25, 1924 



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(Mr. CooUdge — Continued) 



Northwest. The Intermediate Credit banks have 

 loaned over $86,000,000 to individuals and co-opera- 

 tive marketing associations, which assisted directly 

 and indirectly over 500,000 farmers. 



Notwithstanding all this, agriculture was subjected 

 to an era of most serious depression. Several of its 

 great staples like cotton, cattle, hogs, corn, and wheat, 

 suffered from low prices, due to overproduction, un- 

 balanced conditions between costs and sale prices in 

 agriculture, industry, and labor, and the disorganiza- 

 tion of the markets of the world. But for the enor- 

 mous buying power which the high wages of industry 

 put behind the market for American food products, 

 especially meat, the agricultural regions would have 

 experienced even a far more severe financial crisis. 



Due to a change in the world supply, prices of prod- 

 ucts have begun to improve, even so far as to increase 

 land values. The government rendered a great deal 

 of assistance and private enterprise co-operated, but 

 the fundamental remedy was provided, as it always 

 must be provided, not so much through the enactment 

 of legislative laws as through the working out of eco- 

 nomic laws. Because the farmers have thoroughly 

 realized this, they have on the whole opposed price 

 fixing by legislation. While maintaining that sound 

 position, they have seen a partial relief come in a 

 natural way, as it was bound to come. 



We now need in agriculture more organization, co- 

 operation, and diversification. The farmer should 

 have the benefit of legislation providing for flood con- 

 trol and development of inland waterways, better navi- 

 gation east and south from the Great Lakes, reclama- 

 tion, and especially relief for.those who can not meet 

 their payments on irrigation projects. But the main 

 problen^ is marketing. Co-operative effort, re-organi- 

 zation of the freight-rate structure, good business, 

 and good wages in manufacturing, and the settlement 

 of European affairs will all help to provide better 

 market conditions. 



The Republican platform recognizes that agricul- 

 ture should be on a basis of economic equality with 

 other industries. This is easy to say, but the farmers 

 themselves and their advisers have never been able to 

 agree on a plan to provide it by law. Now that nature 

 and economic law have given some temporary relief, I 

 propose, therefore, to appoint a committee to investi- 

 gate and report measures to the Congress in Decem- 

 ber that may help secure this result which we all 

 desire. I want profitable agriculture established per- 

 manently. I want to see the dollar of the farmer 

 always purchase as much as any other dollar. 



A wise, skilled, and unselfish leadership can do 

 more than anything else to rescue agriculture. The 

 farmer needs leaders who will stay with him, who 

 have tact and the courage necessary for management, 

 and who have the fidelity to refuse political prefer- 

 ment and business opportunity. There are such lead- 

 ers. In the sacrifices they make to serve the farmer 

 lies the greatest hope for his salvation. 



(Mr. La Follette — Continued) 



the appearance laist winter in Washington of the lead- 

 ers of practically all of the farm organizations of the 

 country standing together shoulder to shoulder asking 

 for legislation which would give some measure of 

 relief to the basic industry of agriculture. I recog- 

 nized there at that time the representatives of the 

 great national organizations such as: , , . 



American Farm Bureau Federation. 



American Wheat Growers Associated, Inc. 



Tlie Dlinoi» Agricultural A«»ociation Recofd 



(Mr. La FoUette — Continued) 



Farmers' Educational and Co-operative Union of 

 America. 



National Grange. 



National Live Stock Producers Association. 



National Producers' Alliance. 



National Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation. 



Representatives of the state farm bureau organiza- 

 tions of the great corn belt states were also on hand 

 and were unanimous in their support. Progressive 

 business men who dared to speak in opposition to the 

 speculative system too were present and gave valuable 

 aid to the farmers. 



It is inconceivable that the matured judgment of 

 the organized agricultural movement of the country 

 could have been treated with the utter disdain which 

 was accorded to the farm relief measures, by both of 

 the major political parties at the last session of Con- 

 gress. It is gratifying that the farmers can put the 

 responsibility for the failure of farm relief legislation 

 just where it belongs. President Coolidge himself 

 sounded the death knell of legislation for the relief 

 of agriculture in his first message at the opening of 

 the last session of Congress. 



