Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1916 — WILSON’S SERVICE TO AMERICA’S FARMERS [ARTICLE]

WILSON’S SERVICE TO AMERICA’S FARMERS

Remarkable Record Set Forth in Letter by the President on Signing Bill. NEW LAWS; NEW OUTLOOK Farm Loan Act, Federal Reserve Bank, Provisions for Warehouse and Marketing Facilities Are Part of Program Executed by Democrats. No administration has ever done so much to advance the agriculture Interests of the United States as that of President Wilson. The record is set forth chiefly and effectively In a letter written by the President to Congressman A. F. Lever, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, as follows: THE WHITE HOUSE., Washington. August 11, 1916.

My dear Mr. Lever: It has given me much satisfaction to approve today the bill making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917, and for other purposes, because the bill not only makes very generous provision for the improvement of farm production in the nation and for investigations and demonstrations In the field of the marketing of farm crops and of the organization of rural life, but also contains three well conceived measures designed to improve market practices and the storage and financing df staple crops. As the passage of this bill marks the practical completion Of an important part of the program for the betterment of rural life which'was mapped out at the beginning of the administration, I feel that I cannot let the occasion pass without Conveying to you and your associates In both houses my appreciation of the service rendered to the nation in strengthening Its great agricultural foundations. The record, legislative as well as administrative, is a remarkable one. It speaks for itself and needs only to be set forth.

1. Appreciation of the importance of agriculture has been shown through greatly and intelligently increased appropriations for its support. 2. Particular pains have been taken to foster production by every promising means, and careful thought has been given especially to the matter of Increasing the meat supply of the nation.

3. Greatly increased provision has been made, through the enactment of the Co-operative Agricultural Extension Act, for conveying agricultural information to farmers and for inducing them to apply it. This piece of legislation is one of the most significant and far reaching measures for the education of adults ever adopted by any government. It provides for co-operation between the States and the Federal Government. This is a highly important and significant principle. When the Act is in full operation there will be expended annually under its terms, from Federal and State sources alone, a total of over SB,600,0tX), in the direct education of the farmer; and this amount is being and will be increasingly supplemented by contributions from local sources. It will permit the placing in each of the 2,850 rural counties of the nation two farm demonstrators and specialists who will assist the demonstrators in the more difficult problems confronting them. ■ 4. Systematic provision for the first time has been made for the solution of problems in that important half of agriculture which concerns distribution —marketing, rural finance, and rural organization.

5. Provision was made promptly for the creation of an Office of Markets and Rural Organization and the appropriations for this Office, including those for enforcing new laws designed to promote better marketing, have been increased to $1,200,000. The more difficult problems of marketing are being investigated and plans are in operation for furnishing assistance to producers of perishables through a market new’s service. A similar service for live stock Interests will be inaugurated during the year. 6. The problems of securing the uniform grading of staple crops, of regulating dealings and traffic in them, of developing a better system of warehouses, and of providing more available collateral for farm loans has been successfully dealt with. 7. Under the Cotton Futures Act standards for cotton have been established, the operations of the futures exchanges have been put under supervision, and the sale of cotton has been placed on a firmer basis. 8. The United States Grain Standards Act will secure uniformity in the grading of gralp, enable the farmer to obtain fairer prices for his product, and afford him an incentive to raise better grades of grain. \ 9. The United States Warehouse Act will enable the Department of Agriculture to license bonded warehouses in the various states. It will lead to the development of better storage facilities for staple crops and will make possible the issuance of reliable warehouse receipts w hich will be widely and easily negotiable. 10. Of no less importance for agri-’iFr.-e ;;:i.i for rhe national develop-

in at.* »- Federal Aid Road Act. This men sure will conduce to the establishment of more effective highway machinery in each state, strongly influence the development of good road building along right lines, stimulate larger production and better marketing, promote a fuller aud more attractive rural life, add greatly to the convenience and economic welfare of all the people and strengthen the national foundations. The Act embodies sound principles of road legislation and will safeguard the expenditure of the funds arising under the Act not <mly, but will also result In the more efficient use of the large additional sums made available by States and localities. 11. The Federal Reserve Act benefits the farmer, as it does all the other people of the nation, by guaranteeing better banking, safeguarding the credit structure of the country, and preventing panics. It takes particular note of the special needs of the farmer by making larger provision for loans through national banks on farm mortgages and by giving farm paper a maturity period of six months. 12. It was essential, however, that banking machinery be devised which would reach intimately into the rural districts, that it should operate on terms suited to the farmer’s needs, and should be under sympathetic management. The need was for machinery which would Introduce business methods into farm finance, bring order out of chaos, reduce the cost of handling farm loans, place upon the market mortgages which would be a safe investment for private funds, attract into agricultural operations a fair share of the capital of the nation, and lead to a reduction of interest. These needs and these ideals have been met by the enactment of the Federal Farm Loan Act. *w I am glad to have had an opportunity to take part in the execution of this largo program, which, I believe, will result in making agriculture more profitable and country life more confrontable, and attractive, and, therefore, insure the retention in rural districts of an efficient and contented population. Faithfully yours, WOODROW WILSON. Hon. A. F. Lever, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives.