The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-04-26
PRESIDENTS FIRST MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS MAKES BID TOWARD
THE REDEMPTION OF CAM
PAIGN PLEDGES

AGE of unusual brevty and drecness, recommended to
congress today the creation of federal farm ooaru
With authority and resources to remedy recurring
causes of depression in the agricultural industry ana
limited revision of the tariff commission
IN addition he proposed in this, his first state paper
the completion of legislation initiated at the last ses
sion for he suspension of the national orglns clause
of the immigration act, the taking OF the 1851 census
and the reapportionment of congressional representa-
ton.
While proposing broad powers for the federal farm
board, the chief executive suggested no alnouC d
the revolving fund be furnished by the treasury ana
proposed safeguards for the instrumentaes and act
vtes to be created under the farm relief act.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IN FULL
To the Congress of the United States:
have called this special session of congress to re-
deem two pledges given in the last electon-farm re-
lief and limited changes in the tariff
The difficulties of the agricultural industry arise
out of a multitude of causes heavy ndeO'eunesS
was inherited by the industry from the deflaton pro-
cesses of 1920 Disorderly and wasteful methods OF
marketing have developed The growing Speclallza-
tim in the industry for years been increasing the
proportion of products that leave the farm ano'
In consequence prices have been unduly depressed by
congested marketing at the harvest or by the occa-
sional climatic SURPRISES Railway rates have neces-
sariv increased. There has been growth OF compe-
ttion in the world markets from countries that ENJOY
cheaper labor nearly virgin SOILS
EXPANSION OF PRODUCTION
marginal lands during the and upon these profit
ohio enternrise under normal conditions cannot be
maintained Meanwhile their continued output tends
TO aggravate the situation Local taxes have douOleu
and in some cases trebled. Work animals nave Deen
steadily replaced by mechanical appliances, thereby
decreasing the consumption of farm products Ihere
are many other contributing causes
The general result has been that agricultural IN
dusry has not kept pace in prosperity or standards
of living with other lines of industry.
There being no disagreement to the need of farm
relief the problem before becomes one OF method
by which relief may be most successfully brought
about We are confronted not with single problem
alone but a great number of problems. Therefore
there is no single plan or principle that be gen
orally applied. Some of the forces working to the
detrment of agriculture be greatly mitigated by
our waterway transportatOn some of them by re-
adjustment of the tariff; by better understand
ing and adjustment of production needs; and some
by improvement in the methods of marketing.
DUAL PURPOSE IN TARIFF
An effective tariff upon agricultural products that
will compensate the farmers higher costs and higher
standards of living has dual purpose. Such tariff
not only protects the farmer in domestic market
but it also stimulates him to diversity his crops and
to grow products that he could not otherwise produce
and thus lessons his dependence upon exports to for
egn markets. The great expansion of production
abroad under the conditions have mentioned renders
foreign competition export markets increasing
ly serious. 1t but natural therefore, that the
American farmer having been handicapped in his for
eign market by such competition from the younger
expanding countries should ask that foreign
our domestic market should be regulated by taking
into the differences in costs of production
The government has special mandate from the
recent election, not only to further develop our
waterways and revise the agricultural tariff but al
to extend systematic relief in other directions.
CLOTHED WITH AUTHORITY, RESOURCES
have long held that the multiplicity of causes of
agricultural depression could only be met by the
alton of great instrumenality clothed with sufficient
authority and resources assist farmers to meet
these problems, each upon its own merits The Gre
alton of such agency would at transfer the
agricultural question from the field of politics into the
realm of economics and would result in constructive
action. The lainistration is pledged to create an
fundamentally that will investigate the causes find
sound remedies and have the authority and
to apply those remedies
The pledged purpose of such federal farm board
is the reorganization of the marketing system OF
sounder and stable and economic lines. Tt
do this the board will require funds to assist in
ating and sustaining farmer owned and farmer con
trolled agencies for variety of purposes, such TIT
acquisition of adequate warehousng and other faci
ties for marketing; adequate working capital to b.
advanced against commodities lodged for stolage ne
cessary prudent advances to corporation created an
owned by farmers marketing organizations for tn
purchase and orderly marketing of SURPRISES occa
stoned by climatic variations by harvest congestion
20 authorize the creation and support of clearin
houses, especially for pershable products, throug
which, under producers approval cooperation can
established with distributors and professors to NOR
orderly marketing of commodities and for the elm
ination of many wastes in distributions and to PR
vide for licensing of handlers of some perishabl
products to eliminate unfair practices Ever
penny of waste between farmer and consumer ths
we can eliminate will be a gain to both farmers an
consumer
TO INVESTIGATE EVERY FIELD
Inc board should be organized to investigate ever
field of economic betterment for the farmer so as
furnish ouidanco &c - xooa Il.