The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-12-14
Hazen, N. D., Dec. 8, 1882

Editor, Tribune:
Now don't expect too much. am
just another fool farmer. But even
we have common sense enough to see
that when congress promises to help
the farmer each election and then
puts a tariff on wheat while flour
comes in duty-free, and q tariff on
beef on the hoof and slaughtered
beef comes in free Cor nearly so) that
they are not redeeming their prom
iSeS.
Remember the first reciprocity
treaty they tried to put over on Can
ada? Remember what q fool tariff
wall this last administration set up
and how each country hit retaliated
and left us holding our wheat? Do
you remember our bankers who got
the international complex and now
are helping France, England, ct al,
to force us to forgive or postpone the
national debts so they can get theirs?
One candid Englishman said the
American bankers were the worlds
biggest boobS, and as we have to pay
for the war If they won't we have the
right to say that we agree with that
Englishman.
To 60 further and prove that the
farmer is not alone in being dumb"
He knows that it cost millions in
these last eight or 10 years to pay
the cost of those congresses that
quarreled over the wheat question.
Then, when they at least agreed on
something, the president vetoed it as
We expect the present one will If they
make pass or gesture. Even the
fool farmer can see that tariff on
wheat, be 1t big or little, is a fool
idea. It is like carrying coal to New
castle. We can always raise a sur
plus. With modern machinery and
the Great West we can feed this ma
ton for centuries as far as wheat
goes Then, why tariff? Some
one has to pay for that railroad haul
from Canada or that ocean haul
from Argentine or Australia or Rus
STA, and we know Gus farmerS) that
we pay.
When our unemployment got SO
big that it was too great load we
finally stopped immigration-about
five years late.
What we want is an all-time en-
barge on wheat. That doesn't hurt
foreign business. We can trade wheat
for coffee or anything but We don't
want wheat.
Why the devil do we have to
spend money we borrow to pay lot
of congressman to fight for tariff
we don't want? When, if ever, are
those folks at Washington going to
stop trying to run the world and
mind their own business and ours?
Won't this new batch of congressman
realize that England, France, Ger
many and all the rest are trying to
run their own business to their own
advantage? Our congress, trying to
bolster up foreign trade for the
manufacturer and afraid of stepping
on their toes until they have tramp
ed all over our map, would lead the
average man to believe that the
nearest thing to worm is the con-
gresham who believes he Is q
diplomat.
Now let's get back to wheat and
mind our own business. We raise
our own wheat under this plan and
the farm unit can sell only 20 bushels
per month. He carries his own sur
plus above 2,4OO bushels a year. Now
the surplus of this nation today is
mostly on the farms. The holiday
movement has helped and should be
given every support possible. Wheth-
er you believe In strikes or not 1t
is an endeavor In the right direc-
ton. The surplus In the terminals
and flour mills can be determined
in 10 days and we know what the
daily grind must be to feed America
Let's get together and ask this short
session of congress to put an en-
barge on imported wheat for 80 days
That puts it up to the Democrats.
And then, II we can do that, our
state legislature can prohibit the
farmer from selling and the local
elevators from buying over zoe
bushels per month from each farm
unit, and the other states will fol-
low. For as sure as we determine
to mind our own business for a
change we are not dependent on a
Liverpool market.
I hope our next president and
congress too are short on statesman