Page 18 



BETTER FRUIT 



October, 1920 



For President 

 WARREN G. HARDING 



For Vice-President 

 CALVIN COOLIDGE 



A Square Deal 



for the farmer 



If the farmers of the United States 

 think they have nothing at stake in this 

 election — if they think it is simply a con- 

 test between the political "ins" and "outs" 

 and that it makes no particular difference 

 to the farmer which wins — they are mak- 

 ing a very great mistake, and are likely 

 to realize it when too late to help them- 

 selves. 



In some matters of interest to the 

 farmers the two parties agree. 



For example, both favor strengthening 

 the rural credits statutes; both recognize 

 the right of farmers to form co-operative 

 associations for the marketing of their 

 crops; both favor extending our foreign 

 markets; both are pledged to the study of 

 the cost of producing farm crops. 



Now, the matters mentioned are im- 

 portant, but not nearly so important as 

 certain other matters; and in the way 

 they look at these tremendously more 

 important matter we find a radical differ- 

 ence between the Republican and the 

 Democratic parties. 



The difference is so vital that if the 

 farmers of the country once understand 

 it, there will be not the slightest doubt as 

 to which party they will support at the 

 polls in November. 



The farm voice in 

 government 



The Republican party in its national 

 platform is committed to "practical and 

 adequate farm representation in the ap- 

 pointment of governmental officials and 

 commissions." 



Are not farmers entitled to such repre- 

 sentation? The Republican party thinks 

 they are. 



Under Republican rule, for sixteen 

 years that sturdy and faithful Iowa 

 farmer, "Tama Jim" Wilson, was at the 

 head of the great Department of Agri- 

 culture. 



What happened when the Democrats 

 came into power? 



Why, they turned out "Tama Jim" and 

 put in a university professor who knew 

 nothing about agriculture and gave no 

 evidence of caring anything about it. 



Farm interests are vitally affected by 

 the administration of the Federal Reserve 

 banking system, by the Farm Loan sys- 

 tem, etc. Should not thoroughly com- 

 petent men who understand the farmers' 

 needs and who have a sympathetic inter- 

 est in agriculture be on these boards? 



The Republican party thinks they 

 should and says so. The Democrats 

 were asked to include a similar pledge in 

 their platform, but they refused. Why? 



Price fixing and price 

 drives 



Both parties were asked to promise to 

 put an end to price-fixing on farm prod- 

 ucts and to government drives to beat 

 down prices of farm products. 



The Democrats refused to make such a 

 pledge. The Republicans agreed and in 

 their national platform are pledged to 

 "put an end to unnecessary price-fixing 

 and ill-considered efforts arbitrarily to 

 reduce prices of farm products which in- 

 variably result to the disadvantage both 

 of producer and consumer." 



Do you remember what happened when 

 we got in the war? Do you remember 

 President Wilson's definition of a "just 

 price"? He said: 



"By a just price I mean a price which 

 will sustain the industries concerned in a 

 high state of efficiency, provide a living 

 for those who conduct them, enable them 

 to pay good wages, and make possible the 

 expansion of their enterprises," etc. 



And then do you remember what hap- 

 pened? Government contracts of all 

 kinds were let on a cost-plus basis. That 

 is, the manufacturer was allowed to fig- 

 ure all of the cost of every kind which he 

 incurred (and he was not restricted in 

 his expense) and in addition was allowed 

 (Continued on next page.) 



