Speech #690109017

The ink was hardly dry on the armistice when our great industrial leaders set up a shout for the return of the protective system. They pointed out with good reason that they would not be able to compete against the cheap wage scales of the stricken European nations. and the FordneyMcCumber Act. the highest traiff In the history of the Nation. was the result. In almost the same breath Samuel Gompers announced that organized labor would not only continue to insist upon the wage scales of the war period. but that In many trades it would demand substantial increases. and In addition he asked for protection against an influx of foreign laborers. and the ironclad immigration act was the result. And when industry and labor thus refuse to meet world competition is it fair to compel the farmer to meet it. and after having forced.the farmer to do this for seven long. weary years. is it any wonder that the agricultural situation has become a great national tragedy?� Next. let us ask. "For what form of relief does the farmer plead what can Congress do to arrest the. collapse of the great farming industry that is now impending?" Merely to supply a governmental device (which the farmer in his present haphazardly organized condltion is not able to supply himself) through which the protective tariff can be made as effective for agriculture as it is for industrya device that will give to the farmer for his toil a dollar of as great purchasing power as. the dollar that protected industry and labor force him to pay for merchandise. freight rates. etc.. a dollar that will bring about the "equality for agriculture " to which both the Republican and Democratic platforms solemnly pledged themselves in the last presidential campaign! Arrived at this point. next let us ask. " What kind of a governmental device will accomplish this end?" Manifestly a device that will prevent the world price on such commodities as wheat. pork. etc.. from becoming the governing price In the home marketsa device that will enable us to make the tariff effective. as I have said. in the home markets. meanwhile letting the surplus bring what It will in the world markets. and with reference to cotton. a device that will assist the cooperatives in regulating the supply to the demand in lioth the foreign and domestic markets.