The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-10-10
RESUME OF FARM RELIEF LEGISLATION AM
TARIFF MAKING PAST AND PRESENT

TARIFF MAKING PAST AND PRESENT
The following is the radio talk delivered by Asa
M. Wallace editor of the Herald WCCO, Min
neapols, Tuesday evening at 600 o'clock:
The Minnesota Plan for Farm Relief was spon-
sored by Rudolph Lee the very able editor of the
Long Prairie Leader with over 100 country editors
in Minnesota, North and South Dakota cooperating
AS I understand the purpose of the Minnesota
Plan is to uphold the hands of President Herbert
Hoover in carrying out the promises made to the
Agrculturists of the Nation in his campaign for
election to the Presidency last fall.
For eight years the Congress of the United
States wrested with various measures, the alleged
purpose of which to assist Agriculture. bill
introduced simultaneously in the Senate by Senator
McNarry of Oregon, and Congressman Haugen, of
Iowa. first passed both branches of the Congress in
the early part of 1927.
President Coolidge had informed the leaders of
the Farm Bloc that if the Equalization fee in
corporated into the he would veto the bill
In spite of the Presidents warning the meas
sent him for approval containing this
very dangerous provision, and promptly vetoed
study of the bill passed in 1927 disclosed
nothing specific; but it was full of vague promises
Minnesota congressman, explaining his vote in favor
of the bill said he voted with his fingers crossed,
did many other members of the lower House
They lacked the courage to vote their honest
convictions, passing the buck on to the Chief
Last year a revised McNarry- Haugen bill was
passed by the Congress 1t was alleged to have
been amended to meet the requirements of Mr.
Coolidge. When the measure came to him for his
signature it contained the obnoxious, and some of
the best legal minds in the country insist, unconst
tutional Equalization fee. The bill was promptly
vetoed. President Coolidge severely criticised
by the self-apponted farm leaders. Time has prov
en- the soundness of Mr. Coolidges action.
A year ago the allegation spread broadcast
that the farmers of Minnesota were fire for the
McNarry-Haugen bill, particularly that portion of
the measure containing the equalization fee; dire
suits promised the candidate of the Republican
party at the polls in November.
I convinced that the farmers residing in the
Sank Centre community are as intelligent as are
fhnCa nf fhQrn nrfin Of fhn Init d ofoc
made it my purpose to interview the farmers of my
territory relative to this bill In no instance did I
find any enthusiasm for the measure; there was
much actual opposition. The 10000 majority in
Minnesota last fall for Mr.. Hoover quite fully bears
out the contention that the so-caled enthusiasm
counterfeit.
1 recall discussing the measure with group of
men early in 1927. On asking them to give
specific instance of actual relief the McNarry Haug-
en- bill gave Agriculture was given the Illuminating
answer that its passage would give the farmer some
mental relief"
Mr. Hoover promised the AgricuIturists that if
he elected President he would after his
Inauguration practicable the Congress in
special session for two purposes: To pass work
able Farm Relief measure and to revise the tariff
products of the farm upward.
The Agricultural committee of the lower House.
as soon as the election was out of the way, began
the labor of drafting workable Farm Relief BILL
following very closely the suggestions of Mr. Hoover
The measure was introduced the opening day of
the special session early in April and passed by
for consideration
The alleged Progressives in the Senate sulking
because of the defeat of their pet measure the Nc
Marry BILL aided and abetted by practically
every Democratce senator injected the Debentures
plan part of the Farm bill.
President Hoover had caused the various de-
partments of the Federal government to investi-
gate the success of the Debentures in European
countries. The reports showed they were unavoidable
and uneconomical.
These reports sent to the Senate and Mr..
Hoover submitted a special message very clearly
pointing his objections to the Debentures stating
he willing to assume the responsibility for the
failure of the Farm Relief bill without the
Debentures
The coalition between the alleged Progressves
and the Democratic Senators succeeded and the De-
bentures were added to the House bill and passed
The House refused to accept the Debentures.
After several deadocked joint conferences the Sena
tors yielded and the Farm Relief bill became law
President Hoover spent weeks selecting the
members of the Farm Board 1t was admitted the
chairman should be a very high type business exc
cutive. Alexander Legge president of the Interna-
tional Harvester Company, was finally prevailed
upon to become head of the Board The other mem
bers leaders in cooperative endeavor. The peo
pie of Minnesota familiar with the very effective
work the Hon. VIM Schilling of Northfeld, has
done for cooperative dairyng covering period OF
twenty-five years He represents the Dairy interests
on the Farm Board The other members just as
outstanding in their lines of cooperative agrcul
tural endeavor is Mr. Schillng.
The Board have been functioning but short
time. Five hundred millions of dollars of the tax
payers money has been placed in their charge to BIZ
used to further Agricultural interests through CO
operative development. Organization has beer
made. carefully and soundly, but necessarily slowly
A couple of weeks ago special committee of TIT
United States Senate began investigation of tn,
personnel of the Board before their appointment
were confirmed
Senator Brookhart, of Iowa. not member o
the Special committee, allowed the privilege o
cross-examining the members of the Board Hi
grasp of the situation is quite fully illustrated il
his faut-fnding examination Of Mr.. Legge Crit
cisng the Board because they not alread
functioning, Brookhart alleged the Farm Boar
could set up organize, finance and have the cooper
atives functionng in "a hours.
1t will be recalled that late William Jenning
Bryan fought military preparedness while Secretar
of State in Mr.. Wilson's cabinet. Mr.. Bryan insist
ed that, If need be, million could be raised an
equipped for military purposes over night The Amer
lean people remember the sorry plight Of the Nation
when the United States forced to enter the Wor
War In April. 1917
Senator Brookharts contention is about sensi