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AMERICAN POMOEOGICAE SOCIETY 
Mr. President, that ought not to be the case; we ought not to be fined 
for being industrious; for being scientific; and because we have the ambi- 
tion and industry to produce these big crops in our various lines, and from 
month to month, for the whole world that is needing them. But that is 
the state of affairs in Texas, — as it is the state of affairs in other states. 
There ought to be some voice coming up out of the people, somewhere, 
somehow, some time and some place, saying that our product should be 
disposed of fairly, and that no commercial product that is a staple necessity 
and has a standard value, that is required to perpetuate life, to give comfort 
and to give courage to our American manhood and womanhood, shall take 
on any value that it is required to by those having no part in production. 
There ought to be standards such that a man ought not to be fined when 
ever he produces a great, abundant harvest for this great people. We are 
suffering in some places every year for food and for clothing. Let us pon- 
der on these things, for the people are taking up our surplus crops and the 
waiting world is willing to accept and ready to respond if we could only 
reach it. But somehow, as I said, some place, somewhere, the brokers, 
the commission men, the men who stand behind the scenes and control that 
secret voice, have a way of depressing our markets and of decrying our re- 
sults and of fining us for thus producing a wonderful crop, a bountiful harvest. 
It ought not to be so. And, Mr. President, it seems to me that this is 
a proper place, one of the places, where we should absorb this idea of the 
situation and then give it out and stand firm and put into the ear of our 
people the inspiration that would lead us out of this geat wilderness of 
submission to the domination of such people. This society ought to be 
a factor that will do real service for us alike in the matter of prices as 
well as in the extension of the production of food supplies for those who 
need to be fed. 
We have all the idea of bettering the conditions; but how? Organize, 
you say? We can go together in some cases and form an organization. 
But the real question is as to the Government, and how we are going to get 
cooperation through it? We are all stockholders, so to speak, and we pay 
our assessments, — taxes to the Government. (Applause) It belongs to us: 
This house belongs to us; and this great government establishment belongs 
to us, and these marble buildings for departments and for Congress all be- 
long to us here, belong to every man and woman and child in each and 
every state in the Union. Are we to have the same arrangements and 
regulations and houses now as formerly, just because they were so fifty 
years ago? 
Prices can be regulated by law, — standardized. We can standardize 
our prices just the same as we standardize other charges like salaries. 
Salaries are standardized; people get a regular salary no matter whether 
it rains or shines. And members of professions sell their services at stand- 
ard prices. When the bills come and the collections are made, that is our 
cue for each standard. Our taxes are standardized; they come regularly — 
they never fail. Why not standardize the food supply; the clothing supply, 
of this country when it can be done? I believe that here would be a good 
place to make a motion to that effect, that we appeal to our Government to 
