TIIE MORNING OREGONIAX, WEDNESDAY, . AUGUST 11, 1920
7,
T
00 MUCH POLITICS
FARMERS' PROTEST
Producers Disgusted With
Ways of Office-Seekers.
PARTY TIES WEAKENING
Reasons tor Unrest In Agricultural
Districts of Country Found
to Be Substantial.
BT FRANK M. DALLAM JR.
Third Article.'
Dealing with the inquiry as to
what is fermenting in the minds of
the farmers of the state of Wash
ington, it becomes evident that some
thir.g deeper moves in the spirit of
men than an easy yielding to the
plausible formula of a paid solicitor
when they decide to align themselves
with an organization that has been
so anathematized as the Nonpartisan
league.
A search for the reasons will dis
cover that they are many and vari
ous. The two specific farm problems
that as yet have not been solved here,
more satisfactory marketing facilities
mad better credit arrangements, have
ben dealth with in a previous article,
an 1 the general questions, some of
which are national and in a way to be
corrected by a change of administra
tion, remain to be considered.
The matters of natural application,
having a wider and probably more
Impressive effect, will be treated of
firs-t. To begin with the farmers have
chafed under a strong sense of in
justice as a result of the fixing of the
price of wheat while the cotton and
the sugar planters of the south were
permitted to enjoy a free market for
their produots. Something of the
manner in which this and other war
policies and conditions rankle in the
farmers' minds was expressed a
month ago by a representative of the
National Board of Farm organiza
tions, addressing the resolutions com
mittee of the democratic convention
at San Francisco in these words:
Farmer Faces Emergency.
"In spite of the so-called high prices
received by the farmer for his prod
ucts, the boys and girls and the hired
help and even the farmers themselves
are leaving the farm. During the war
the farmer gave his nation in the
hour of its need a type of pure patri
otism exceeded by none and equaled
only by one other class of our people,
namely, the salaried class. Labor said,
Wo will have wages that pay or we
quit right here, war or no war.' Cap
ital took the government by the throat
and said, "We will not strike a lick
unless we can be assured that we will
have cost plus a reasonable profit.'
Thu farmer, with his help taken away
by the cost plus industries, at hours
of labor that no slave driver would
exceed, and with the assistance of the
old men, of women who had never
worked in the field before, and of
children of such tender age that they
should not have been called into ac
tive duty, were out into the field and
brought forth the greatest crops we
have ever known and which saved the
civilization of the world. For that
magnificent service they have been
and are called profiteers. This is an
outrage!" (
Like most general statements, this
is a little too positive and a little too
inclusive, but it reflects a feeling that
is widespread among farmers.
The .farmers as a whole did respond
nobly and effectively to the nation's
appeal for greater foodstuffs produc
tion under tha handicaps above cited.
They saw their sons go forth with the
youth of America literally by the mil
lions to glv their lives if need be
In the service of their country. They
saw the finest examples everywhere
throughout the land, of self-denial
and self-sacrifice devoted to the same
cause. And at the same time they
saw the revolting spectacle of greed
eagerly fattening on the opportun-ities-to
grab great riches from a
world at war to save civilization.
Producer Again Disgusted.
Then following the close of the war
the farmers were further disgusted
by the preconvention windmill smash
ing campaign of a quixotic atforney-
general heralded as certain to frighten.
tne prcnteer ana Dring tt. (J. L. flut
tering to earth, but with an entirely
contrary result.
The intemperate language of poli
tics has had much to do In recent
years with creating the prevalent
spirit of unrest. The character of
campaigns has been degenerating year
by year. The contests are ever be
coming less a clash of ideas than a
H lin T.lil ft H nl,na 1Tk.:jl.J .1
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clt-liou and vituperation of candidates
and parties have superseded argument
end discussion of policies and princi
ples. Periodically party platforms and
party nominees brand each other as
corrupt, unfaithful, inefficient and
unfit. This has gone on until a large
number of citizens upon whom party
ties rest lightly have become con
vinced that both sides have been tell
ing tha truth and that all officialdom.
Including the courts, is reeking with
graft and dishonesty and subservi
ence to special privilege, and that the
people have nothing to hope for from
the old parties.
This alone has made the way easy
for the organizers of new parties that
deal specifically with group problems
and that offer programmes calcu
lated to appeal to the self-interest of
each group.
