anaheim-gazette 1928-11-08

THE ANAHEIM GAZETTE ESTABLISHED 1870 HENRY KUCHEL, Editor and Proprietor ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY SUBSCRIPTION PER YEAR $2.00 SIX MONTHS .75 Entered at the Anaheim, California, Post Office as second-class matter THE FARM TARIFF AGAIN One of the oldest and most erroneous arguments used by the advocates of the free trade system is that the tariff does not benefit the farmer, that he buys in the protected market and sells in the free trade market. Even if this were true the farmer would still benefit from protection because the protective tariff gives him a prosperous country in which to sell his produce. If the factories of America are busy and everyone is prosperous then the American workingman buys more beefsteak for his family, and more of the other products which come off the farm. But if the factories are closed or working part time due to excessive importation of European goods, then the American worker walks the street jobless and the soup kitchens are opened in all of the industrial centers. There is no demand then for the farmer's products and with no demand the prices slump. For it must be remembered that four-fifths of our agricultural produce is consumed at home so the farmer is interested in having a prosperous home market, the kind which comes only under the protective system. But aside from all of this it is not true that the farmer buys altogether in the protected market and sells in a free trade market. Everything used exclusively by the farmer on the farm, and many other things which he uses as well as his neighbor in town, are on the free list. The Portland Oregonian recently compiled a partial list of things which the farmer uses which are on the free list, so that when the farmer buys them he buys in a free trade market. The list which is impressive, follows: Agricultural implements, including plows, tooth or disk harrows, harvesters, reapers, drills and planters, movers except lawn-mowers, horserakes, cultivators, threshing machines, cotton gins, cream separators valued at not over $50 each, wagons and carts. Animals imported for breeding purposes. Binding twine. Everything used exclusively by the farmer on the farm, and many other things which he uses as well as his neighbor in town, are on the free list. The Portland Oregonian recently compiled a partial list of things which the farmer uses which are on the free list, so that when the farmer buys them he buys in a free trade market. The list which is impressive, follows: Agricultural implements, including plows, tooth or disk harrows, harvesters, reapers, drills and planters, movers except lawn-mowers, horserakes, cultivators, threshing machines, cotton gins, cream separators valued at not over $50 each, wagons and carts. Animals imported for breeding purposes. Binding twine. All materials for fertilizer. Building materials—brick, cement, stone, shingles, pickets, palings, hoops, staves, logs and timber, sawed boards, planks and other lumber. Leather gloves, boots, shoes, saddles and flynets and leather used in making them. Whetstones. Horsepads. Barbed wire. And the Oregonian concludes: “If anything the farmer uses in his business was omitted from mthe free list of the tariff of 1922, it is the fault of the farm bloc in Congress, for it wrote that part of the tariff that affects the farmer and Congress granted all that the farm bloc asked.” Nor is it true that the farmer is not protected by the tariff when he goes to sell his products. For instance, the duty paid on incoming agricultural products yearly exceeds the duty paid on incoming manufactured goods, showing conclusively that the farmer does benefit directly by protection. And as the years go by he will benefit more and more by protection. Mexico and the islands of the West Indies are anxious to send us tomatoes, other fancy vegetables and citrus fruits and so with their peon labor drive the grower in our Southern States out of the market. The Oriental countries would like to ship us eggs and dairy products as would some of our American neighbors and Argentina would like to send us more corn and more beef. In the cases cited above the tariff is of direct benefit to the American grower and many other instances could be mentioned. What the farmer needs is not less protection on manufactured goods which would destroy the American market for his products, but more protection against the agricultural products which come in from abroad. GUARANTEEING DEPOSITS Occasionally reports leak out that the states which have adopted the plan of state guarantee of bank deposits are not having gan exactly happy time of it. The latest report of this kind comes in the shape of news dispatches from Nebraska, a state which sports a State Bank Guaranty Fund. The dispatches tell about the failure of the Beemer State Bank which will saddle another million-dollar loss on the state fund. Before this disaster the state fund was more than four years behind in its payments due to insolvent banks. With the Beemer loss charged against it, the fund cannot possibly make good the losses of depositors in less than five and a half years, and the situation seems to be growing worse rather than better. Under the law, the guaranty fund makes two assessments annually against the solvent banks to make up the losses of depositors due to bank failure, and can make a special assessment if not enough money is raised. Under these legal assessments about a million and a half dollars annually is brought into the fund, but even that is not enough. The only other method of getting funds Before this disaster the state fund was more than four years behind in its payments due to insolvent banks. With the Beemer loss charged against it, the fund cannot possibly make good the losses of depositors in less than five and a half years, and the