The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-06-12
WHAT THE FARMERS EXPECT

Chicago Trbune)
Nothing will be gained by conceang the fact that the
farmers Of the belt approach the Republican con-
vention IN state bordering on mutiny.
The corn belt gave birth to the Republican party
and has supported it pretty consistently for seventy
years If the farmers deserving their party,
they have good reason for don: No class Of ct-
zens suffered severely in the deflation following
the and subsequent improvement has been sporadic
well slow.
The basis Of the farmers ills as he himself knows
IS the fact that nearly everything he buys is sold to
by the federal government while the crops he sells
JOY no such advantage He has to buy tools and cloth
ing The tariff imposed by the federal has
raised the price Of tools and clothing we'll above the
world price He has buy transportation to move his
grain to market The freight rates have been adjusted
by the federal government with eye to reasonable
railroad employees.
There is tariff farm products but the tariff
does not work. The reason is evident The United
States produces farm products than are needed at
home. Ordinarily We have surplus Of wheat, corn,
cotton pork tobacco and other commodities above
the needs of consumers in this country For the farmer
at the world price. All he wants is some machinery
which will help him achieve position Of equality with
industry He wants to sell, we'll buy, in pro-
tected market.
The Republican party from its origin united eastern
manufacturers and industrial workers with western
farmers The farmers for years supported the tariff
ties made market for the farmers. For variety of
reasons the relationship of protected industry and
projected farming was indeed, mutually advantageous,
put OF late years the relationship has been cruelty
fair to agriculture.
The farmers who have fought for surplus control
laws have been told that the government dare not
bark upon price regulating practices in behalf of any
one interest In the country What Of the tariff? What
OF railroad rate regulation? What Of the merchant
marine law signed by President Coolidge at the mo-
ment he was vetoing the McNary- Haugen bill? In
that act the government authorized subsidies to shin
Ping lines and the loan of cheap for shpbuildng
What of the La Toilette seamans act which increases
marketing vvol1
American sailors? TO say that the government can
not act for the benefit of particular industries is to
deny the obvious fact that the government does Just
that and has been doing so since Alexander Hamilton
established the policy Of protection.
Those the thoughts in the minds of farmers on
the eve OF the convention at Kansas City, If the Re-
publican party intends to merit the continued
OF the farmers it must adopt policy of protecting
agriculture as it protects industry.
The question arises whether the Republican plat
II Lowden nominated, it is safe to say that the
farmers would be content with any declaration, how
ever vague in favor Of surplus control The only ad-
vantage in mentioning the bill by name lies in the
power Of the platform to commit lukewarm or un-
friendly candidate rrevocably On the other hand to
name the bill in the platform would deter conscientious
men from making alterations in it. Leaders of the
Farmers have recognized that the Presidents criticism
OF the bill on the ground that it would set up vast
ana expensive Bureaucracy is not without weight
These leaders are already thinking of modifying the
bill to avoid this difficulty.
The phracing Of the plank in the platform is less
important than the sincerity Of the party and the
with words. The most skllful Of phrase makers can.
not sell them gold brick. If the Republican nartv
does not offer it to them they likely to desert the
party.