Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-03-02

unQer usually produce Twice as large
crop the following year, so it is
highly probable that surplusses will
increase rather than decrease.
2. 1t is more profitable to the
farmer with large tracts of land than
it is to the farmer with small tract
of land.
3. 1t requires very large and ex-
pensive organization to carry out its
provisions. Much of the money ap-
propriated by Congress never reaches
the farmer who is supposed to be
benefited by complying with the pro-
gram.
4. The red tape connected with its
administration discourages a large
percentage of farmers from partici-
pating in the plan.
5. That it does not have much eff
feet on the market price is evidenced
by the very low price level now
prevailing.
A Complicated Problem.
Shall we conclude from all this
that all farm legislation is a failure
and that nothing can be done? When
you are dealing with farm commod-
-ity prices you are dealing with the
most complicated problem in all
America. There are two roads open
to the American farmer. If he is
to accept prices fixed by the law of
| supply and demand he will have to
demand that all other privileged
groups, both labor and industrial, do
the same thing. High protective tar
ifs and hour and wage laws will
| have to go The other road is to
demand that he, the farmer, shall
receive the benefit of at least a part
of the tariff even if it has. to come
out of the public treasury
The pegged price plan under the
Farm Board, the AAA, the Soil Con-
servation plan all have hidden sub
sides in them. The other machinery
is provided to make it easier to COL
lect the tax and to make it more &C
ceptable. Economists say that any
plan with subsidies is unsound. Per-
haps so, but as bridge over" a sub
sidy or benefit payment plan can be
justified. Especially in the case of
agriculture. The farmer is the last
link in the chain, and cannot pass
on the added expenses and taxes that
are unloaded on him. Increased taxes,
increased wages, public expenses are
| always passed on to land owners
under the system we are operating.
| Therefore, as bridge over" until
better prices return, benefit payments
are inevitable.
Workable Plan Sought.
The American farmer is looking
for plan that is understandable and
workable; one that will give the small
farmer the same chance as the big
one. The grain grower, the tobacco
grower, the potato grower, the cotton
grower, the apple grower, the dairy
man, the hog grower, the beef grow
er, and all others who produce staple
commodities should be given the same
treatment and be allowed to parti-
cipate on equal terms. A plan that
will not regiment, and that will take
the government out of the farming
business can that be done? 1t
is not so difficult.
l. Limit the amount of money each
farmer (head of family cultivat-
ing ten acres or more) can draw in
any one calendar year from the United
States treasury to $500 Figure sug-
gested).
2. Fix benefit payment equal to
the tariff on the leading farm COM
modities in the United States (wheat,
corn, flax, oats, barley, cotton, to-
bacco, potatoes, apples, peanuts, but
terfat, pork, beef, etc.
3. Limit the benefit payment of
each producer to the first 1000 BUSH
els in the case of grains, potatoes,
apples, and wherever the bushel is
used as the unit of measure; to the
first 1000 pounds of butterfat Figure
suggested); to the first 10000 pounds
of pork; to the first 10000 pounds of
beef; to the first $50 bales of cotton;
to the first 10000 pounds of tobacco;
to the first 1000 boxes of apples.
4. Fix base price on each bene-
flied commodity as stopping place
for the benefit payment.
5. The benefits to be reduced in
amount so that the market price plus
| the benefit never exceeds the base
price fixed as stopping place.
6. All benefit payments to cease
when the market price reaches the
base price fixed as stopping place
7. Each farmer to be entitled to
the benefit payment on one or more