situation seems to be growing worse rather than better. Under the law, the guaranty fund makes two assessments annually against the solvent banks to make up the losses of depositors due to bank failure, and can make a special assessment if not enough money is raised. Under these legal assessments about a million and a half dollars annually is brought into the fund, but even that is not enough. The only other method of getting funds allotted to the fund commission is from the sale of the assets of insolvent banks. But it is stated that there will be no salvage from the Beemer bank, and it is alleged that the failure of this bank was not due to "frozen assets," but to dishonesty of one of the bank officials, who is charged with having gotten about all of the assets. It is stated that a half million dollars worth of forged notes were found in the bank, some of them ten years old, and the State Bank Examiners had never verified these notes. New forged notes were placed in the bank each year to take care of the old forgeries and the fraud was never discovered by the bank examiners, so the charges go. Legislation for guarantee of bank deposits in certain states was due to one of the periodic waves of socialism that occasionally sweep certain parts of the country and it has not worked any better than does most of the legislation which is due to these socialistic waves. The obvious unfairness of legislation of this kind is evidenced by the case in Nebraska cited above. A bank fails through mismanagement, poor banking or dishonesty on the part of an official and the solvent banks which make good by following sound business methods have to make up the loss to the depositors in the defunct bank. Dishonest and inefficient banking is encouraged by laws of this kind, and depositors instead of being careful where they place their money take chances with it because they know that their losses will be made good anyhow. Legitimate business is assessed to pay for the inefficiency and dishonesty of its rivals. But in the end the public must pay the bill. Each year heavier and heavier demands are made on the guarantee funds and eventually the state will have to take up the burden or the bankers will be compelled to charge more for service so that the losses of their less fortunate competitors can be made up. In either event the people will pay—whether it be in higher taxes or in less satisfactory interest rates and banking charges. Socialistic legislation cannot correct business inefficiency. ANAHEIM GAZETTE She Will Never Forget By Albert T. Reid NOVEMBER ELEVENTH ALBERT T. REID FARM BY THE BUDGET The farming industry of the United States loses many hundred millions of dollars each year because production agriculture. They claim to be independent but, in reality, they ride on the co-operative movement whenever they get a chance and so long as it goes their way. They pay none of the cost California COTTON California as a cotton producer has reached the stage that causes it to be included in the list of cotton states in FARM BY THE BUDGET The farming industry of the United States loses many hundred millions of dollars each year because production is overexpanded along some lines and underexpanded along others. These ups and downs in agricultural production are partly the result of changes made by farmers in acres of crops and numbers of livestock. Changes of this kind are necessary and unavoidable but too often they are overdone in some lines and underdone in others. Decisions as to these changes are often based upon the prices at or immediately before planting or breeding time and upon the crop yields and livestock production of the preceding season. The application of the budget method, used in other business under taking, is suggested by the United States Department of Agriculture as one way for farmers who act independently to meet the situation. A farm budget is a carefully worked-out plan based on estimates as to how well a particular combination of crops or combination of crops and livestock will pay. These estimates are based upon available information as to what the prices and crop and livestock production are likely to be during the year or period of years just ahead. Although prices, crop yields, and livestock production cannot be forecast exactly, they can be foretold within broad enough limits to make it profitable to organize carefully and to focus attention upon the best available information relating to them. A method of doing this is outlined in Ferners' Bulletin 1564-F, which may be obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. There is no charge. PARASITE ON SOCIETY The agricultural "hitch hiker," riding at the expense of the farmer who pays the bills, is a worse parasite on society than the common or roadside variety. In the opinion of Director B. H. Crochon of the University of California Agricultural Extension service. "A hitch-hiker is one who starts out, intently to walk, but really rides at someone's expense," says Professor Crocheron. "He seems to be an independent traveler but really depends on the rest of society to take him on his way." "There are a lot of hitch-hikers in agriculture. They claim to be independents but, in reality, they ride on the co-operative movement whenever they get a chance and so long as it goes their way. They pay none of the cost of transportation, they ride only when the machine runs well and in their direction." "Someone else pays for the gas and tires of the co-operative. These hitch-hikers join only when the organization runs at its best." "The desert as soon as trouble comes, to seek another vehicle. Hitch-hikers are parasitic travelers. Society looks on them first with amused tolerance but later, as a serious menace. The co-operative movement has suffered from those who, in days of co-operative prosperity, join the organization