Among the realizations awakened
by the war is that the welfare of the
whole country transcends all individ
ual or factional or partisan interests:
that parties exist merely as mediums
for giving expression to group con
victims and principles and policies In
tended to promote the general good,
ftnd that when parties cease to fulfill
that purpose they have lost their rea
son for existence.
Protest Made Possible.
It Is this fact that ultimately will
defeat the al.ns and check the rise of
the class-conscious organizations that
are being formed and attempting to
coalesce in this country today. But
at the time of their inception, and be
fore thy have had opportunity to
prove the fallacy of their course,
they offer a means of protest to many
who have no genuine sympathy witb.
ranch that they propose.
Coming ire nearly home and con
sidering thos.i things that have a
more particular local significance and
& vexing influence upon all but felt
by none more keenly than by the
farmer there Is the ever-growing
burden -of taxation which is a con
stant irritant in this state. Demand
for retrenchment in governmental ex
penditures had been met by increased
expenditures until the taxpayers al
most despair of relief. Nearly every
office-seeker In the state at one time
or another has promised reductions if
eieciea. cut taxes nave kept going
upward steadily and with accelerated
cpeed. All men who possess property,
especially real estate, are chafing un
der this progressive burden. Honest
attempts have been made by officials
as tu as omers to check the rise In
governmental costs, but appreciable
results have not been obtained! Re
sponsibility for this condition, how
ever, cannot fairly be placed upon the
shoulders of the office holders and
the politicians altogether. Events
over which they have no control, the
demands for progress in a new state
and the change in general conditions
have all contributed to higher tax
rates. Definite programmes for re
ducing administrative .costs in this
state and the courage to carry
through r roposals to that end as well
as to advocate them have been con
spicuously lacking
Voters Share Responsibility.
As a general thing the voters them
selves have displayed far more inter
est in the abstract proposition that
public funds should be more prudent
ly handled than they have in defeat
ing specific proposals for the expen
diture of more funds. And it should
be pointed out here that a not in
considerable, part of the burden of
taxation is due to pressure from
groups organized for selfish purposes
who have succeeded in their objects
because a majority sentiment, less ef
fectively organized had not the cour
age or the mobilized strength to suc
cessfully i oppose them, even though
out of sympathy with their demands.
After all is said to explain the vari
ous reasons for the mounting cost of
government, there can be no escaping
the fact that a more frugal manage
ment of the public business in all its
branches could and would save thou
sands of dollars annually to the tax
payers of the state. A
Since this has not been seriously at
tempted, or at any rate has not been
effected, there can be little wonder
that those farmers who are otherwise
inclined to accept the tenets of the
non-partisari league are not deterred
from supporting that organization by
the stories of the manner in which
taxes in North Dakota have ascended
under the new dispensation in that
state. They may compare their own
tax statements with those who possess
an equal amount of property in North
Dakota and fail to be Impressed by
the argument.
Legislative Control Resented.
Not only among the members of
the non-partisan league, but among
all groups of citizens throughout the
state, regardless of party affiliations,
there is strongly evident a growing
disgust with the resentment of the
way in which the legislative machin
ery of the state has been organized
and the manner in which legislation
is disposed of. The conviction has
become generally fixed that a few
men not representative of party or
of popular desire have long held too
much power in the legislative coun
cils at Olympia. They know that the
things the majority of the people have
most wanted have been forced
through the legislature over the op
position of this coterie more often
than with their willing co-operation.
The republican party has elected a
majority to the legislature in each
biennial election since the days of
populism in this state and it has been
the force of the dominant voice of re
publican. conscience that has compelled
the enactment of that body of laws
that has given this state rank among
the more progressive commonwealths
of the country. It is not the fact that
a powerful little combination has op
posed? desired legislation, but the
methods used in their efforts to ob
struct that have aroused such general
resentment. The people want the de
cision on all important legislation on
the floor of the legislature and not in
hostile committee chambers.
That is the chief rub. Honest op
position on principle commands re
spect, but the closing of the chan
nels of legislative procedure to the
free processes of representative gov
ernment is the thing that is repro
bated.
Problem Up to People.