The combination of the reactionary leaders of both 

 parties to defeat farm relief legislation in Congress 

 furnishes an example of what I mean by the monopoly 

 control of both the Republican and Democratic parties 

 and of the government itself. If further proof was 

 needed to convince the American people that both 

 parties are in complete control of the monopoly sys- 

 tem, your experience last winter in Washington should 

 be sufficient. 



We must increase the purchasing power of the 

 farmers' dollar. The low exchange value of the farm- 

 ers' products is appalling. My attention has recently 

 been called to the figures prepared by the National 

 Industrial Conference board showing the exchanpe 

 value per acre to the farmer. Articles bought by the 

 farmers at retail rather than at wholesale prices were 

 used as the bases of computation. The exchange value 

 for the last four years compared with 1914, on wheat, 

 corn, beef cattle and hogs were as follows: 



1914 1920 1921 1922 1923 Averas* 



Wheat 100 54 41 46 41 45 



Corn 100 56 43 63 69T 57 4-Tear 



Beef Cattle ...100 60 60 49 48'. 51 average 



Hogs 100 76 69 62 51 t 62 53 



Such a deep seated distressing condition stretching 

 over several years is not to be remedied by a tempo- 

 rary flurry in the speculative market caused by a world 

 shortage and accentuated by an easy money market 

 inviting speculation. Farmers are entitled to their 

 prudent cost of production plus a reasonable profit 

 tor their products. 



Congress would be in session today working for the 

 relief of agriculture and for the settlers on reclama- 

 tion projects if the resolution, which I introduced and 

 forced to a roll call just before the adjournment of 

 the last session, had been adopted. This resolution 

 provides that Congress should be called together in 

 special session and should not adjourn until legislation 

 for the relief of agriculture and the reduction of 

 freight rates had been enacted. 



You may say to the members of the great farm or- 

 ganizations which are now banded together to demand 

 relief to agriculture that if the progressives are in- 

 vested with the responsibility of administration of this 

 government that we will do more than enact legisla- 

 tion such as is contemplated in the McNary-Haugen 

 and Norris-Sinclair bills. 



The Federal Reserve act shall be so amended and 



'■r I, 



Octolxr 25, 1924 



(Mr. Davis — Continued) 



To secure (or the farmer credits suitable lor hia 

 needs. 



This is our platform and our program; and, if 

 elected, I propose with the aid of a Democratic Con- 

 gress to put it Into effect. 



This program is made up of both administration 

 and legislation. I am not sure that of these, honest 

 and effective administration is not the more important. 

 No law, however beneficial in its purposes, can accom- 

 plish good results if it is badly administered. It is 

 quite as important to the farmers of the United States 

 that existing agencies should be administered to their 

 interest as it is that new laws should be passed for 

 their aid and benefit. 



While the farmer shares the general Interest of 

 every citizen in good government he has a peculiar 

 interest in some of its activities. The Department of 

 Agriculture, created in 1889 under a Democratic pres- 

 ident, and presided over in its early days by a great 

 citizen of Nebraska. J. Sterling Morton, has done moch 

 for the welfare of the American farmer. XTnquestioix. 

 ably, it can and it should do more. It has devoted the 

 larger share of Its activity in the past to problems of 

 production: it should l>e stimulated now to think in 

 terms of marketing and distribution. 



The farmer should be aided in the study of his 

 costs and assisted in building up nation-wide systems 

 of co-operative marketing. The Department should be 

 rid of political influence, and presided over by a Sec- 

 retary competent, courageous and loyal to the t>est 

 interests of agriculture, and care should be taken to 

 see that its entire personnel Is of the same character. 



(Mr. La FoUette — Continued) 



administered as to render it impossible for a deflation 

 policy such as was instituted in 1920 by the Demo- 

 cratic administration and carried out by the present 

 Republican administration which paralyzed agricul- 

 ture throughout the country. Such an infamous crime, 

 must never again be perpetrated. 



