ is in the election of Democratic
I CONGRESS:
Secretary Mellon, voicing the
Presidents views. opposed farm re-
lief legislation, denouncing it as a
subsidy. Yet as principal owner Of
the Aluminium Trust, he accepted
and Is ENJOYING a huge subsidy In the
form of outrageously high tariff
duties on aluminium; as Secretary OF
the Treasury under President Hard
ing he favored ship subsidy, and
favors enormous subsidies for the
Steel Corporation and other Big
normal tariff duties on every COM
modify the farmer has to buy.
The Democratic party stands
ready and anxious to redeem ITS
pledges to the farmer. Election. Of
Democratic Congress IS the Tar
mer's only hope Of relief.