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THE PRODUCERS NEWS Paper of the people, by the people, for the people By Peoples Publishing Company, Publishers CONTINUING—The Outlook Promoter, The Out look Optimist, The Dooley Sun, The Antelope In dependent, The Sheridan County News, The Pio neer Press and the Sheridan County Farmer. CHARLES E. TAYLOR. Editor arid Manager FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1929 FARM PROSPERITY AHEAD Thomas D. Campbell, the so-called wheat king, who recently returned from Russia, where he had gone at the behest of the Soviet government, to give expert advice to the Russian Government, which is now under taking a huge experiment in machinized farming, some units containing as many as four hundred thousand acres, predicted recently in an interview in the Mon tana Free Press, and reproduced last week in the Pro ducers News, that agriculture was just entering a period of unprecedented prosperity—that the period of depression was approaching the end of the cycle, and that as a result the value of farms would again rise; and that Montana lands especially were due for a re markable rise in value. In an outburst of optimism, Campbell declared, Montana land is a better buy than any stock on the market—agriculture offers the best financial opportu nities in the world today, but few seem to realize it— The next eight years will witness unprecedented pros perity in America, especially in agriculture." ii We believe that Mr. Campbell is correct, and we pen this after much research. It will be recalled that af ter the Napoleonic wars, there was a great agricultural depression both in Europe and America, which result ed in the depreciation of land values—a reaction to high prices and over development incidental thereto, during the wars. It was a number of years before farming become profitable again and farm lands com menced to rise in price. During the administration of Andrew Jackson, a period of comparative peace in the world, and great emigration of people from Europe to the United States, land values rose rapidly in the United States: any land was easily sold and supported large loan values. The sale of public lands in the west during this time paid off the public debt. How ever, the land bubble burst in 1837 during the first few months of Van Buren's term, and land was for a time a drug on the market, but continuous heavy Euro pean immigration sustained the demand and prices again rose steadily until the Civil war, when agriculture boomed, and product prices and land continued to rise until 1872, at the panic, when agriculture suffered a serious setback, farm product values sinking and land values breaking. The condition was made more acute by the opening of the prairies of the great west. After 1876 agriculture commenced to revive and con ditions improved until the panic of 1892, Cleveland's second administration. Agriculture remained in the doldrums until after 1896, when farm land values sag ged to very low levels, and farm mortgages went be low par. In 1898 with the Spanish war, agricultural product prices commenced to strengthen, and continued to rise until the panic of 1907 when commodity prices fell, for a while but rose again in 1908 and continued to rise until 1912 when they again receded until the outbreak of the World War in August, 1914. Farn: land values had continued to rise from the upturn starting in 1906, First farm mortgages were at a premium on the market and were considered the best and safest form of investment. After the start of the World War, farm products prices soared and land values pyramided, until the debacle of 1920, when the most devastating catastrope that ever befell agricul ture in America occurred, from which it hag not yet fully recovered, but is recovering. It will be recalled that sheep and wool prices fell low in 1920 and *21, but soon recovered. The bottom went out of cattle in the fall of 1920 and the spring of 1921 from which it did not recover fully until last autumn. The prices of hogs, sheep and beef cattle satisfactory. The dairy business went through the post war experience but has since recovered fully. While the price of wheat has remained low, the price of corn is satisfactory, while oats are low because of the passing of the horse both in the city and on the prairie farms. rye follows wheat. The price of sugar is low and there is not much prospects of a rise. are Flax prices are on the rise, The price The rapid changes in farm power from horse tractor power, has created great disturbances in prices, hut the machinized farm promises profitable future grain production in competition with horse power and old-fashioned farming as practiced in most of the competing countries. to So it seems that agriculture experiences its cycle of depression and prosperity, the same as the mining and lumber and manufacturing