Freight costs upon agriculture and upon business 

 generally will be reduced. The Pro|:ressives are 

 pledged to the repeal of the Esch-Cummins law. 



The Fordney-McCumber tariff which adds millions 

 to the cost of living of the farmers and the people gen- 

 erally over and above reasonable protection to Ameri- 

 can industry will be reduced. 



Genuine farmer representation will be given to the 

 farmers of the United States on the Interstate Com- 

 merce commission, the Federal Reserve board and all 

 of the other governmental boards and commissions 

 which vitally concern the farmers. 



The Progressives recognize the great strides which 

 have been made by the farmers themselves through co- 

 operative marketing. It shall be our purpose if invested 

 with power to render every assistance of the govern- 

 ment during the transition period from the specula- 

 tive system of marketing to the co-operative system 

 of distribution of the farm products of the country. 

 It is in the co-operative system that lies the path to 

 complete emancipation of the farmer of the countrj-. 

 The farmers' co-operative system must not fail. With 

 co-operative marketing organizations financed by co- 

 operative banks and credit institutions all in the bands 

 of the farmers themselves, it will not fail. 



With kindest personal regards to yourself and to 

 the members of the great organizations for which you 

 speak, I am 



Yours very sincerely, 



(Signed) Robert M. La Follette. 



Council Asks: Would You Call Special Session ? 



VtuUr date of Oct. 6, igt4. the American Council of Agrictittnrt, 

 tkrougk R. A. Cowles. secretary, wrote identical letter! to eactt of the 

 three presidential nominees ashing^ the altitude of each toward the caMini 

 of a specif ustion of Congress if adequate agncuUural legislation is not 

 passed in the December session. The replies excepting thai of Mr. La 

 FoUette which is embodied in his Utter to Mr. Cowtes. beginning in the 

 middle of page j, column i, to these letters are as follows: 



(TELEGRAM) 



1924, Oct. 20, P. M. 9:31. 

 Nashville, Tenn., 20. 

 Hon. Lincoln Dixon: 



Democratic headquarters Auditorium Hotel, Chi- 

 cago, 111. — You are authorized by me to inform the 

 American Council of Agriculture or any one else that 

 If I am elected president of the United States I will 

 call a special session of Congress for the purpose of 

 considering the legislative needs of the country and 

 those questions of pressing Importance. Among the 

 most vital of these are the steps to be taken on be- 

 half of agriculture and those engaged in that funda- 

 mental Industry. 



John W. Davis. 



THE WHITE HOUSE 



Washington, October 13,' 1924. 

 My Dear Mr. Cowles: 



Your letter of October 6th which was sent to the 

 President by the direction of the American Council of 

 Agriculture, has been received and noted. In reply, 

 your attention Is called to the Platform of the Repub- 

 lican Party and also to the President's Speech of Ac- 

 ceptance, copies of which I enclose, showing the Presi- 

 dent's attitude towards agriculture. 

 Sincerely yours, 



(Signed) C. B. Slemp, 

 Secretary to the President. 

 Mr. R. A. Cowles, Secretary, 

 American Council of Agriculture, 

 Chicago, Illinois. 



: THE WHITE HOUSE 



Washington, October 20, 1924. 

 My Dear Mr. Peek: 



I have your letter to the President, asking him to 



give assurance that in the event of his election, and 

 in the further event that the next session of Congress 

 shall fail to enact remedial legislation dealing with 

 the agricultural depression, he wlR call a special ses- 

 sion of Congress after March 4th, for the purpose of 

 dealing with this situation. 



While it would be improper to pledge the Presiden- 

 tial office a long time in advance to the calling of spe- 

 cial sessions of the Congress, you are at liberty to 

 say that the President would at all times take every 

 reasonable government action to promote the welfare 

 of agriculture. He has every expectation that what- 

 ever legislation may now be required will be enacted 

 at the next session of the Congress. 

