The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-06-20
The Special Session

The eecia1 session of congress convoked TO proVlue
alef for agriculture has recessed after TWO nloH'
of labor
TIC chief accomplishment was enactment OF a 1arrn
relief bill which provides for a half billion ooll@r
revolving fund to be appropriated from the leoelal
treasury and administered by federal farm BOARD
This board will stimulate cooperative marketing
and will lend funds to co-operatives or to Staol4a-
ton corporations they set up.
The sterilization corporations will buy and sell
agricultural commodities to prevent price uctua1ionS
and price depressions due to Surplus J.
The farm board itself will not participate III actual
era+ons the corporations being business enterprises
and responsible for profits and losses.
The intention of congress was to place Uhe 4aliH-
ing industry on an equality with other industries
Much will depend on the calber OF the men 'ile
President names to the board and the mVeliiseii00
with which they administer the act
It will not be able to affect this seasons crops ana
.~,,as not even those of next year. 1t is noteworthy
tbat farm urices materially lower than when con-
0ress met to cope with the farm emergency.
The defeated debenture plan to which the PreSl-
5en+ so strongly was opposed was no doubt lmprac-
ticable. although it is difficult to reply to the argu
rsnt OF its sponsors that industry enjoys SUBSIDY
through the tariff the farmer has the same right TO
a bounty from that source.
An effort will be made to attach the export bounty
yrovison to the tariff bill, but it seems toredoomeo
to defeat. ..
one of the important things in the debenture
fight was the evidence OF a growing realization on
the part Of the farmers of what the tariff does.
The tariff bill passed by the house and now before
the senate finance committee is monstrosity and
vlaasas no one The reason for tariff revision was to
help agriculture
The President and party leaders had promised
a1iv,ited" changes The bill however increases duties
m some 100 items and would add perhaps SoOOoOO-
600 annually to the cost Of living.
Tariff benehciaries made the most Of their oppor-
tunities for new grabs
House leaders made concessions to this group ana
that group until the bill emerged hodgepodge OF
increases Iu-advised alterations were made in ad-
ministrative sections.
The hill does not give the farmers what they want
and farm organizations have condemned it with IN
anin,itv. Moreover the industrial increases would
+t from the farmers far more than the agricultural
increases would give them
Fortunately there is a likelihood that the senate
finance committee will rewrite the bill and eliminate
at least its worst features Defeat OF the Borah reSo-
luton to limit revision to agricultural and related
products bv the margin of single vote showed the
temper of the senate
The special privilege seekers remain active, how
and those VINO ala noU SeI "44SV OA4OS "N4-'O
from the house will knock at the senate door
It will require the best efforts OF progressive Re
rublicans and of those Democrats who still adhere
to the traditional tariff attitude of their party to resist
the trading and the pressure from the GrundryS
Probably the country would be much better Oh Il
the entire revision were defeated.
The session also witnessed passage OF the reap
portionment bill which was combined with the bill
for the regular decenna census to facilitate its pass
age.
Congress reluctantly decided after nine years de-
lay TO obey the constitutional mandate which orecS
reapportionnent after each census
Proposals to eliminate aliens in apportionlng rep
resentatives wisely were defeated but not without
determined support in their behalf from Southern
and other rural spokesmen.
Some 100000 persons who have been without
representation will acquire after the 1880 census
TWO notable acts Of the senate were modification
Of its ancient rule for in the consideration of