industries. It would pear that time is about ripe for the upswing in agri culture, which Campbell predicts. If this occurs land values will return, the demand will increase, and farm mortgages will again go to a premium, and those pos sessed of land will find themselves in the same happy situation as those who enterprises. ap now own stocks in industrial When the upswing in farm prices i and Sheridan county lands will make great gains in values. Because of distance from market and dry years during the peak of war prices, farm land infla tion did not occur in the dry land sections of Montana, as they did in other sections which accounts for their present extremely low prices—prices that are rock bot tom and cannot occur, Montana go lower—and which will allow great increases before they reach comparative lands to the east. value with Tom Campbell goes on to say "Seventy-five per cent of all farm relief problems can be solved with our present laws: all that we need i s the courage to enforce Mr. Campbell remarked further, "The farmers buy "* po !' er is »11,000,000,000 less than it was nine years ago. Restore that buying power and you are going to baye some business." This is obvious. Restore this taymg power and surplus labor will find employment, d will commence to consume, which will be reflected immediately in farm commodity price advance "Just give us another good our land values crop this year, and watch K° up, says Campbell. Campbell calls attention to the fact that "Montana 000 00O a ~ 1OSmg 22 CentS PCr bushel on wheat or $H, Says Campb^The* 16 improper grading." ards lie™with P ° Wer °f these grading stand ra. lies with the department of agriculture aoH ™ new legislation is needed." This $11,000.000 'saved to and her busi- ; Montana will mean a lot to her farmers ness men. In speaking of farming, Campbell says adoption of the 2,000 acre farm unit will do much solve the state's agricultural problems. It wou that mechanized farming is only beginning, an low grain prices are going to be overcome only Dy decreased production costs, the result of cheaper farm ing operations and increased acre production. of Russian production, but th.s much of her own that the There is some fear is groundless. Russia will consume future production, and the increased European .con sumption because of cheapened prices, will absorb the increased production and it should be remembered that the awakening of China and resulting rise of living standards there will not only absorb in the course of a few years ail increase in grain production, but will well. The improved take care of our cotton crop as economic conditions of the world will soon reflect it self in commodity prices first and then in land values and when that occurs, which we Sheridan county farmers will come into their believe will occur soon, own. It is our advice, if we may presume to offer any ad vice, to the young man, is to buy land now while it is still cheap, for it is not going to remain long. that way POLITICAL PEN PORTRAITS "A writer in the American Mercury of April describes the so-called progressives of the United States senate, and includes among them Montana's two senators, Thomas J. Walsh and Burton K. Wheeler, and in con nection therewith pens interesting political portraits of those gentlemen," says the Montana Free Press. "Disagreeing with the great majority of the voters of the United States, the author is highly prejudiced against President Hoover, and hence can give his whole-hearted approval to only one of the progressives, Senator Norris of Nebraska, who seemingly was cleans ed of all sin and made perfect because he espoused the of A1 Smith. Though manifestly prejudiced, the cause pen portraits of the various senators are interesting. Of Senator Walsh the author said: " 'Walsh of Montana approaches closest to him (Norris) in ability and intelligence, but is not above suspicion of giving heed to politi cal expediency and certainly not above the charge of manipulating situations to suit his own purposes. His conduct during the oil in vestigation was often partisan and egotistical. His examination of Mellon, Hays, Stewart and Butler was weak and indifferent, queries written out and sent to Nye by the reporters covering the proceedings that really dug into the vitals of these gentry and pro duced a full account of their miserable con duct. Walsh is above question in personal hon esty, but he is strongly controlled by an arro gant and tactless feeling of superiority. His contact with other senators, and particularly progressives, over a period of many years doubtless has given him every reason to des pise them but therein lies a difference between him and Norris. The latter will suffer and work them. Walsh holds himself aloof and goes his own way. "Following is the appraisement made of Senator Wheeler: It was i ?