The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-11-01
Northumberland
MEMBER SPEAKS
IN Billings
Secretary of Agriculture jar.
dine Greets Large Audience
Tuesday Night.

"We're going to settle this farm
relief question within year and a
half after the election of Herbert
Hoover" Secretary of Agriculture
William Jardine told Billings audience
in the Coliseum and a radio audience
listening in on the broadcastlng OF
KGHL Tuesday evening, as the climax
Of an address devoted to agricultural
problems and plea for support of the
republican presidential nominee.
81 know you are going to vote for
Herbert Hoover" the secretary de-
clared and then he urged vote gener-
ously by voting, too, for Joe Dixon for
senator, for Herbert Hoover can't
carry out his eolieies with hostile
house or senate"
Secretary Jardine, former Mon
tana stockman and rancher, was met
by large delegation Of Montana re-
publicans, including many old-tlme
friends. He was the guest of local
party men and friends at dinner
served at the Commercial club from
which he was taken to the Coliseum
for his address.
His discussion Of campaign issues,
farm problems and the status Of ag-
riculture was seasoned with humor.
The method of it's delivery was typi-
cally western, and the more impress
sive coming from a man on whom the
imprint and influences of life on a
Montana ranch were obvious.
Frequently he referred to the years
spent in this state and frequently ne
demonstrated an understanding of ag-
ricultural problems, peculiar to Mon
tana, such as few but those who have
actually come into contact with them
acquire.
Diverting from the text of his adj
dress he would recall conditions IN
Montana at the period to which he was
referring with such Renaissance as
81 can remember when sheep were
selling for $1.15 head out here and
everyone was standing on the corner
cussing the democrats"
Struggling with the annoyance OF
being forced repeatedly to adjust his
glasses as he read excerpts from the
declarations of those he quoted in
support of his arguments, he said at
another break in his address, Il
wouldn't do this in New York, but I'm
out here among my own people; and
I'm sure you'll overlook my short
comings."
Secretary Jardine's audience gave
him hearty reception and frequently
they registered approval Of his utter
ances with applause.
"In 1921, the year the republicans
came into power, the gross income t6
agriculture was $9,214,000,000. Dur
ing the last four years the income has
exceeded 2,000,000,000. In 1925 il
was S12,67O,O00,O00, and when the
farmers books for 1928 are closed il
will lbe found that the total will be
well above the $12,000,000,000 mark.
"The purchasing power of farm
products in 1921 was 60 per cent Of
what it was from 1909 to 1914. II
other words, pound of beef, a bushe
of wheat, or a pound Of wool, coul(
only be exchanged for SO per cent 0.
the goods it would purchase before
the war. This is our system of meas
uring the financial conditions o
farmers. Since 1921 the purchasing
power has been gradually strength
ening until it reached high point o
81 in May Of this year This IS onl.
three points below normal. During
the first nine months of this year /
has averaged above 80.
"Not all commodities have shared
this improvement in the business o
farming, while some of them ar
above the pre-war level. For instance
Continued on page 81