The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-08-16
FARMER WANTS
SAME CHANCE
OTHERS HAVE
Needs Equal Opportunity TO
Prosper That Is Offered
Other Groups
(RX Roy ]. (;ihhnns.l

(by Roy y. usDOOnH)
Chicago. Aug t6-The public real
ICES that the farmer is facing "A crisis
and wants relief.
But what is This crisis and what
relief is wanted?
Many have qualified 10 explain but
few have been so well chosen for the
task as Sam H. Thompson, the au-
th0rized mouthpicce Of the ma ority
Of the farmers in this country.
Thompson is president Of the
American Farm Bureau Federation.
IN organ z:rtion with membership in
A5 states and branches in 1873 coun-
ties.
Thompson knows the farmer be-
cause nc is farmer.
Herewith he gives the readers Of
The Tribune through NEA Service. an
interpretation of the agricultural
dilemma.
"What the farmer really wants"
says Thompson, sis legislation which
will give him an equal opportunity to
prosper under the American plan that
is offered TO other groups.
Others Get Federal Aid
The farmer sees labor protected
by immigration laws, by laws limit
ing hours Of work and other artificial
means.
"1'hc farmer secs industry protect
I'd by tariffs and other means 10
maintain an artificial level Of domes-
tic prices.
IAN these things the farmer sees
and appreciates. He realizes that his
own industry, the largest in America
with capitalization of more than
seventy billion dollars. is unprotect-
ed. meeting world competition with
the result that those engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits find themselves at
severe disadvantages.
"NOt only arc those directly en-
gagged in farming at disadvantage
hut the farmer knows that the great
numbers Of C:her groups whose
livelihood is dependant upon agri-
culture is also at disadvantages
"With this understanding the
farmer proposes that governmental
action be taken to provide an arti-
fetal means which will place agri-
culture on the same basis with labor
industry and all the other groups
in the United States.
Agriculture is disappointed but
not discouraged at the failure Of
Congress to enact legislation pro.
viding this equality Of opportunity
We realize that the. adoption Of q
. new agricultural policy cannot b.
I done over night.
Same ~ Labor and Industry
THE need Of sound policy fol
agriculture is now admitted by all
Such policy demands wholesome
straight. forward provision which viii
snable agricultural producers u
I GtAbili1e their industry so that the,
receive tho benefit Of the American
prOtective system to degree an<
on the same level that it has secure,
stability and mdcpc ndencc for Am
crican labor and American industry
I'VE dn not think the farmer
prosperity depends solely on govern
mental action. Tho radical who pro
claims that rs just as far amss a
h. who maintains that agricultur
alone Of all industries should no
receive aid from the government.
| THE farmer is not getting fai
n share ct The national income. Fixe,
Cherges of farming are incscapabl
ond inelastic. Taxes, wages. inter
/ okt and hhc cost of non-apricnkur,
commodities make total that j
i WuVAty wv VI ECtdttUHSnlp W IN
i price the farmer gets when he haul
his crop to market.
The farmer cannot successful
4 overcome this tremendous obstacl
unless the condition is frankly rec
OGnizcd and a remedy sought in
real agricultural policy for Amcric
4 which brimgs the farmer into fai
4 relationship with tho other group.
/ The Farm Group plan
The bill which the farm grou
urged upon Congress embodied in
9 tacsc principles and offered. we be
3 6eve. the devices for affording aeri
culture the necessary protection an
4 aesirtance TO provide this cqualit
Il which agriculture must have.
"Thc proposed Legislation in brie
provided for farm advisory counc
1 and Federal Farm Board with au
{ thority to control and dispose d
"a commodities through co-opeutiv
d msrketing associations and othe
i agencies.
This legislation provided that tn
government place q fund under tn
d operation Of this board. 1t ais
provided the means to collect Mi
s fund and return it to the U.
II treasury.
an other words, the operation I
L NJ plan sub mitted by farmers I
Il Congress would not have cost til
!, government . cent. This was for til
4 definite purpose Of avoiding go,
ornment subsidy.
| This plan Of financing the di,
posal Of surplus agricultural prt
ducti0n provides an equalization fe
| which was to be charged back again'
Ne entire commodity. This equal
Sntion fee was TO be used in dii
posing Of the surplus farm market
- world prices. thus protecting III
i domestic n,arket and domestic price