The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-12-12
RURAL EDITORS OF MINNESOTA AP-
PEAL FOR TARIFF LEGISLATION IN +
A DRAMATIC MANNER

+
Nov. 80 about 60 of the Rural newspape
editors of Minnesota with few from Iowa
North and South Dakota met with Rudolph
Lee, editor of the Long Prairie Leader at
conference at the Minneapolis Club follow l,
luncheon given by the Minneapolis Journa
in honor of Mr. Lee who is covering the Con
gress for the Journal, and who was back il
Minnesota to enjoy the Thanksgiving recess
with his family
These men were all supporters of tn
Minnesota Plan for farm relief sponsored b.
nearly 200 editors of Rural newspapers ,ev
eral months ago.
At this conference it was decided to pub
lish a page advertisement in a leading Wash
ington Daily newspaper urging the Cong: IS
to speed up tariff legislation.
The advertisement appeared Tuesday,
copy of which was laid upon the desk of eacl
Congressman and United States Senator
A veteran newspaper correspondent il
discussing the method taken by the Rura
publishers of Minnesota said the advertise
ment called the attention of Congress, in
dramatic manner to the need of quick action
on the tariff. He also said the plan had new
er before been attempted and should bring
beneficial results.
The advertisement was signed by 14(
newspapers, 120 of them being weekly publ
cations, all located in Minnesota, Iowa, NORTH
and South Dakota The signors not attend
ing the conference were secured by the per
sonal solicitation of their colleagues who were
present.
The text of the statement follows:
A STATEMENT TO CONGRESS
From personal acquaintance and contact with
our farmer readers, it is our opinion that they
want the Tariff Bill passed with as little delay
possible
They regard the early passage of the Tariff
Bill with its increased and comprehensive
farm rates, more important, from the stand
point of farm prosperity, than anything else
Congress could do at this time.
This belief of many Minnesota farmers is
based two things:
First-The prospect for larger American
market for farm products, which will come
through the operation of these new farm tar
if rates.
second-An understanding of how this
large and more stable market will fit into the
prosperity program accompanying the
marketing systems to be developed under the
terms and with the assistance of the Agricu-
tural Marketing act.
These marketing systems, with their farmer
control and their more direct consumer
facts, are calculated to give the farmers larg-
share of what the consumers pay for farm
products Tariff protection will enlarge and
stabilize the markets. This is the combination
upon which Minnesota farmers believe their
opportunity for permanent and dependable
prosperity really rests.
Hence the widespread desire that the Tariff
Bill be passed without unnecessary delay.
We do not believe the Tariff Bill should now
be held up indefinitely to slash the industrial
rates of the 1922 law, as it will be delayed if
there is attempt to make indiscrin,inate
changes. There would be delays not only in
the Senate, but in the House, and especially
in the Conference Committee,
These delays would seriously affect the con-
structive program of building farm prosperity
and the foundation of larger markets and bet
ter handling systems to reach those markets
They would interfere, too, with President
Hoovers wise emergency program for stirnulat-
ing business and industrial actively.
Aside from these considerations however
we want industrial labor to be prosperous. The
workers of the industrial centers are our best
customers. We want them to be employed,
busy and able to buy. Any considerable I'M
employment would affect almost as quickly
it would affect them.
We know that the business structure of the
Country is based largely tariff protection;
that the structure has been in process of build
ing for many years; and that business is adjust
ed to it.
We have noted how industrial tariff sashing
in times past has invariably brought depression
and unemployment. We do not want that
dltion to recur, because many of our products
are already dangerously near saturation point
as regards consumption.
We must increase the market demand for
our products, and there is better or more
certain way to increase that demand than to
safeguard the prosperity of the Country, es-
pecialy those parts of the Country where de-
mand is normally the greatest.
In short, we are better off with good custom
ers paying us higher prices for the products
we sell every day and every week. even if we
must forego slight reductions in the prices of
what we much less often buy from them
We sincerely believe that the best interests
of agriculture, not only in Minnesota but
w he ftar
by the quick passage of the Tariff Bill with ade-
quate farm rates.
Senator Geo. W. Norris, of Nebraska, in
discussing the advertisement demanded on
the floor OF the Senate that the lobby investi.
cation committee call for questioning more
than 100 editors This followed the reading
into the record of the advertisement appear.
ing in the Washington Post by Senator AL
len, of Kansas.
Senator Norris said he wanted the farm.
ers OF Minnesota to know what the papers