Evening star., 1926-04-14

The uncertainty that exists in the
agricultural sections of the United
States as to production and prices is
reflected in newspaper comments on
the efforts being made to find some
method of relief for the farmer. Con
tidence in some quarters that Con-
gress will act at this session is bal
anced by lack of faith in other sec
tions that any worthwhile legislation
will pass.
Leaders of the movement in Con-
gress to pass some sort Of farm relief
measure at the present session have
already said that a vote on it is GER
tain to be taken" says the Richmond
Item independently. enthusiastically;
while the Philadelphia Evening Bull
letin Independent Republican,, on the
other hand, declares that "notwith-
standing the various bills offered to
Congress, it begins to look as If there
will be no measure of farm relief of
the kind that agriculture demands
and perhaps none of the administra-
ton sort" The Charleston Mail Qn-
dependent Republican,, which sees
little prospect of farm legislation by
the present Congress, lays this to the
difficulty of framing the proper meas
ure and says: I'm the House of Rep
resentatives are at least five different
measures, all aiming to bring relief
to the farmer. and yet there are seri-
Gus objections to each one
X X x y
AS TO the attitude of Congress to-
ward farm relief,4s the Davenport
Democrat Oemocratic) believes Ger
tain elements at Washington are
plainly antagoniStic to the demand OF
the Middle Western farmers that they
- ho 9 right
to favorable legislation as have the
mercantile interests and the indus
trialists." and the Bristol Herald
Courier independent Democratic) AYERS
that "the Eastern Republican leaders
have not the slightest desire to put
Horticulture on basis of equality with
other industries and will not make
even d slow. faltering step in the
direction. unless whipped into the line
through the force of Middle western
sentiment" The more lenient opinion
of the Norfolk Daily News dndepend-
ent) is that many of our most
conscientious and intelligent congress
men doubt If 1t is possible to relieve
agriculture from its economic strain
by any kind of relief legislation. Others
e0nally conscientious and intelligent"
continues this paper, believe that the
problem Is susceptible to solution, but
have no formulated solution 10 OIIer.
The Schenectady Gazette dndepend-
ent Democratic) charges members of
both houses of Congress with being
"willing to support almost any sug-
gestion, however lacking in business
principles it may be, If only they can
corner the farmer VOTE" but, at the
same time, being apparently unwill.
ing to devote the time and effort
necessary in order to learn what can
be done in practicable manner" Pro-
testing against Congress wasting its
time on a discussion Of the prohibi-
ton question instead of in a study
of the farm problem. the Janesville
Gazette Republican) contends that
farming is the base of the economic
pyramid of the Nation. 1t is milk, and
not beer, that will save the dividends
of the urban dweller"
* X y X
On the question of the justice in the
demands Of the farmer for some sort
| Of Government aid, the Asheville
Times independent Democratic) says:
."The farm leaders of the West may
not have worked out on sound
economic principles their proposals
| for farm relief, yet they are logical
enough in demanding that a Congress
which can take care of American
manufacturers by means of a pro-