> Wheeler, Walsh's Montana colleague, is a slick politcian, despite his far-flung and largely unmerited reputation as a heroic and persecuted investigator. Wheeler is as dema gogic as any of them. In appearance he looks like a board of trade boomer, or a smart, well fed corporation lawyer. He is an old hand at all the political tricks, and easily plays the game with the party regulars. It was told all over Montana last summer during his cam paign for re-election that he was being sup ported by the big interests of the u < state. How much foundation there was to the story I don't know, but he certainly had a walk away fight of it as compared with cairv paigns in which the copper corporations open ly fought him. "Wheeler devotes himself wholly to potshoot ing. He never makes a speech on the senate floor, confining his remarks to interruptions of other speakers. His greatest activity is in committee, where he readily plays a partisan game. He has no hesitancy in agreeing to se cret committee hearings, although afterwards he will often drop hints of what went on. In a floor fight he is a total loss. He is a miserable speaker, and one of those who never goes to the trouble of preparing himself. Of all the progressives—next to Norris, who does not seek them, and Borah, who zealously courts them—Wheeler has the best hookup with the reporters. He is always available and will pass out the low-down. He also will co-operate in working up a story. Hence the boys of the gallery like him and he gets a good play when occasion offers." PASSING OF S KILLED LABOR Skilled labor is passing: they are now being em ployed on the machines which are taking their place as common labor. Printer telegraph machines are now operating type casting machines located far away from the central machine, thus putting many operators out of a job. Installation of automatic telegraph instruments i abolishing the jobs of hundreds of operators. Seventy per cent of all bakery products output machine made. Automatic machinery is rapidly taking the place of coal miners, and automatic loaders are filling the cars, resulting in speeding production and at the same time lowering wages. Improved machinery in the farming industry in the gram belt is displacing men by the thousands. Nearly anyone can run a tractor or operate any farm machine ry—no skilled labor is required, / In farming the combine has abolished the binder, has done away with the use of binding twine, and the ne cessity of shocking. The combine cuts and threshes the gram and scatters the straw in one operation. The h i S been 1 su P erse ded by the tractor, one of which SSrddft ÄÄT/ h0rSeS a " d ran a twart »- f0 " machinery is taking the place of skilled Ikniedkbor^ mduStry ' and is Orally abolishing iness &in * re putting sma11 merchan ts out of bus Industries, banks and merchants larger concerns. Will it benefit or injure mankind? What does it all mean? That is the big question that this have to answer. is are un are merging in ever generation will COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS There has been again some agitation lately fi air ground, a race track, a grandstand, and fair buildings art) r a , , . proper equipment, located at Plentywood. The Producers News believes that tune to buy the time is oppor and is somewhat , * an( i f° r fair grounds, m sympathy with the entire fair project However, we still believe, that if the Son andTh ed * !'™' S ' W ° 0d ' as • Permanent pro po tion, and the county furnishes the monev for iho Approvements and the necessary buildings besides tho appropriation for the premiums annually it is county fair is no more the taxpayers of the ! of Plenty wood fair association than fair to county, that the city present the county with the grounds, gratis. We said elds before and we reiterate it now. Sheridan to'ivv s . rich— almost bevona <.ur t i'.'prehen rub-.r. il* farm value. Its rot pnur*. it is sion—and g .owing lands are incrv.i • n * . crops are increasing both in acres and production and production i regulär, while operating costs are de creasing thanks to improved methods There is no U acre and better machinery, reason why Sheridan county should not have ample fair grounds, with the proper tracks and adequate build ings. None in the world The fair grounds would exemplify our progressiveness and our prosperi ty: it would afford the opportunity to properly display the results of agricultural activities which would bring people here, and increase the demand and price of our lands, be sides affording recreation to our citi zens. It would promote confidence and good will. Why should not Sheridan county have all of these good things? our < FARMERS SEEKING CON TROL OF THEIR CROPS * Regina, Sask. — (FP)—In the * * decision of the recent United * * Farmers conventoin to seek leg- * * islation requiring all grain grown * * in Saskatchewan to be marketed * * through