Evening star., 1926-08-22
Tells President Midwest
Group Thinks Local and
State Levies Too High.
FINDS TARIFF CHANGE
SENTIMENT IN SECTION
Declares Situation Generally Is
Good Except That Cotton Yield
May Cause Problem.
By j. RUSSELL YOUNG,
staff Correspondent of The Star,


WHITE PINE CAMP, August 21.-
Except in a few sections. the agricul-
tural situation generally is good
the country. Secretary of
Jardine reported to Presi-
dent Coolidge today. He arrived at
the Presidents camp in time for
luncheon and after a conference of
several hours left to complete a tour
of the agricultural centers in the
East.
Farmers generally are going to
have as profitable a crop this year as
they did last. Secretary Jardine said.
and last year was the best for the
farmers since the war.
Although Secretary Jardine Is
pleased with the situation and gave
the impression that the President was
happy to receive his report, he made
it plain that some farmers are not
fully contented. These. he said. are
of the opinion that everything is not
Just what 1t should be--that they are
not getting their full share of the
prosperity that is now prevalent. He
amplified this by saying that he
doubted If the farmers know just
what they think is wrong. Accord
ing to his own judgment, the average
farmer wants a readjustment OF the
tariff so he will receive as great a
benefit from this form Of protection
as does the industrial East; better
credit facilities, especially for the CO.
operative marketing societies; better
distribution. and a reduction of taxes.
especially the State and local taxes.
Knows of No Revolt.
Secretary Jardine said he knew OF
no actual political revolt against the
administration in the West and Mid.
die West. Nor is he aware or any
organized movement to make an as.
sault upon the admindstration's tarin
program. However, because OF the
feeling among many of the farmers
that the tariff should be revised to
give agriculture greater benefits. he
would not be surprised to see q
strong demand for change at the
first session of the next Congress. He
would not say just what form OF re.
vision these farmers wanted, but he
did say and quite emphatically too.
that the farmers. regardless OF sec
ton, are strongly In favor of the
principles of a protective tariff, and
that he personally could not be made
to believe they, no matter how dis
gruntled and disappointed they may
be, will seriously attempt to bring
about a complete breakdown in the
Republican tariff.
One of the greatest problems fac
ing the country today so far as aSri-
culture is concerned, the Secretary
said, is finding some practical means
Of relieving the banks of the West OF
the loans they are carrying on farms.
Secretary Jardine said he found
that much of the Ill feeling said to
have existed in the Middle West be.
cause of the administrations opposi'
ton that resulted in the defeat of
the McNary-Haugen price-fiXinS bill
has disappeared.
This does not mean that the farm.
ers are losing interest in the McNary-
Haugen bill. While the Secretary is
satisfied that the average farmer Is
not in favor Of price fixing and Gov
ernment control as proposed by this
measure. he realizes that there still
are many who want the McNary-
Haugen bill or it's equivalent. He
thinks 1t quite likely that. as a result
of the coming elections, there will
he a larger delegation in Congress
from the West for the McNary-
Haugen idea of farm relief.
Still Favors Fess Bill.
Without attempting to speak for
the administration as to it's intentions
regarding farm relief legislation In
the immediate future, Secretary Jar
dine made it clear that he personally
still is committed to the principles of
the Fess bill. which proposed a re-
volving fund of $100.0 900 to finance
cooperative marketing societies. He
Is convinced that by development of
the co-operatives. by strengthening
their organizations and increasing
their membership and by improving
their credit, the greatest assistance
can be extended TO the geratest mum.
Der of agriculturists.
The great problem of the cooper
ative societies today is credit" Secre-
tary Jardine said. These societis
money. They are calling for financ.
ing as a means Of advancing the in
terests of the farmer personally. and
IL is this call that should be answered.
These co-operatives should be in a
financial position that would enable
them to make larger money advances
to farmers when the latter deliver
their crops.
Reports show that there will be a
tremendous fruit crop to move this
year and the fruit co.operatives have
not sufficient working capital to prop
erly handle the situation. II takes
money.
Other Crops Are Large.
The wheat crops are large and the
cotton yield will be so great that I
fear the agricultural problem is going
to be removed from the corn belt to
the cotton belt. There are indications
that because of the huge cotton crop,
great surpluses will have to be carried
over, and this Is what will bring
gloom to the South and will produce a
problem that will surely overshadow
last years surplus problem of the
, corn-producing States"
As evidence OF his belief that the
agricultural situation Is steadily i'm.
proving and that the general outlook
il satisfactory and even promising, he
cites the reduction Of crop acreage in
those areas that suffered last year
from overproduction. He pointed out
in this connection that in IL corn
belt States there will be 4o0. 1000 900
fewer bushels of corn produced than
! year ago. In other States grain
production will be much less. All of
| which will repay the farmers with a
better and steadier market.
Secretary Jardine expressed the b.
] Nonfinued 90 PaRe 2. Column ~