October 25, 1924 



The DlinoU Agricultural A«»oci«tion Record 



Pace 3 



Council Gives ^^Agricultural Equality Report^^ 



Tklg rrport is jmryusked by the Amrricvi Council of Agriculture to its 

 mrmbet orgamjatimt, the lUinois Agricultural Association, lor the in- 

 lormation of Illinois farm bureau members atul other friends of agricul- 

 ture, tit vill be remembered by farm bureau members that the American 

 I'oundii of Agriculture was formed last spring at the St. Paul conference 

 after 'the defeat of the McSary-Raugen bill. The sole purpose of the 

 Cnuneil IP«J definitely made to be the obtaining of legislation putting agri- 

 rultuie on an equality with industry and labor along the lines of the 

 UiStry-Haugen bilL The Council has been active and has secured 

 pledges favorable to agricultural equality from Congressional candidates all 

 over the country. This report covers the Councifs activity in Illinois.) 



"Agriculture ashs an American price for the American requieemettt, 

 indefimdent of the world price for the surplus." is the slogan of Ika 

 .imericttn Council of Agriculture. 



FoUowing are the three party platforms on atncuUmt: 



I 



Republican 



l|i dealing with agriculture, the Republican 

 party recognizes that we are faced with a funda- 

 mental national problem, and that the prosperity 

 and welfare of the Nation as ai whole is dependent 

 upan the prosperity and welfare of our agricul- 

 tural population. 



We recognize that agricultural activities are still 

 struggling with adverse conditions that have 

 brobght deep distress. We pledge the party to 

 takp whatever steps are necessarj- to bring back 

 a balanced condition between agriculture, industry 

 and labor, which was destroyed by the Democratic 

 party through an unfortunate administration of 

 legislation passed as war measures. 



We affirm that under the Eepnblican adminis- 

 tration the problems of the fanner have received 

 more serious consideration than ever before, both 

 by definite executive action and by congressional 

 action, not only in the field of general legislation 

 but also in the enactment of laws to meet emer- 

 ge^icy situations. 



The restoration of general prosperity and of the 

 purchasing power of our people through tariff pro- 

 tection has resulted in an increased domestic con- 

 sumption of food products, and the prices of manj' 

 agricultural commodities are above the world price 

 leyel by reason of direct tariff protection. 



Under the leadership of the President at a most 

 critical time a corporation was organized by private 

 capital making available $100,000,000 to assist the 

 farmers of the Northweist. 



Realizing the disturbance In the agricultural export 

 market, fhe result of the financial depression in Eu- 

 rope, and appreciating that the export field would be 

 enormously improred by economic rehabilitation and 

 the resulting increased consuming power, sympathetic 

 support and direction were given to the work of the 

 American representatives on the European Repara- 

 tions commission. 



The revival in 1921 of the War Finance corpora- 

 tion, with loans of over }300,000,000, averted a com- 

 plete collapse in the agricultural industry. 



We have established hew intermediate credit banks 

 for agriculture and increased the capital of the Fed- 



i I Progretiive j 



We favor drastic reduction of the exorbitant 

 duties on manufactures provided in the Pordney- 

 McCumber tariff legislation, the prohibiting of 

 gambling by speculators and profiteers in agricul- 

 tural products; the reconstruction of the Federal 

 Reserve and Federal Farm Loan systems so as to 

 eliminate control by usurers, speculators and inter- 

 national financiers, and to make the credit of the 

 nation available upon fair terms to all and without 

 discrimination to business men, farmers and home- 

 builders. We advocate the calling of a special ses- 

 sion of Congress to pass legislation for the relief of 

 American agriculture. We favor such further 

 legislation as may be needful or helpful in promot- 

 ing and protecting co-operative enterprises. We 

 demand that the Interstate Commerce commission 

 proceed forthwith to reduce by an approximation 

 to pre-war levels the present freight rates on agri- 

 cultural products, including live stock, and upon 

 the materials required upon American farms for 

 agricultural purposes. 



(Republican — Continued) 



eral Farm Loan system. Emergency loans have been 

 granted to drought-stricken areas. 