the wheat pools is, to * * some extent, the Canadian coun- * * terpart of the American farmers' * **demand for a national farm board * * and public credit to market sur- * * plus crops. Saskatchewan is by * * far the greatest of the wheat- * * growing provinces. * Even with the pools handling * * the greater proportion of last * * year's crop, / returns to the grow- * * ers were not satisfactory. To» * * much wheat was crowding the * * markets. Hence the United Far- * * mers idea of using state power to * * increase the wheat pools' ability * * to regulate offerings of grain on * * the market. * * Conservative officials say such * * legislation would make the Unit- * * ed Farmers the real governors of * * the province, and others warn the * * farmers to beware of politics. * * Farmers have noticed however * * that manufacturers d» not hesi- * * täte to mix in politics to get pro- * * fit-padding tariffs. * SR] Economic Articles M is gc m By LELAND OLDS. Federated Press vs\ ■V The decay of England as the manu facturing center of the world is no where more evident than in the fall ing market for it^ cotton goods. Ac cording to the U. S. department of commerce, British exports of cotton yam in 1928 fell 19% short of the 1913 oversea shipments while exports of cotton cloth were down 45% com pared with prewar. Growing hostility to British imperialism, coupled with the rapid expansion of industrialism even in the more backward regions of the world, is sapping the vitality of British industry by drying up its mar kets. Meanwhile official figures at the end of February place the number of unemployed in Great Britain at 1, 468,000, a jump of 116,495. The con servative government's attempts to solve the problem without drastic modification of the old capitalist sys tem are apparently proving a costly failure. British exports of cotton yam in 1928, according to the report, amount ed to 169,212,000 pounds compared with 210,090,000 pounds in 1913. Ex ports of British cotton cloth have fallen from 7,075,652,000 yards in 1913 to 3.866,692,000 yards in 1928. "The prosperity of the British cot ton manufacturing industry," says the report "depends upon its ability to export from 80 to 90% of its pro duction. In postwar years the indus try has met severe competition in many markets which formerly were large consumers of British cotton yam and cloth." Prior to the war India afforded the biggest market for British cotton goods, taking 3,067,361,000 yards of cloth in 1913. In 1928 India took O' ♦> a! A Tip for the Wise Housewife For The Best Meats At the Lowest Prices Come to FORMAN'S Where Quality Prevails And Service is Prompt and Efficient Forman's FRED FORMAN, Prop. Plentywood Phone 17 only 1,541,786,000 yards, a reduction of nearly 50%. Between 1913 and 1928 China, the second largest mar ket, cut its demand for British cotton goods from 716,533,000 yards to 186, 621,000 yards, a reduction of about 74%. To British labor these figures mean chronic unemployment and part time. To British capitalists they mean the necessity of squeez ing out the water injected into »hr capitalization during the yearf of the excessive profits. To ac complish this a huge amalgamation scheme is being Ideveloped to in clude mills with from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 spindles. Export of cotton goods has al ways been closely associated with the growth of the British commercial em pire. Cotton led the way in the me chanical revolution which put England in the van of the capitalist parade. So important did England consider the market for its cotton goods that in the early days it made the export of textile machinery a criminal of fense. But today all that is changed and the number of spindles and looms in China, India and Japan, is steadily increasing. BERGER IS PRAISED BY LA GUARDIA OF N. Y. Washington — (FP)—Tribute to the political and social pioneering done by Victor L. Berger of Milwau kee, retiring Socialist member of the Hosue, was paid in a brief speech by Rep. La Guardia of New York—who was himself elected on the Socialist ticket in 1924, but has resumed his Republican affiliations— before final adjournment on March 4. "Mr. Berger" he said "serves our nation in the capacity of a pioneer, popularizing ideas of political and so cial reform long before they are ac cepted by many, and while they are still frowned upon and denounced by the political leaders. . . . It is a part of the price that is paid for po litical and social progress, in all ages and all lands." CANADA NEARS PACT WITH SOVIET RUSSIA Ottawa (FP)—An admission that the Canadian government is like ly to recognize Soviet Russia soon was brought by the statement of H. J. Mackie, Ontario lumber baron and ex-member of Parliament, upon his return from a trip to the Soviet Union. Mackie publicly said that he had definite information that the Cana dian