Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-18
Continued From First Page

the Democratic gubernatoria
nomination and also to builC
strength for his campaign next
fall against the Republicans, has
for weeks and months Travelled
into all parts of Wisconsin ano
talked with farmers.
Mr.. Proxmire declares the
farm resentment over low prices
and he adds, over the reduc-
ton of Government price sup
ports-is already great and on
the move. Farmers who claimed
to have voted for Eisenhower in
1852, he said. now say they will
not support him again. He de-
MED that the dairy farmers are
feeling better, as Republicans
claim. While prices of milk
dried milk and butter have
steadied, the price of cheese
major product in this State has
been seriously off.
There is a feeling among the
farmers, Mr.. Proxmire said
that the Eisenhower administra-
ton offers the farmers little in
the future. Even the plans for
the soil bank. so called. which
may be helpful to other farmers
holds a threat for the dairyman
Land taken out Of production,
the dairymen fear, might cause
greater dairy activity and SO
greater competition"
Sees Communities Hit
Mr.. Proxmire said, too that
the business of small commune
ties is already being hit by the
lower farm incomes.
II talked with the operator of
a general store in farm trading
center recently" he said. He
told me his loss in business in
1953-from 1952-had been 10
per cent: and that another 10
per cent had been Topped off in
1854. and 20 per cent in 1855.
I believe this is typical I know
of stores which have been forced
out of business in a number of
towns
He insisted that the situation
for the Democrats in Wisconsin
is better today than it was in
1854. In that year, running for
Governor against Gov. Walter
Kohler, jr.. he closed the gap
in the vote between the two
parties to 35,000-the closest
race for Governor in this State
for many years. In 1852, he
lost to Gov. Kohler by about
100000.
Thomas E. Coleman, long a
power in the Republican party
of Wisconsin, while admitting
that there is bad feeling among
some of the farmers over low
prices, takes a different view.
Predicts Eisenhower Sweep
II believe" he said, that the
State will give its electoral vote
again to President Eisenhower
beyond a doubt. He is still greatly
popular with people all over the
State, on the farms and in the
cities, After all, the farmers dc
not think alone of prices when
they vote.
They know. for example, that
there is no war-and they had
war under Democratic admins
tration. They do not want war
Furthermore, I do not think
the farmers blame the low
prices on the President. They
know that the Democrats have
little to offer them.
I'VE have many fine farms in
this country. There are. too,
some of the so-called marginal
farms. Not all of Wisconsin is
good farm land. 1t is on the
marginal farms where the farm
ers have suffered the most. But
take it by and large, the Wis
consin farmer does we'll"
At present it looks as though
the Republican and Democratic
parties will go into the election
bitterly divided over the price
support issue. President Eisen-
hover has declared himself
strongly opposed to rigid high
supports for farm prices and in
favor of the flexible system. On
the other hand, Adlai Steven
son and Gov. Hartman of New
York have declared for the rigid
supports, and Senator Kefauver
has voted for them.
No one here, neither farm
loo der Y1nr Y1nliticol leodar Lpov,s