The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-11-21
The Grange Speaks

The Grange Speaks
Indications at the close OF the last
session of congress were that Amer
ica's three great farm organizations,
the Farmers Union, the Grange and
the Farm Bureau had cast aside the
prejudices which formerly beset them
and entered into working agreement
to battle for general farm relief rath-
err than for the specialized plan which
previously had been advocated by
each of them.
AS the need for action became
more pressing, the desire Of each or
ganization to see its pet scheme
adopted was thrust into the back
ground and the curtain fell on the
spectacle of a united agricultural
America striving vainly for any plan
To the millions of American farm
ers and the millions Of other Ameri-
can citizens who can have no pros
perity without farm prosperity, the
continuation of this attitude on the
part of these great organizations Is
not only a thing to be desired but
an imperative necessity. We cannot
expect cooperation from any govern
ment until the farmers and their
representatives present unit e d
front. It was this disunion among
the farm organizations which per-
mitted the farm board, an organiza-
ton no farm group really wanted, to
be foisted upon the nation at the
special congress session in 1929.
With this background Of legisla-
tive inaction and farm relief stale
mate, the position of the National
Grange, as outlined last Wednesday by
National Master Lewis ]. Tabor in a
speech at Winston-Salem, N. c., is
of special interest. The Grange is
the oldest and, in point Of numbers,
the largest Of any great American
farm organization. Like the Farm
ers Union it is a social and educa-
tional enterprise as well as one de-
signed to give voice to the farmers
economic situation.
Here are some of the things Stress
ed by Tabor In his talk:
/. Need for a new land-use pro-
gram as the initial step in any long
time policy for the improvement Of
rural life. Renewed thought must
be given to the problem OF conserva-
ton.
2. Farm marketing and surplus
control must be arranged for. The
farmer must be given more rather
than less control in handling the
products Of his own toll.
3. The federal marketing act must
be amended by the friends, not by
the enemies, Of agriculture.
4. Adoption OF the export deben-
ture or some equivalent method as q
complement to the protective tariff
structure.
5. The basis for taxation must be
broadened to compel income, luxury
and privilege to bear larger share
of the costs of society and turn tax
dodgers into taxpayers.
6. Complete overhauling of the
functions and services of govern
ment to lower costs, improve service
and stimulate public morale.
Z. Reorganization of the veterans
bureau to cut off compensation to
those who are on the federal pay
roll "or who otherwise are receiving
fat salaries"
8. A general moratorium on farm
debts would be more dangerous than
any other proposal thus far made
for the relief Of agriculture.
9. Battle against the return of the
saloon as backward moral step aud
opposition to any repeal or change
in the Eighteenth Amendment that
does not make for true temperance.
Those are the principles which
must be harmoni2ed with the ideas
advanced by the other two organiza-
tiuns. They are not what the Farm
err Union would adopt IL left to its
own devices, but they represent an
important section Of American agri-
cultural thought. Every farmer will
hope that out Of this plan, and the
others which viii certainly b ID.
vocatsd. win come . program which
III Of Us can whole-heartedly sup
port. This u no time for petty quib-
bling.