Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-06-19
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
FOR AGRICULTURE
(By John Brandt, president of Land
O'Lakes Creameries, Inc)

(By John Brandt, president OF Land
OLakes Creameries, Inc.)
Agriculture has been promised par
ity with industry so far as competi-
ton from foreign imports is con-
cerned. 1t has further been promised
the home market to the full extent
of it's ability to supply it and the
ability of the American farmers to
produce all articles of an agricul-
tural nature has been demonstrated
beyond the question of a doubt. In
fact, farmers have done so well at the
job of producing that they are now
being cautioned to curtail production.
We are producing a surplus of all OF
our major crops and without doubt,
if we produced 10 per cent to 25 per
cent less. the net returns to the farm
err for. the production of his farm
would be much greater. We are
warned to decrease the acreage of
wheat, cautioned against Over-prO-
duction of dairy products-too much
cotton and too much corn-and numer-
Gus other items produced on the farm,
and in the face of over-production
we are all striving to raise the price
which would only further tend to in
crease production.
In order that we may cut down in
the acreage of wheat or cotton planted
or curtail production of any other pro-
duct of which we are now producing
in excess of home requirements, we
must be permitted through tariff pro-
lection from foreign competition to
produce some of the items that arc
now coming in to take the place of
those raised on our farms. There is
only one solution to this problem and
that is for Congress to place SUI
ficiently high duty on such imports
as are of agricultural nature so as
to exclude them entirely. A duty that
is only high enough to produce rev.
enue and not protect the industry will
work to the disadvantage of both pro
Queer and consumer as it will only
be a source of revenue to the govern
ment that will make possible further
reduction in income taxes and such
reduction in taxes will have to be
paid by the common people as they
will be compelled to pay the duty
through additional prices that have
not protected the industry but have
only furnished revenue for the gov
eminent.
The Hawley bill as was originally
passed by the Lower House was about
the most unfair piece of Legislation
that could have been passed so far as
farmers are concerned and might have
been passed by the Senate with very
few changes if it had not been fol-
the fight that was put up by cooper
atives and other farm organizations
Out of the Senate comes bill that Is
an improvement over the House bill
but by no means satisfactory and just
to agriculture. The two bills then
tariff rates took place with agricul-
ture i'm no position whatever to trade
as they were already at a disadvan-
tage. The bill at its best never con-
tanned the most important schedules
such as duty on vegetable oils
starches, casein, jute, and many other
items that effect agricultural product
ion. AS the bill comes out of confer
ence, it is not the kind that will re-
deem the platform promises of either
political party nor is it the kind OF
tariff bill that President Hoover asked
Congress to pass. 1t will not bring
parity beween agriculture and indus
try. There are about 200 increases
in agricultural rates that will put con-
siderable money into the pockets of