This is a thing that can and will
be corrected by the people themselves
through the proper application of the
powers that rest with them in choos
ing their representatives. There
certainly is no desire among the vast
majority to supersede the present evil
by the institution of the greater and
far more dangerous evil of the secret
caucus, the extra-legal ... legislative
process adopted by the non-partisan
league in iNortn uaKota.
.While not all, these are the princi
pal matters that play upon the tern
pers of the farmers and are caus
ing more or less dissatisfaction
among them as gathered from the re
plies to the inquiries made in an ef
fort to find the facts rather than to
support a theory. It will be seen that
in the main the farmer is concerned
about much the same things as inter
est and disturb the other groups of
society, and that while general con
ditions have benefited the agricultur
al industry as a whole the prosperity
that has come to the farmer has not
blinded him to errors that need cor
rection or defects that need adjust
ment. Where prosperity has passed
by on the other side it has been due
to circumstances over which men
have no control.
As to the state of mind of the farm
ers here it may be said that among
tne Dig majority there is no purpose
to abandon the American principles
of government, but there is a deter
mination to abolish the evils that have
been mentioned and to clear the way
for a fair field and equal enjoyment of
opportunities as contemplated by
constitutional guarantees.
CITY YOUTHS TAKE LAND
EX-SERVICE MEX SETTLE IX
IiAXB COUXTST.
One, School Teacher, to Follow
Profession During Week and
Spend Week-End on "Ranch." '
EUGENE. Or., Aug. 10. (Special.)
Four young men from Chicago, who
heretofore have lived in the city, have
taken up homesteads of Oregon &
California railroad grant lands near
Wendling In Lane county, and each
has built a cabin on his claim. .
One of the men, Arnold Collier, who
Is a school teacher, having spent a
number of years teaching in the Chi
cago schools, has made arrangements
with E. J. Moore, county school su
perintendent, to teach not far away
and will spend the week-ends on his
"ranch" during the school term.
The other men are Carl Lothgrin,
Dillaye Holmer and Charles James.
Superintendent Moore reports that
another school teacher. Barton T.
Rhinehart, has taken up land near
Elmira and has been engaged as
principal of the high school there
for the coming year. His wife is now
teaching in Texas, but when the home
on the timbered farm is a littlebetter
established, she will come to live
with her husband on the claim, says
Mr. " Rhinehart.
Ashland Eggs Bring Good Prices.
ASHLAND. Or., Aug. 10. (Special.)
The Ashland Ashbellent Egg so
ciety disposed of 6245 dozen eggs dur
ing the month of July at the local
headquarters in the Ashland Fruit
and rroouce association building,
which secured a good price. The
amount and price for each week were!
July 3. 1166 dozen at 48 cents; July
10, 1477 dozen at 4S cents; July 17,
134S dozen at BO cents; July 24, 1346
dozen at 60 cents; July 31. 913 dozen
at 61 cents.
LOW INTEREST BILL
CAUSES BIG PROTEST
Meeting Called in Various
Localities for Discussion.
USURY WOULD BE INVITED
Farming Interests and Labor Would
Be Greatest Sufferers Capital
AVould Go Elsewhere.
In many localities, throughout Ore
gon meetings have been called for
discussion among farmers and busi
ness men, of a constitutional amend
ment, proposed by Initiative petition
filed with the secretary of state, the
object of which is to limit the legal
rate of interest to be charged in the
state of Oregon to 4 per cent on all
moneys after they become due, and
5 per cent on what are known as con
tract loans. The measure will go be
fore the voters at the general election
to be held Tuesday, November 2. Cor
vallis and Albany will have meetings
August 17; Salem and Oregon City,
August IS; Hillsboro, McMinn ville and
St. Helens, August 19; Astoria, Aug
ust 20, and Hood River and The Dalles,
August 21. Dates for meetings in
other parts of the state have not as
yet been set, and will be announced
later.
Usury Is Invited.
The wording of the proposed meas
ure appears to benefit borrowers and
sounds plausible, yet it is a direct
invitation to the usury which it seeks
to overcome. Usury will become all
the more pronounced, say local stu
dents of finance, inasmuch as such
a measure will reduce the number of
lenders by driving "outside" as well
as "home" money to other markets.
This means increased risk for the few
who would loan money in Oregon,
and to assume such a risk, although
in direct violation of the statute it
self, these lenders would exact a
heavy toll, thereby Increasing the
legal interest paid in the state as
similar loans did in Europe.
