The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-06-18
Editorial
THEY DON'T BELIEVE In "HIGH, RIGID SUPPORTS?


This week the Montana State Chamber of Commerce in
statement closely resembling recent pronouncemen of the
United States Chamber of Commerce. told the people of Mon
tana that flexible price supports basic would o
preferable the 80 cent support program fol
basic commodities
In so doing the chamber asserted the Importance
good prices on basic commodities wheat the Montana
economy may greatly exaggerated citing that ony %
cent of the national cash receipts from farm markengs II
1862 from basic commodities
of the Importance to Montana of one basic com
represents not % cent but about
of all income the state can only wonder
for Chamber of Commerce speaking Surely
they speaking for the little merchants in rural Mon
large number help finance the state chambers
activities An estimated two thousand OF tnose sal ous
have already let Congress know that they not only
continuation of so cent supports but want Congress
draft farm guaranteeing 100 per cent parity for
all farm commodities
Rural Montana merchants already keeny of the
effect their cash registers OF the S3 million drop
in 1868 compared with 1852 Many of them
too of what the Eisenhower-Benson flexible
support would do to them Shoud become operative
They all we'll that the basis OF the bumper 1858
crop of OOO rural Montana would stand
another S45 million purchasing power under the
flexible support program the Administration Even with so
per supports continuing through 1854 because OF an es
mated drop production to 81 million bushels compared
with million 1858, there will be drop in Montana farm
income of than $50 million this year.
Indeed it whom the state chamber
speaking advocating another substantial drop in Montana
income.
While on the subject order to question the
sency of the chamber hierarchy Several influential
members of its officiadom including its president Noel Carco
of Glendve important officials in either private utilities
the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
MI Carrico is Montana-D Dakota Utilities in Mon
tana Surely does believe flexible supports
preferable far MDU is concerned Does not MIDI
find most profitable hgh rigid fixed prices granted to
every thousand cubic feet of natural sells in Billings
Miles City, Glasgow Hayre by the Public Service Commsson
The law guarantees MDU fair profit. parity.
The goes Montana Power which has very lnfu-
entail the affairs of Montana business organizations
MPCo too cannot be accused of preferng flexible supports
since they've high rigid fixed prices electricity
gas most profitable and most necessary part OF
their continued prosperous operation
And surely of c. director Ed McGlone ACM vice
president Montana would not concur IN the notion that
FLEXIBLE supports good for his company Wasn't just
last federal agreed to buy for stock
png purposes 900 of ACM produced IN Chill
rigid fixed price of 30 cents pound IN order that
produced copper might continue to have high
rigid" stable price?
Economics Montana farm income
cash 1882 toaled S387O78OOO In
livestock dropped S2O3
1853 Due to bumper wheat
1853 of the loss in farm income due
to livestock prices offset.
AS WAS EXPECTED
1f 4lE I dd