W.e have enacted into law the Co-operative Market- 

 ing act, the Grain Futures and Packer Control acts; 

 given to agriculture direct representation on the Fed- 

 eral Reserve board and on the Federal Trade com- 

 mission. 



We have greatly strengthened our foreign market- 

 ing service for the disposal of our agricultural prod- 

 ucts. 



The crux of the problem from the standpoint of the 

 farmer is the net profit he receives after his outlay. 

 The process of bringing the average prices of what 

 he buys and what he sells closer together can be in- 

 directly expedited by reduction in taxes, steady em- 

 ployment in industry and stability in business. This 

 process can be directly expedited by lower freight 

 rates, by better marketing through co-operative effort 

 and a more scientific organization of the physical and 

 human machinery of distribution and by a greater di- 

 versification of farm products. 



We promise every assistance in the reorganization 

 of the marketing system on sounder and more eco- 

 nomical lines and, where diversification is needed, gov- 

 ernment assistance during the period of transition. 



We favor adequate tariff protection to such of our 

 agricultural products as are threatened by foreign 

 competition. 



We favor, without putting the government into busi- 

 ness, the establishment of a federal system of organi- 

 zation for co-operative marketing of farm products. 



The vigorous efforts of this administration towards 

 broadening our exports market will be continued. 



The Republican party pledges itself to the develop- 

 ment and enactment of measures which will place the 

 agricultural Interests of America on a basis of eco- 

 nomic equality with other industry to insure Its pros- 

 perity and success. 



Democrat 



During the four years of Republican government, 

 the economic condition of the American farmer has 

 changed from comfort to bankruptcy, with all its 

 attendant miseries. The chief causes of this are: 



(a) The Republican party policy of isolation in 

 international affairs has prevented Europe from 

 getting back to its normal balance, and, by leaving 

 unsolved the economic problems abroad, has driven 

 the European city population from industrial activ- 

 ities to the soil in large numbers in order to earn 

 the mere necessaries of life. This has deprived the 

 American farmer of his normal export trade. 



. (b) The Republican policy of a prohibitive 

 tariff, exemplified in the Fordney-McCumber law, 

 which has forced the American farmer, with his ex- 

 port market debilitated, to buy manufactured goods 

 at sustained high domestic levels, thereby making 

 him the victim of the profiteer. 



(c) The Republican policy of high transporta- 

 tion rates, both rail and water, which has made it 

 impossible for the farmer to ship his produce to 

 market at even a living profit. j ,c 



To offset these policies and their disastrous results, 

 and to restore the farmer again to economic equality 

 with other industrialists, we pledge ourselves; 



(a) To adopt an international policy of such co- 

 operation by direct ofllcial instead of indirect and 

 evasive unofficial means as will re-establish the farm- 

 er's export market by restoring the industrial balance 

 in Europe and the normal flow of international trade 

 with the settlement of Europe's economic problems. 



(b) To adjust the tariff so that the farmer and all 

 classes can buy again in a competitive manufacturer's 

 market. 



(c) To readjust and lower rail and water rates, 

 which will make our markets, both for the buyer and 

 the seller, national and international. Instead of re- 

 gional and local. 



(d) To bring about the early completion of in- 

 ternal waterway systems for transportation and to de- 

 vt'lop our water powers for cheaper fertilizer and for 

 use on our farms. 



(e) To stimulate by every proper governmental 

 activity the progress of the co-operative marketing 

 movement and the establishment of an export market- 

 ing corporation or commission, in order that the ex- 

 portable suridbs may not establish the price of the 

 whole crop, i 



(f) To secure for the farmer credits suitable for 

 his needs. 



(g) By the establishment of these policies and 

 others naturally supplementary thereto to reduce the 

 margin between what the producer receives for his 

 products and the consinner has to pay for his supplies, 

 to the end that we secure an equality for agriculture. 



i 



^! 



What the Three Candidates Say For Agriculture 



Mr. Coolidge 



(From his address of acceptance, Aug. i4. 1934.) 



