The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-04-12
Foreign Representatives
SMALL, SPENCER. BREWER
uncorporated)
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON

uncorporateO
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
The Consumer Also
It may be undiplomatic on the part
Of anyone living In the great agri-
cultural west to suggest that the
farmer IS not all-powerful. And then,
on the other hand. it may be q serv-
ice to him to point out that there are
other classes In the nation to be con-
Sidered.
We need only look over the pres
ent congressional scene briefly to get
the point.
Farm relief has been the burden Of
complaint In . large section Of our
country for more than 10 years. The
demand has been . righteous one. No
fair-minded person would deny that
the producer of wealth from the soil
has been getting less than his share.
Politicians have used it as q means
of getting themselves elected. When
ever there was any tendency for the
demand to become mute they encour.
aged 1t to new life. It finally came
to be regarded in its true light, as
the major domestic problem facing
the government Of this nation.
But this effort also appears to have
developed q complex In the minds OF
some representatives from agricul-
tural states. Their demand is that
agriculture be taken care Of first and
practically to the exclusion Of every
one else. Like true enthusiasts, they
want the best for their own people
and the rest Of the country may have
what is left. They would raise the
price Of farm products without re-
gard to the consumer. They would
relieve the farm mortgage situation
and leave the city home mortgage
matter to adjust itself.
In taking this attitude they do az
riculture no good. They merely pave
the way for the development Of pow
erful animosities which may event.
ually be Of immeasurable harm.
Even before We are out Of the
dumps We should remember that
there once was q time when farm
relief was > minor issue, II it existed
at all. There was q time when the
high cost Of living" was the burning
matter before the electorate. Cam
paign pledges once were given to
bring prices down rather than to
send prices up. In fact, it was men,
ory OF the high cost Of living issue
which kept the Republican party from
doing anything to redeem the vague
pledges made to the farmers. They
could see no way Of increasing the
revenue Of the man on the soil with
out increasing living costs for the
man in the city. They counted more
city folks than country ones and SO
they gave the voting majority the
break. II took an economic cata-
clysm to prove this theory unsound
When things got tough enough in the
cities voters there finally realized that
many Of their troubles were caused
by lack Of . square deal for the
farmer. And 30 We had the strange
spectacle Of city folks supporting, at
least In part. the farmers program.
The results should be beneficial and
indications are that they will be, bu,
the support Of large number Of city
votes Is necessary to bring to fruitiou
governmental action to help the
farmer. Census returns show there
are more city people than farmers.
The ideal arrangement Is one ii
which the rights Of the consumer a,
we'll = those Of the producer are con.
sidered. Nothing should BE- done K
break the cooperation which now ha.
been established. We want farm re.
lief g quickly 6 possible. Intelligent
city people want u to have It, know.
Ing they win benefit.
But No want no return Of tha,
high cost Of living" cry which helpet
to place the farmer where he = to.
day. It was . plea aimed almost d.
rectly at The farmer. Agricultur,
should DO nothing TO revive Il. Evss
asriculture's most Vigorous protagon'
ists should remember that the farmel
has nsvsr demanded anything but |
square dsal and that . square dsa
has square sdges.
The Real Issue
n The continuing battle bstweel
the railroa1s and thoee fsyoeing eov
srnmsns 0evslopm1nt q inland NJ.
tseuav1 ene q IL m1st interesting
ptasn = that e tn subsidies n.
VoeVoG
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