380 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



take up the matter personally with the administration at Washington, 

 and see if some modification of the proposed advances could not be se- 

 cured on live stock. So Mr. Thorne and I went to Washington about 

 the 3d of June, and presented our claims for a modification of the order 

 so far as it affected live stock. But I am sorry to say that our petition 

 was denied, and the 25 per cent advance in freight rates went into effect 

 as scheduled. 



We have always felt that the unprecedented advances in both freight 

 and passenger rates were unreasonable, unjustified and uncalled for, and 

 could not be defended only as a war measure. We are now doing busi- 

 ness under the highest system of rates yet known, and it is difficult to 

 even venture a guess as to when these rates will be reduced, as it now 

 appears that the operating expenses of the roads have so increased that 

 instead of talking about a reduction in rates they are claiming that the 

 rates should be advanced still higher. 



The next important matter in which your association participated 

 was the attendance on the part of your president, as a delegate, at a 

 national gathering of various farm organizations held in Washington dur- 

 ing the month 6t August. This meeting lasted for three days, and was 

 addressed by a large number of men of national reputation, and appar- 

 ently every problem confronting the farmers as a whole was quito fully 

 discussed and covered, during the various sessions. Strong resolutions 

 touching many of the phases of agricultural problems were passed, and 

 a number of committees appointed, to press the claims of the farmers 

 for full recognition before the various committees in Congress, and the 

 heads of the different departments of the government. 



While in Washington at this time, I also took up with the heads of 

 different departments a number of problems affecting your interests, such 

 as the farm labor problem, the income and excess profits tax law, as it 

 was being interpreted and applied to farmers; the collection of claims 

 against the various railroads, on account of delayed shipments, and other 

 forms of live stock claims; the thirteen-to-one price arrangement on hogs, 

 and other important matters of much concern to you all. All of these 

 we went over carefully and fully with the men in charge, and I Ibelievo 

 the work done was beneficial to all, and on account of this -work a much 

 better understanding' of our needs and what we are entitled to was 

 arrived at. 



On September 6th and 7th, a hearing was held at Chicago by the 

 Federal Bureau of Markets, on the application of various live stock ex- 

 changes and stockyards companies, for increases in yardage and com- 

 mission charges. Your entire executive committee was in attendance 

 at this hearing, and took the position that unless the exchanges and stock- 

 yards companies could show by their books that the advances asked for 

 were fully justified, that they should be denied. No radical position was 

 taken against the advances, but a thoro investigation of the whole matter 

 by the federal government was urged, and also many reforms were sug- 

 gested. I have been trying to keep in touch with the investigations being 

 conducted by the Bureau of Markets, and so far I am informed no an- 



