The Redwood gazette., 1937-04-08
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BY Vim Weber

BY Vim Weber
Legislation is being enacted so
rapidly and capitol hill sees so
many things of interest each day
that it is difficult in the space
allotted for this letter to even
give a brief synopsis of the "go-
ings on" With April 81 set as
the last day Of the session, a few
erish tenseness seems to grip leg
islators, each one of whom has
some one or more favorite bills
which he or she desires to see en-
acted into law.
AS yet major legislation has
not been acted upon in the senate
and the remaining days will see
stirring debate upon the senate
measures. The house is working
with unusual speed and passing
bills that will tax every moment
the senate has left if that body
hopes to acquiesce in their pas
sage. But 1 feel confident the SEN
ate will not acquiesce in many
cases. Much of the legislation
has been dumped on the senate
for political effect only. Other
bills have been sent to the upper
body without proper considera-
ton in the house and have neces-
STATED much change to get them
into proper shape.
Letters continue to pour in to
every legislator approving or dis
approving of H. F. 1017, or the
Anti-Farm Bureau bill. Because
of an article appearing in this
column a few weeks ago in sup
port of the Farm Bureau, the
Farmers Union, a farm organiza-
ton having a small membership
in Minnesota, issued statement
to all newspapers in the state, at
tacking my, stand and putting
forth its reasons why the bill
should be passed.
While I still stand by my state
ment that the Farm Bureau has
been an agency for great good to
Agriculture, 1 am not interested
in the quarrel between that or
ganization and the Farmers
Union. To me it is regrettable
that the two organizations cannot
consolidate and fight shoulder to
shoulder for the best interests OF
agriculture, rather than to pull in
opposite directions.
l have made a very careful
study of the bill and have spent
many hours trying to amend it so
that any doubt of the political
angle might be removed. But !
am frank to admit that I cannot
do so. Once 20 men are chosen at
an election to fill the office OF
committeeman on a county agrl-
cultural and educational associa-
ton, just that soon will the coun-
ty agent be placed in the position
of a candidate and, being human
will but naturally endeavor to
build up his forces" l cannot
bring myself to believe that such
would not be the case and that
for a period of two months or
more the county agent would be
paying more attention to see that
personal friends were elected
than upon the duties of his exact
ing position.
hope for the day when the
matter can be solved. Most GER
tainly l do not desire to see agri-
cultural enterprises suffer because
of any organization, be it the
Farm Bureau, the Farmers Union
the Grange or any other.
Monday the legislature will be
visited by a peoples Lobby
Sponsors say that no less than
1000 people will make known
their wants. Every legislator de-
sires information upon the atti-
tude of his constituency as it re-
lates to laws under consideration
For that reason we all welcome
the peoples lobby.
But while welcoming the pub
lie, one cannot help but feel thai
politics has had not little to dc
with the arrangements for the
visit. No less parsonage thar
John Bosch, of Farm Holiday
fame, and present state en-
ployee at the state mill where he
receives monthly stipend ot
more than 5000, is chairman Of
the lobby committee. OF recen
weeks Mr.. Bosch has been gall
wanting around the state making
addresses and stirring the citizen
ry to the thought of attending. Nc
doubt these trips have been made
at state expense. The literature
broadcast at these meetings car.
ries many must" bills and per.
usal of them leaves no doubt bu
that the lobby is entirely in thu
interests of the Farmer-Labol
party. Every must bill includ.
ed in the pamphlet is sponsored
by Governor Benson. The con.
servative senate is taken to tasl
for appropriating niggardly
$750,000 for seed loans, but pur.
posely forgets to add that con.
servative senator. introduced tht
first state seed loan bill that wa!
ever passed by a Minnesota leg.
islature and did so this session
Two years ago, when the neee
for seed was far greater than thi.
year 100000 was appropriated
Even in those stressful days onl,
S79O,OOO was required to suppl,
every applicant with seed. 1t i.
but foolish, therefore, to appro'
pirate more than is required
even though the appropriation O.
two million or ten million nigh
be good politics of the Bosch kind
There will be many changes il
the state game and fish laws, i
the several bills introduced b.
Senator Jerry Mullin, Chairman
of the committee on game ant
fish, become law. The most con
troversial bill is that of opening
the deer season annually. Unde
the Mullin bill an annual five-da,
season on bucks and does wouls
Ia y,ory,oi iffol Cfofo concoYua.