By some it is believed that the
measure is directed, in the main.
against the banking interests of Ore
gon. This is erroneous when the fact
becomes known that the banks would
be less interfered with than any other
interests, for the reason that these
institutions can very readily loan
their surplus funds outside of the
state, even on "call" in New York if
they so desired.
Outside Loans Fully TO Per Cent.
The truth of the matter is, that "70
per cent of all moneys loaned in
Oregon comes from "outside" of the
state, and with this stupendous sum
withdrawn, as would surely be done
in case of such a rate o,f interest be
coming effective, what would the
farming classes do for capital with
which to gather their crops, or grow
ing industries do for lack of suffi
cient loans to enable them to pursue
business?
Speaking of this feature, E. E.
Faville, editor of the Western Farmer,
which circulates widely throughout the
northwest, says that such a measure
is entirely without merit, that it is
impractical and would be
that it would prevent functioning of
me reaerai liOaa DanK in Oregon, and
would in many other ways prove
runous.
L. A. Lewis, of Allen & Lewis,
wholesale grocers of Portland, ridi
culed the proposed amendment, saying
that it meant a gathering of usurious
sharks throughout Oregon, men who
would stop at nothing to gain exces
sive charges for use of money, their
fees being made so large as to war
rant them in taking the risk of beinir
called to account by the law for its
violation.
Mr. Lewis states that evsrv -
sion and subterfuge known would be
resorted to, and those in such dire
need of money that they simply had
to have it would pay dearly for every
rlnlldT thaw rrn
Educational Campaign Needed.
C. F. Adams, first vice-president of
iiie j-irst. .national bank of Portland
says the opinion among some bankers
' 'o mane no errort to prevent th
measure's passage, saying that if the
public are so foolish as to tie the
state up in such a ridiculous mm...
to let them go ahead and do it, as'
wcuncia wuma suiter Dut little.
But Mr. Adams is not in sympathy
with that idea. He believes that If
the measure should be enacted into
law, it will be the result of the ma
jority not understanding what would
result from it, the heavy usury that
would follow, and the like, and for
that reason he favors educating the
public along the proper lines. "The
people of Oregon are among the most
intelligent In the world," says Mr.
Adams, "and once the real purpose
of this proposed measure Is brought
to their attention, it will , sound its
doom."
Edgar H. Sensenich, vice-president
of the Northwestern National bank,
says the measure could have but one
direct effect in Oregon, the paralyz
ing of every industry throughout the
state and prove a lasting handicap
to the farming interests.
Wall Around State Suggested.
"Tou might just as well build a great
wall around the state, and placard it
with announcements that all capital
was to stay away from Oregon, as to
pass such a law," is the way Edward
L. Cookingham, president of the Ladd
and Tilton bank, expresses It.
Robert E. Smith, president of the
Title and Trust company, is vigor
ously opposed to any such measure,
and very frankly says that as soon
as such a measure became effective,
if passed, he would Immediately begin
"calling" loans he has outstanding,
and that it would be impossible to
enter into renewals of any character.
Charles H. Stewart, assistant deputy
governor of the Federal Reserve
bank, declares the measure rank and
suicidal, saying he would dislike to
own property in a state having such
a law.
William McMaster perhaps loans
more money on farming property in
Oregon than any one else, the money
used being foreign capital. Mr. Mc
Master estimates that, in excess of
$20,000,000 is outstanding today in
this state on city and farm property,
the bulk of which would be called in.
lw Would Be Impractical.
Mr. McMaster states that he is
satisfied that any such law passed
would be repealed, but that if this
was done within 12 months after be
coming effective, the damage done
in the interum would set Oregon back
fully 25 years.
Nathan Strauss, of . Fleischner,
Mayer & Co, wholesale drygoods
merchants of Portland, says: "You
might just as well attempt to pass a
law preventing the farmer from ask
ing more than &0 cents a bushel for
his potatoes or wheat or other pro
ducts, and you might as well fill your
statute books with laws limiting the
prices of other commodities, and yet
this could not compel anyone to sell
at these prices If markets outside of
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This store is the home of
Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes
Satisfaction or money back
Sam'l Rosenblatt & Co.
Fifth and Alder Streets
the state o Oregon afforded higher
prices."
