The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-05-03
See Some Helpful Provisions in
Senate Measure Il Amend.
cd as Suggested
SPECTATORS SHAPED BILL
Charge Men Suggested to Serve
on Federal Board Are Enc.
mics Of Agriculture

Of America will be helped In the
least by its enactment the executive
board Of the Minnesota farm bureau
federation today expressed unquali-
fled condemnation OF the house agri-
culture bill pending before congress.
The senate bill contains some help
full provisions. but should be amended
as suggested by leaders Of dairymen's
association and other friends Of
agriculture" the board declares in a
resolution adopted after meetings in
Zumbrota and st. Paul.
Failure to amend the senate bill
may mean the legislation will prove
of greater benefit to opponents Of
cooperatives than TO the successful
producer controlled and producer
operated organizations, the board
holds.
Taking part in the action Of the
board were A. J. Olson. Renvillc, fed
Grafton president: Hagbarth Bue.
Northfield. and H. M. Green. Lake
Crystal. vice presidents, and the fol-
lowing directors: r. E. eastman,
Owatonna: @. w. Freeman. Zum-
brota; Mrs. E. v. Ripley, Menagha; /;
G. w. Alfs. Kimberly: j. w. Steven
son, Winnebago and M. E. Jacobson,
Madison.
Fake Cooperativcs'
The proposed legislation would per-
NIT q clearing house association to
be made up Of private distributing
concerns and fake coopcratives" who
would be entitled to loans in the
same way that the genuine cooper
atives are entitled to, the board as
scrts.
The board also says that under the
bill almost any sort of purchasing
agency could be framed to qualify
under terms Of the legislation. but 1t
fails to find any provision that would
make tariff duties effective Ln any
farm crop surplus if the agency were
administered by farmers themselves.
I'VE are greatly disturbed by the
fact that congress has permitted the
grain trade, spectators in food prod
ucts. and nlanipulators Of farm prices,
to shape every sentence Of the bill
proposed" the resolution continues.
Flay Suggested Men
Virtually all men who have been
suggested to serve on the board, have,
in the uast either opposed and fought
cooperative farm organizations and
opposed to the last ditch every form Of
legislation that might be beneficial
to agriculture. or are men who would
be pawns in the hands Of men who
are avowed enemies Of agriculture y
the board charges.
Any appointment to membership on
the federal farm board of persons
who have been engaged In the sale or
handling of farm products In oppo-
sition to cooperative organizations
would be fatal, the resolution con-
cludes.
The resolution said in part:
See Helpful Features
THE senate bill contains some
helpful features, but even that should
be amended. as suggested by the lead
ers Of the dairymen's associations and
other friends Of agriculture, or the
legislation may prove of greater ben
eft to opponents Of cooperatives than
to the real successful. experienced
producer controlled and producer
operated organizations.
I'VE cannot discover any feature
In the bill. II It were administered BY
the farmers themselves, that would
make the tariff duties effective on
any farm crop produced in surplus.
The loan feature sounds big, but Il
taken advantage Of by coopcrativca
under provision Of the house bill. It
may prove the death knell Of the CO.
operatives accepting the loan. ana It
is not adequate to meet the needs.
Agriculture was promised In the
last campaign. legislation that would
place the farmer on an equal basis
with industry. finance and transpor-
tation. We see nothing In the pro-
posed bills that will make good these
promises"