government was contemplating renewal of trade relations with the Soviet republic. This caused J. S. Woodsworth, Labor Party house lead er, to ask the government what steps were being taken. Premier MacKenzie King answered: "I am unable to say more to my hon orable friends than that the govern ment is giving consideration to the matter." Press dispatches from London say that Mackie's statement has "caused perturbation, industrialists are reported going to Russia to investigate trade prospects. The London Express (owned by Lord Beaverbrook, a Canadian) urges the Baldwin government to abandon its present attitude, "because it is costing Britain a very considerable loss in trade." A number of British % * • -r * tv • I* I I & I y r C (• * 9 \ T HERE'S plenty of action when old bus meets up with Westland gas and a supply of fresh Dura. Sit tight r-it's great stuff! your r pOr; oils motor. W. Tl WESTLAND OIL COMPANY—MINOT, NO. DAKOTA w WESTLAND OIL COMPANY, MINOT, N. D. The Crime of 1929 While the market price of copper was mounting by leaps and bounds, the recent Montana legislative assem bly turned its deaf ear to a proposal of increased taxa, tion. Immediately prior to its convening, and during our 1929 legislative session, copper advanced in price from 13 cents to 19 cents per pound. Provision should have been made to tax these increased values, to be., measured, by 'tens of millions, but Montana had only a minority repre sentation in her legislature. Since adjournment of the last A. C, M. legislature, commonly referred to as the Twenty-first Assembly, the price of coppef has continued to advance. The price now, •25 cents, less a small fraction, means that the net earn ings of the Butte mines of the A. C. M. will show an in crease at the end of the year, of twenty million dollars greater than at the prevailing price at the time when the last legislature was in session. These increased values should be taxed, and the over-burdened tax payer among the masses should be afforded some measure of relief. The natural resources of Montana include the mines. As they become depleted our state should be compensated. When the prices of mines products are highest, the great should be the State's compensation by way of higher taxation. Much of the water that should have turned our taxation wheels has passed on unused; our treasury has been frightfully and shamefully abused, and now shows a deficit of more than three millions in excess of the con stitutional limit. Through depletion of its mines resources, Montana is now earning daily, a vast amount of revenue that she will never collect. Every day counts. Let us exert unprecedented energy for an extra legislative session, and with determination, endeavor to su bstitute the pres ent taxatoin travesty with a measure that will provide for a tax that will be fair, just and equitable. If we fail we must initiate. If we initiate, the copper trust should know that the taxation rates must be higher, that lost time may be compensated for, as well as providing for the future. An extra session would be 100 per cent merit. Its cost would be equal only to the revenue that an equitable measure would yield in a few weeks. If the cost of extra session should be regarded as material, the editor of this paper, a member of the senate, will waive mileage and per diem, and believes that a large number of the members will proffer likewise when signing a petition to the governor for their assembly in extraordinary session. In two or three days an extra session could pass a very moderate bill by amcnlJing the present gross metal mines tax of 1%, to read: 1 per cent 1*4 percent 1 */2 per cent 1 % per cent 2 per cent 2 */2 per cent 3 per cent 5 per cent 8 per cent 12*/ 2 per cent The above schedule of rates should be regarded as moderate when it is kniowm that the state of Montana exacts 12'/2% of the gross production flrom its toil bearing lands, irrespective of the amount produced, and an additional tax of 2% of the gross of all oil pro duced from all lands within this state. In the present marketing situation, the metal mines tax should be higher—much higher tham suggested by the above schedule. That schedule is suggested for legislative act, and immeHiafe ac tion. If the initiative must be resorte'd to the above schedule of rates should be increased not less than 50%. Do the Governor and the A. C. M. think it advisable to express a preference? If not, what do the people think about it? What Ho the independent news papers think about? Every Montana legislator should now go on record for or against a legitimate mines tax, by getting into the print of the paper nearest his home. "Every day counts," er an an Over $500,000 and under $10,000,000, The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 _ The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 The next $5,000,000 All over 50 Million