 Most sincerely yours, 



(Signed) C. B. Slemp, 

 Secretary to the President. 

 Mr. (Seorge N. Peek, 



President, American Council of Agriculttlre, 

 Chicago, Illinois. 



How Illinois Congressional Candidates Stand 



This information has been compiled and furnished by the American 

 Council of Agriculture to its member organisation, the Illinois Agricul- 

 tural Associatton, for the information of its Farm Bureau members and 

 other friends of agriculture. 



The following candidates for re-election to Congress 

 from Illinois supported and voted for the McNary- 

 Haugen bill, which was designed to give agriculture 

 equality with industry and labor, in the last session of 

 Congress and thereby showed themselves as favorable 

 to the enactment of legislation to place agriculture 

 on an equality with industry and labor: 



Prank R. Held, .\nrora llth'^dl.t. 



Cliaa. E. Fuller, Belvidere lath di«t. 



Edw. J. Klii|(, <jiale.bnfv IStli dint. 



^'un. E. HdII. Feorla leth dlat. 



Prank H. Punk, BloomiBKton 17th diat. 



W^m. P. Hoiodar, Georgetown ISth dIat. 



J. Barl Major, Hlllaboro 2lat dlat. 



IVm. M. Arnold. Roblnaon 23rd dlat. 



Tkoa. 8. Wllllama. Lonlavllle 24|k dlat. 



Ed w. E. DcBlaon. Marion 25tk dlat. 



Rich. R. Yntea. Sprlngfleld .^t L«r|re 



Hr. R. Rathbone. Kenliworth At Larse 



The following candidates for election to Congress 

 from your state have made formal expression to the 

 American Council of Agriculture of willingness to 

 vote for and support legislation that will afford agri- 

 culture equality with industry and labor: 



Elmer Whltmore, Chlcaaro lat dlat. 



John P. Reed, Chlcaico leth dlat, 



Geo. Chant. Elmharat 11th dlat. 



Wm. G. CurtlH, Stoekton 13th dlat. 



W. A. Sehnr-lter. Rock iMland 14th dlat. 



H. E. .SchmledeHknmp, Qnlney ISth dlat. 



Prank H. Punk. Bloomlnstoa 17th dlat. 



Harry A. Crawford, Lincoln 17th dlat. 



Jaa. P. Miller. Rldsei-llle I8ih dUt. 



Bdw. P. Poorman. .Mattoon 19th dlat. 



Guy L. Shaw, Beardatown 20th dlat, 



Hy T. Hainey, <'arrolton .20th dlat. 



J. t^arl Major. Hlllahor* 2l8t dlat. 



Ro J F. Bo j-d. Madlaon 22nd dlat. 



H. L. BoUinser, Salem 23rd dlat. 



D. ^'. Kennedy, DuQaoln 2Sth dlat. 



Hy. R. Rathhone, Kemilwarth At Larse 



The following candidates for re-election to Congress 

 from your state opposed the enactment of the McNary- 

 Haugen bill in the last session of Congress. 



XortBB D, Hall. Chlrasa 2iid dlM. 



E. W. Spraal, ChleaBo 3rd diait. 



Thoa. .\. Doyle, rhlram 4tk «lrt. 



A. M. Sabnth. Chleaso : . . Sth dhM. 



Jaa. R. Bnekley. t'kleaKa nth dlat. 



M. A. MIehaelaon. CkiraB*. . ].. . Tth dtat. 



P. A. Britten. < hlraico <.,\J... Mh dlat. 



C. R. rhlndblom. < kloasa leih dlat. 



Hy T. Ralney. Carrolloa ZMh dIM. 



The following candidate'^ for re-election to Con- 

 gress from your state failed to vote on the enactment 

 of the McNary-Haugen bill in the last session of Con- 

 gress and have not otherwise given indication of their 

 position as favoring the enactment of legislation to 

 place agriculture upon an equality with industry and 

 labor: 



lat dlat. 



Martin B. Maddea. Chleaira 

 Slaaley H. Kua, chlcas*. 



ii- 