I am for protection because it maintains Ameri- 

 can standards of living and of business, for agri- 

 culture, industrj- and labor. I am in favor of the 

 elastic provisions of our tariff law. I propose to 

 administer them, not politically, but judicially. As 

 the business of the world becomes stabilized, with- 

 ont throwing all our economic system into confu- 

 sion, we can raise or lower specific schedules to meet 

 tke requirements of a scientific adjustment. 



I confess that my inheritance and personal ex- 

 perience have bred in me a keen interest in the 

 welfare of agriculture. Perhaps the very hardships 

 that those who have been engaged in it have en- 

 countered have caused it to be the chief source of 

 tkat independence and stalwart citizenship which has 

 contributed so lavishly to the glory of American life. 

 It constitutes an element in our Nation of such im- 

 portance as to be worthy of the utmost solicitude and 

 concern. One of our first thoughts in 1921 was for 

 its relief and revival. As many as 15 laws have been 

 passed to assist and support this fundamental indus- 

 try. Through the War Finance corporation it has 

 t>een extended credits of between $300,000,000 and 

 $400,000,000. In addition to this, government activ- 

 ity provided about $50,000,000 from private sources 

 for the relief of the cattle industry, and in the early 

 spring of this year a $10,000,000 corporation was 

 formed, which it was estimated could furnish $100.- 

 000,000 for diversification and financial relief in the 



(To Mr. CooUdgc— Page 4.) 



.1 



I I Mr. La FoUette 



' I Sioux Falls, So. Dakota, 



October 18, 1924. 

 Mr. Robert A. Cowles, Secretary, 

 American Council of Agriculture, 

 1200 Transportation Building, 

 Chicago, Illinois. 

 M}^ Dear Mr. Cowles: — 



Your kind letter of October 6th has been re- 

 ceived, asking if I am elected President whether 

 I would further the enactment of adequate laws 

 insuring equality for agriculture, and specifically 

 in the event of the failure of the short session of 

 Congress to enact such remedial farm relief legis- 

 lation, whether I shall call a special session of Con- 

 gress to enact such legislation. 



I have already answered both of your questions. 

 In my public addresses throughout the country I have 

 stated, and I now repeat that I stand firmly for the 

 principle of agricultural equality which underlies both 

 the McNary-Haugen and Norris-Sinclair bills. 



I recognize that the paramount immediate issue be- 

 fore the people of this country today is the restoration 

 of agriculture. To that end I shall call a special ses- 

 sion of Congress to pass legislation for agricultural 

 relief. 



Much has been said by those who have sought to 

 becloud the issues involved in farm relief legislation 

 that the farmers themselves were not in agreement on 

 the subject. During my rather extended service in 

 the Senate, I have seen nothing more heartening than 

 (To Mr. La FollMtt— P«»e 4.) 



Mr. Davit 



» (From his Omaha address.) ^ - -- 



The Democratic party has a definite program 

 by means of which we hope to restore the farmer 

 to the economic equality of which he has been 

 unjustly deprived. We undertake: 



To adopt an international policy of such co-oper- 

 ation, by direct official instead of indirect and 

 evasive unofficial means, as will re-establish the 

 farmer's export market by restoring the industrial 

 balance in Europe and the normal flow of inter- 

 national trade with the settlement of Europe's 

 economic problems. 



To adjust the tariff so that the farmer and all 

 other classes can buy again in a competitive market. 



To reduce taxation, both direct and indirect, and 

 by strict economy to lighten the burdens of govern- 

 ment. 



To readjust and lower rail and water rates, which 

 will make our markets, both for the buyer and the 

 seller, national and international instead of regional 

 and local. 



To bring about the early completion of internal 

 waterways systems for transportation, and to develop 

 our water powers for cheaper fertilizer and use on 

 our farms. 



To stimulate by every governmental activity the 

 progress of the co-operative marketing movement and 

 the establishment of an export marketing corporation 

 or commission in order that the exportable surplus 

 may not establish the price of the whole crop. 

 (To Mr. Davu— Pise 4.) 



7 



t 



\ \ 



1 \ 



'ifl 



i 



^ \ 



