Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-29
FARM PROSPERITY
IN WEST REPORTED
Congress Heads of Wealth
Despite Demand for Relief
and Higher Tariffs.
NJ FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

III EhEDEhtC WILLIAM WILL.
One the eve Of vigorous demands ir
the special session OF Congress FOL
farm relief and tariff legislation on be-
half of agriculture, Washington poll
ticians ere much interested IN certain
trade news blowing in from the West
ern prairies The news Is 10 the ell
feet that farmers are prosperous ano
in roney-spcnding mood. A barometer
rAre rdeti here as a liable indicator OF
conditions is the volume of business
done BY the big Chicago mail order
houses and BY the Western automobile
industry. From both of these quarters,
each largely dependent upon prosperity
er otherwise on the farm. comes CHAP
ter-and-verse evidence that the horny
handed sons Of the soil aren't nearly
NJ had of as some Of their pohucai
GokesYnen describe them.
Sears Roebuck ard Montgomery Wafo
report that 1929 Was the best year III
their history. The lOn's share OF tnao
business, as all the world knows, orig
mates in rural parts. The farm to.ES
ret the mammoth catalogues from the
mail order organizations and. as last
wears business volume proves, are sup
rlying their wants literally from them.
The rise in Montgomery Ward shares
on the New York Stock Exchange last
wear was due TO insiders knowledge
that 1928 was going to be record
breaking mail order year.
Demand Finer Autos.
At the glittering Chicago automobile
show earlier this month. where $5.0Oo.-
600 worth of cars were on exhibition,
a conspicuous sprinkling Of farmers ana
country dealers was in attendance. the
dealers told the general agents OF the
automobile companies that the average
farmer Ia no longer satisfied with
trusty iivver. but, like the city dweller,
is now going in for more ornate ana
bigger cars. Best of all, the motor in
dustry learned at Chicago, the farmers
seem to have the cash wherewith to
crafty themselves awheel.
Coincident with these signs OF good
times on the farm comes the 1929 out
look report" of the Bureau of Agricul-
tyrral Economics at Washington. This
authoritative fact-finding branch of the
Department of Agriculture says: The
AGRICULTURAL outlook for 1929 Is for
some Improvement In the Midwest and
East. offset by conditions in other re-
gicns possibly rot quite so good as in
1928. For agriculture as whole total
gross income this year will probably be
maintained near its present level OF
around IL to 1914 billion dollars" One
CT the bright prospects pictured for the
farmer By the Department of Agricul-
ture is that farm wages are expected to
be lower at harvest time this year.
Demands for Tariff.
De these things as they may, organ
ised agriculture has taken the field
at washington, determined that the
farming industry shall henceforward be
given the same tariff protection as is
now enjoyed by manufactured products
Fred Brenkman, washington represent
alive OF the National Grange, declared
that foreign agricultural products to
the amount Of nearly billion-and-a
half dollars o year are entering the
United States duty-free. Only about
half that total of farm imports from
abroad, according to Mr.. Brenkman,
GAYS Q tariff for the privilege of COM
petinK with the American farmer. The
National Grange spokesman points out
that while the average ad valorem duty
on manufactured commodities is 20 per
cent, ~ is only about "a per cent on
agricultural produce.
The Farm Journal Of Philadelphia
SAYS I'm its February issue that aoe-
oIlatA tariff protection is absolutely eS-
sentiai to the prosperity OF farming
and TO successful operation OF any form
Of farm relief legislation that may later
be devised by Congress" This repre-
sentative organ of agriculture opinion
calls upon the united forces of agri-
cultural influence to apply themselves
relentlessly ct Washington" from now
on, In order that protection for farmers
be made effective on 1929 crops.
(Copyright, 1897