The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-01-14
SPYING ON THE FARMER

SPYING ON THE FARMER
Mr.. Brnesdahl, of Antelope, called the edi-
tor few days ago with copy of a Crop sched-
ule, sent out by w. F. Calender, Chairman of the
Crop Reporting Board of the U. S. Department Of
Agriculture. Br Brensdah stated that he had
been filling in such forms and mailing them to
Washington, D. c., for several years and just ac-
accidentally dropped on to the information that
this service supposed to be in the interest of the
farmer, was being used against him.
Further investigation on the part of the editor
disclosed the fact that Mr.. Collender is a native
of a foreign country having a selfish interest in
keeping down the prices of American agricultural
products. Events in the past have shown that the
country referred to maintains extensive spy
system in the United States. We will let Senator
Helm, of Alabama, tell how this spy system is
being worked on the American farmer to his dis
advantage.
In an address delivered by Senator Heflin in
the United States Senate on Dec 10, 1926, the
Alabama statesman says:
"Mr. President the farmers themselves are dis
satisfied with the the President has placed at
the head of the Agricultural Department. l have
lodged complaints against him heretofore and l
lodge it again today. He is holding at the head
Of the crop estimating board at this hour man
who was born in Canada, which is a part of the
territory of Great Britain That man came into
the United States; he drifted down to Washing
ton; and he is in the Agricultural Department
at the head of the cotton estimating board l dare
say he never saw a cotton blossom or a cotton boil
He knows nothing about the cotton plant and he
knows nothing about the problems of the cotton
farmer; and yet this man. who was born in Cana
da, part of the British Empire, is held at the
head of the crop estimating board and Great Bri-
tain buys more raw cotton from America than
any other country in the world.
"Mr President, how can Great Britain be bene-
fitted Every time he estimates a big crop he
breaks the price from five to fifteen dollars
bale, and every time Great Britain makes a pur-
chase of American cotton she saves millions of
dollars that purchase. So the Secretary of
Agriculture under Mr.. Coolidge holds in the De-
partment Of Agriculture a man who comes from
territory in the British possessions, born in the
British Empire. He sits at the head of the cot
ton crop estimating board, and has in his power
the putting down of the cotton price. This year
he has put it down.
The farmers in my state alone have lost S44 =
100000 on account of these estimates, the cotton
growers of the South have lost 100000 900, and
IN spite Of the protests made by myself and 9th
ers IN the cottOn-growing States, Mr.. Calender,
remains chairman of the crop-estimating board,
and Mr.. Jardine is so conducting the office of the
Secretary of Agriculture that he has aroused an
tagonism of the grain growers of the West and
OF the cotton growers of the South and the Corn
Belt people are asking for his removal
God knows the farmers need sympathy and aid
Ninety per cent of the farmers of the west are
mortgaged; their personal effects are mortgaged:
their real farms mortgaged The farmers of
the South also are mortgaged, and cotton TODAY is
selling below the cost of production We are cry
ing out for help, but we are not getting anv.
saw the Republican Senate turn down farm-relet
measures before adjourned here in the sun,
mer The Robinson bill, which provided a revolv.
ing fund which would have grown to $500 600 OOO
was defeated. The McNary- Haugen bill, which
was not entirely to my liking, was turned down
by you | supported it when cotton was left ou
OIL the equalization fee, but it was also defeated
and Congress adjourned without doing ANYTHING
Tor the grain grower and without doing anvtbine
Tor the cotton grower To-day the spectators !,
gram are flourishing and clipping their COUPONS
today the spectators in cotton are fIourishno an,
chipping their coupons. The gamblers are reveline
IN evidoing and having good time. but tba nro
uucers are oppressed; they are in deep distres,
and regret to have to say they crv in vain +,
llAS administration for relief"