506 



AGRICULTURAL DISCONTENT 



crops, and meat animals in die Southeast that would deprive them of their 

 former markets. Such a trend had been in evidence from 1929 to 1934, 

 which, of course, had the effect of lessening dependence of the Southeast 

 on the Middle West for feed and food crops. During 1935 the A.A.A. 

 boosted the rate of increase with more legislation. Meanwhile, few food- 

 processing plants had been built, which was accepted as pretty good evi- 

 dence that the farmers in the Southeast were "using their home-grown 

 meat animals, instead of importing meat from Midwestern plants." 11 



According to one source, the Supreme Court decision was acting as a 

 boomerang in support of the farm program of 1936. Many had been led 

 to believe that the end of processing taxes would bring about price drops, 

 and it seems that this promise had been taken seriously. By late February, 

 1936, there were some drops which actually did take place, but these were 

 hardly commensurate with the hopes of the more optimistic. Because 

 prices did not drop as expected, grievances because of high prices that 

 formerly had been directed against the farmers were now aimed at the 

 manufacturers and processors, who before had charged that the processing 

 taxes had been responsible for the rising living costs. On the basis of this 

 reasoning, the Supreme Court had succeeded in creating more favorable 

 sentiment in behalf of the A.A.A. than had the administration itself. 12 



The farm question was expected to play an important part in the presi- 

 dential campaign of 1936, and the corn, hog, and wheat states were 

 destined to become important scenes of political battle. It was largely 

 because of assumed disaffections and the prospect of capturing votes there 

 that Alfred M. Landon of Kansas became the Republican presidential 

 nominee. If we are to believe Business Wee\, the Republicans nominated 

 Landon because he was "their kind of person, possessing the homely 

 Calvin Coolidge virtues, the old-fashioned, covered wagon, typical prairie 

 state ideas of thrift and economy, recognition of property as well as human 

 rights, etc." If this was the case, here is good evidence that in four long 

 years the Republicans had learned nothing and had forgotten nothing. 



Besides going into the heart of the farm belt for a presidential candidate, 

 pressure was reported coming from Wall Street "enemy territory," as 



11. "Worried By Dixie," ibid., pp. 25-26. 



12. Morton Taylor, "The Middle West Answers The Court," New Republic, 

 UCXXVI (February 26, 1936), pp. 71-72. 