Franklin T. Griffith, attorney, and
president of the Portland Railway,
Light & Power company, expressed
the opinion that such a measure
would do irreparable damage, and
would literally ruin the state.
Labor Would Suffer.
That the laboring classes would
suffer almost as much as the farming
interests, was voiced by O. R. Hart
wig, president of the Oregon state
Federation of Labor. He stated that
while laboring men were today buy
ing homes on the installment plan,
on the deferred payments of which
they were paying interest at the rate
of about 7 per cent, and would of
course like to have such rate lowered,
at the same time ne was under the
impression that they would think a
long time before giving their approval
to any such measure, realizing the
disastrous effect it would have in
throwing thousands of men out of
employment, due to closing down of
hundreds of large industries, the re
sult of inability to get capital. For
this reason, if for no other. President
Hartwig says, the laboring element
should vote, as a unit, against It. v
Within the last ten years the for
est service has brought about the
sale of 420,000,000 feet of timber in
the national forests of Alaska for
piling, sawiogs and shingle bolts.
MUSIC HOME IS PLANNED
975,000 SIKrCTTRE TO BE
ERECTED AT EtTGEXE.
Housing Committee Takes Steps to
Have Building Under Way by
Tall Term of University.
EUGENE, Or., Aug. 10. (Special.)
Definite decision to erect a $75,000
brick building to house the depart
ment of music at the University of
Oregon has been reached by the hous
ing committee of the Eugene cham
ber of commerce, notwithstanding the
opinion of the state attorney-general
that the plan to erect the building
on the campus would be illegal.
The new plan as worked out by
the committee will be to erect the
building on ground adjoining the
campus and to rent it to the uni
versity at a rate that will take care
of the interest and annual payments
on the property.
Immediate steps to organize a hold
ing company will be taken by citizens
of Eugene, and it is planned to have
the structure well under way when
the university classes begin for the
fall term in September. It is ex
pected to have it completed by the
first of the year 1921.
While no site for the new building
has been selected, it is said that the
Circle property Just south of the
campus meets with the greatest fa
vor. It is convenient to the other
buildings of the university.
LOADED TRUCK KILLS BOY
9-Year-Old Climbing From Motor,
Slips ' and Falls Under Wheel.
EUGENE, Or.. Aug. 10. Allen, the
9-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Lajoie, of this city, was run over by
a motor truck loaded with crushed
rock at 11 o'clock Monday forenoon
and died from his injuries three hours
afterward.
The boy was In the act of climbing
down from the truck as it was in mo
tion and slipped and fell beneath the
wheels, one of the rear wheels pass
ing over his body.
BOY, INJURED, RECOVERS
Lad I -ay Unconscious Several Hours
Following Accident.
COTTAGE GROVE, Or., Aug. 10.
(Special.) David Howes, 10-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Howes, is
recovering from Injuries sustained
Saturday afternoon, when he was
struck by a car driven by C. R.
Elliott. He was unconscious sev
eral hours following the accident.
The same day the car of Fritz
Guggisburg was struck by a car be
longing to Virgil White. None of
the occupants of either car, six in all,
waa injured.
Commissioner Lovell Returns.
SALEM, Or.. Aug. 10. (Special.)
Frank K. Lovell, state tax commis
sioner, has returned from a vacation
trip to bis native state of Massachu
setts, which he had not visited ' for
many years. Mr. Lovell visited rela
tives in Boston.
my -
IN THE SUN ALL DAY
SUFFER NO SUNBURN
IV YOU have yielded to the lure or
the outdoors and you find, after a
day spent in the sun, that your skin
is sore and tender, simply apply San
tiseptio Lotion and relief will be in
stant Sunburn, windburn and tan
have no terrors for the man or the
woman who uses Santiseptic Lotion.
Stay outdoors in the hot sun as much
as you please; Santiseptic will give
you protection and relief; it is the
secret of many an unspoiled com.
plcjuoa after a, season sueai in the
mountains or at the seashore. San
tiseptic is equally efficacious in those
other annoyances incident to the
summer season oak or ivy poison
ing, the bites or stings of fleas, mos-qu-itos
and other insects, both as a
preventative and as a remedy. San
tiseptic should be included in the
necessities carried cn every outlnz
trip.
Santiseptic Is easily procured at
most drugstores and toilet goods
counters and costs buiaaO cents. Adv.