Milford chronicle., 1928-09-28
INTERVIEW ON SMITHS
PRICE-FIXING PROPOSAL

The Western trip of the Democrat
ic candidate has proved one thing
and that is that if the country wants
to go ahead under sound leader
ship, which will consider the well
fare and interests of all the people,
it must elect Herbert Hoover for
president.
Gov. Smith simply is demon
strating the arts and wiles of the
politician, because he says he is for
the principles of the McNary-Hau-
gen bill without stating that these
principles embody price fixing and
putting the government into the
buying and selling of farm products.
The people in this part of the
country will never stand for a pro-
gram like that, and will not support
a man who faVors a doctrine that is
so much like what has been dis
carded by Russia. That is sufficient
reason to be against the governor,
but aside from that the scheme, as
admitted by his leading Democratic
supporter, the New York World, is
an economic fallacy.
IL bAC COOhl4y CNOA nave
this scheme imposed upon it, it
would be as ruinous as Bryan's free
silver proposal. 1t not only would
create conditions that the consum-
ers would not tolerate, but it would
react upon the farmer and in that
way upon the country at large. 1t
would create economic havoc. 1t
would wipe out that prosperity |
which the Republican administra-
ton has been trying to build up.
The country well knows that |
President Coolidge isn't man who
makes rash statements, and when he
finds the proposition uncOnstitu-
tional and unavoidable there must
be sound basis for it. When such an
outstanding friend of the farmer as
Senator Borah of Idaho says the
scheme won't work and that it is
illegal, because it would impose a
tax or equalization fee upon the
farmer without his consent, we sim
ply must give heed to their warn
ings.
Mr.. Coolidge said the principles
which Gov. Smith now espOUses
could not stand analysis, because Of |
six major perils to the nation. He
these as follows:
Their attempted price fixing fall
lacy; the tax characteristics of the
equalization fee which would be i'm
posed by a board in the selection of f
which the farmer would have no &
voice; the widespread bureaucracy
which they would set up; their en-
to profiteering and \
Tasteful distribution by middlemen; .
heir aid to our foreign agricultural +
Senator Borah added that this no
onger would be a free government 0
f the principles that Gov. Smith y
low approves could be put into eff n
ect, but it is the kind of a program
hat must be expected from a man fl
Who gives his assent to a plan that G.
would regulate the milk industry.
And in vetOing the last bill, con- tt
aiming the principles which Gov o.
mith now endorses, President Coo W
dge said:
"There is apparently no change in M
he import of the bill in the resolu- OF
on to impose upon the farmer and
pom the consumers of farm pro- BIZ
uce a regime of futile, delusive ex- al
with price fixing, with in er
irect governmental buying and sell
lg and with a nationwide system So
I regulatory policing, intolerable W,
;pionage, and tax collection on a q,
asst SCALE" n
The plan for putting the govern Ri
ent into the buying and selling of of
gricultural commodities would re- Pt
lire an enormous force of federal
nployes, inspectors, auditors, dis en-
lrsers, accountants, regulatory Of MT,
GERS and legal advisers throughout
e Landau ideal system for Tam 10
the country. 60,
Food is the heaviest item of cost
the. family budget, and the plan ho
at Gov. Smith now so lightly en- ~
rises would have the effect of adj "
ng untold millions to the food bill
American consumers. ~ ~
Instead of disposing of the sur I"l
us problem, which is the real farm
oblem, the Smith plan of raising Un
rm prices to the consumers would III
lmulate production and create an Gu
en- greater surplus, for all of o.
lich the consumer would be ex-
cted to pay. on
There is only one answer to this. Ba
lie consumer would be the goat. we
Certainly with this clear there is -
question that the nation will vote 2
r Hoover, who stands with the
'esident in opposition to the eco
mic fallacies which Gov Smith