The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-08-28

The allotment TO the ianu5 would
be made through local agencies,
probably with assistance from the
Agricultural College. and this al
| lotment should be made only to
so much of the lands Is In normal
wears would produce the county's
ouota of the home consumption.
At Present Wheat Prices Lands
win Be Confiscated Through
Taxation
The day this paper is being
written. the local market price on
wheat throughout the State is be-
tween 30 and soc per bushel. 1t
must be evident to anyone that
unless this price is raised, unless
something really constructive is
done for the rehabilitation Of agri-
culture. wheat lands will be un-
able to carry the tax burden, and
the counties will be confiscating
more and more lands for delin-
nuent taxes. The counties will
then be placed in the difficult
situation of trying to collect tax
es from themselves. Shall our
counties take over the farm lands
and operate them as Russia is
now doingq Our farmers have al
ready been Russianized to the ex-
tent that they are being given
conscript wages for their work.
II this situation continues, the
next step of c~onfiscating the lands
will inevitably follow.
Economics and Government
Some students of the problem
maintain that as this Is an eco
nomic problem. the government
should not attempt to interfere.
I'VE cannot bring good times
through legislation" they say. 1t
Is certainly true that stimulating
or boosting the price on wheat or
cotton involves economic prob
lens: so also does the price-boost,
ing on iron, steel, aluminium, glass
ware. tableware and the hundred
and n other articles on which
the nrice is artifically boosted by
A protective tariff. 1t is one of the
deliberate and specific objects OF
a protective tariff to boost prices
and bring about prosperity and
good times. If it is good to boost
the price in the case of these hun
dreds of articles, why is it not
good and workable in the case OF
wheat?
Keenness of Nose and Hardness
OF Heart
A great number Of writer's on
agricultural problems have devel
oped a remarkably keen nose for
the 'unsound", in farm relief
plans. and also considerable cal
~lousness of heart in recommend.
ing that things be allowed to take
their own course. They assume, OF
course. that when a sufficient num-
Der of farmers have starved to
death it will be easier for the
remainder to exc out an existence.
It is admitted that this is sound
reasoning; it is a sort of "frigid'
aire" reasoning.
Prompt Action Urgently Needed
1t is admitted by all students
of the problem that on account oil
the low purchasing power in Eur
one and the increasing Russian
production. the world price or
wheat is almost sure to continue
low for many years to come; and
as the world price will practical
ly determine the price on all the
wheat produced throughout the
United States, this will result II
the continuation of ruinously low
prices. If these prices are allowed
to continue, the wheat farmers
that are not already broke will bt
dead broke inside of two or three
years.
This would bring a worse calam
ity upon the State of Montana ant
; the wheat growing states Of th'
} Northwest than has eve before
; laid it's scourge upon us. Wha
; would be the value of the out
standing accounts of the merchant
; the liens of the lumberman, thu
bills receivable, chattel mortgages
real estate mortgages and bond
of the banker and investor, if thu
values upon which they are baset
have vanished into thin air? B.
) what means should we supper
! our schools and maintain our pub
lie Institutions? Gloomy indeed
the future of the Northwest III
less something is done and don
right soon to prevent farmini
from degrading into a dole system
1 call upon all thinking peopl
: of the State to give serious am
} constructive consideration TO IN
! problem. The Allotment Plan
: not a new plan; it has been widel,
discussed; it is admitted thai !
would bring results; it woul'
bring the results to the 1ndlv1dua
farmer almost without fail. Eth
. er perfect this plan and urge j
upon Congress or work out a bel
ter plan; but let us not sit ldl
q - - 800 H. r ~ n hlnQ "a