The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-10-11
j. F. REED STRONGLY ENDORSED HERBERT
HOOVER LESS THAN ONE YEAR AGO

1t is not so many months ago that j. F. Reed
former president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau
was prominently mentioned candidate for the
appointment as member of the Interstate Com
merce Commission
At that time Mr.. Reed was saying kind words
for President Coolidge and euogizing Herbert
Hoover at every opportunity.
The latter part of November, 1927, Mr.. Reeo
addressed largely attended meeting of farmers
at Huron, S. D. In the course of his remarks he
paid Mr.. Hoover high tribute, particularly prais
ing his stand on the St. Lawrence waterway. AT
this time Mr.. Reed said, among other things:
Without decrying in the least the Missouri,
the Mississippi, and the Ohio projects, / want
to urge the Importance OF the St. Lawrence
proposal.
Herbert Hoover, the greatest economist in
the United States today, says the completion
of the ST. Lawrence waterway project would
mean saving in shipping costs to the farmer
of the northwest of at least 10 cents bushel
corn. Think what that saving would mean
to the farmer of South Dakota, where the av-
erage crop is 80 bushels to the acre.
I have felt that the construction of this sys-
tenn (the st. Lawrence canal) would be of very
great Importance to the existing and the to-be
developed Agricultural resources OF our entre
increased by whatever saving may be made of
the transportation and handling up to the point
where his price is fixed by the flow OF world
current . there is saving of approximate
ly 10 cents bushel to the American farmer
on his wheat reaching Liverpoo.; and that
giving the increased price of wheat to
the American farmer.
And if increase his return will
have increased the prosperity of the United
States by no small degree; and in doing so
will have built up every urban center in the
whole of the country.
Gov. Smith strenuously opposed to the st.
Lawrence plan as will be seen by the following ex-
cerpt from a communication he addressed to the
Joint Commission Oct. 16, 1920:
When it is proposed that the govern
ment of the United States join with the
Dominion of Canada in the canalizaton of the
ST. Lawrence river, as chief executive of this
great empire state, comprising 10 per cent
of the nation, over rs per cent of the wealth
of the nation, paying nearly 81 per cent of the
taxes of the nation, embracing WITHIN it's bord-
the finest inland waterway in the world,
I would have you know that New York pro-
tests with all it's might and will oppose the
project to the limit of its resources.
l will leave it to the New York Saint Law
sion) to present to you at subsequent hearings
conclusive evidence to the impracticability
and absurdity of the plan, which am conf
dent, will ultimately be defeated.
In the past few weeks Mr. Reed has apparently
seen great light or, perhaps, it Chairman Ras-
kob, of the Democratic National committee. Dame
rumor said he is to receive tidy sum- At any rate
he has completely reversed his stand of few
months ago and is now going UP and down the
country ndorsing Mr. Smiths all4American water
way sponsored solely by New York state, and Sc
verely criticising every act of Mr.. Hoover.
The Herald wonders if Mr.. Reed had received the
appointment a member of the Interstate Com
merce Commission if he would not be as strong for
Mr.. Hoover and the Republican party today as
he was while the appointment still hanging fire