to ride while the riding is good." "As soon as larger production or lower prices come, the hitch-hikers desert the co-operative to ride an independent vehicle. They are not an asset but a liability. Their fluctuating patronage brings a problem which the co-operative have not yet found means to combat." "Agriculture needs a clear vision on the co-operative movement as a long-time process with a staple membership and a continuous even flow of products. The hitch-hikers are a real problem for their disruptive market system of agriculture by their passing patronage." BUYS IN AMERICA It is announced that Great Britain is to use American excavating machinery in building her great naval base at Singapore. This machinery is to cost $350,000 and the Bugyrus Company of Milwaukee has obtained the contract. With the unemployment problem the greatest one confronting the British government, this announcement will not help the Conservative government. The municipal elections which have just resulted in a big increase in the labor vote are indicative of what will happen a little later in the return of members to Parliament. We are grateful that American genius and ability to produce has brought forth such an order from the British government, but we can also see the thorns that would be placed in the pathway of our own administration at election time if our government went abroad to place a contract for machinery of any kind which could be made in America. CALIFORNIA COTTON California as a cotton producer has reached the stage that causes it to be included in the list of cotton states in Federal crop reports instead of being grouped as in the past with "other states" of buried identity. On the average basis, California ranks twelfth in this list, standing ahead of Virginia, Florida, New Mexico and Arizona in this classification and not far behind Missouri. In gross yield California also rates as twelfth cotton state, while in yield per acre it is second, being exceeded only by New Mexico. For the present season, California stands second in the condition of the crop, which is placed at 85 per cent while the average for the whole cotton belt is only 54.4 per cent. In 1928 California is expected to produce 147,000 500-pound bales of cotton from 221,000 acres, an average of 318 pounds to the acre. The state's yield in 1927 was 91,000 bales. The total crop for the United States is estimated for the present year at 13,903,000 bales from 44,916,000 acres. The production in 1927 was 12,955,000 bales. With Southern California' tire factories using increasing quantities of high-grade cottonwr, and with the Western extension of the textile industry considered insivable, cotton growing in this section of the country is expected to be stimulated. Deep water ports give California cotton a favored outlet to foreign markets. AIRPLANES IN U.S. During the past two years the federal medical director of the air regulations division has certified 16,008 applications for pilot licenses. Of this number 7724 are trained pilots qualified without waiver for passenger service. The United States now has hundreds of thousands of civilian-owned flying machines, 7500 miles of lighted airways and 4000 miles to be added next year. Every indication is that within the next twelve months passenger and mail lines will be operated on frequent schedules without a parallel in the world. Twelve out of every thousand motorists, once each month, run out of gasoline on the highways; it has been estimated from service call figures. Fill up when your gas supply is low! A hitch-hiker is one who starts out, intently to walk, but really rides at someone's expense," says Professor Crocheron. "He seems to be an independent traveler but really depends on the rest of society to take him on his way. "There are a lot of hitch-hikers in YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK FATHER, RUDERT. ER-A-AH-WA-WA-MISTER FUMBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER! SO YOU'D LIKE TO MARRY MY DAUGHTER, EH? WELL, HAVE YOU TAKEN HER FAMILY INTO CONSIDERATION? I HAVE SIR, AND I LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER SO MUCH ~ I'D BE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH ANYTHING! Anima Cracker IS HE A CONSISTENT MAN? I SHOULD SAY SO! HE DRESS UP EVERY SUNDAY BEFORE HE TUNES IN THE CHURCH SERVICE! PUNKEL OBSERVATIONS JUST LIKE THAT, UNTIL YOU KICK IT OVER Now, folks, regarding this farm relief problem. Switch the scene of action over to the job printers. Suppose one printer in a city printed a supply of For Rent signs. He sold them for 10 cents apiece and made a good profit. Then, say, ten other printers in that city got a lunch, and each printed a batch of the signs. It then followed that there were more signs in the city than the people wanted. The signs became a glut on the market. The printers then packed up all their signs and sent them to another city, and offered them for sale. One printer of the bunch, or perhaps two or three of them, used a better grade of cardboard, and naturally his signs sold out first. In other words, he made a cleanup. The rest of the boys did not fare so well. They had a lot of signs that they had to sacrifice. Perhaps dumped them in the ash can. Now, from an equalization fee point of view, the successful printer, the fellow who had good signs—and sold them—would have to dig up his profits and help pay the freight on the other fellow's poor stock, which did not sell, because there was no demand for it. WATER WILL SEEK ITS LEVEL Ruralite—"What is the 'wavering' love of a married woman?" City Dweller—"That may be termed a conquest. When the husband ranges out and neglects his wife that leads to heartaches and sorrows, and nine times out of ten busts up the home—when another man comes into the picture." NIPPED IN THE BUD A clerk in a store the other morning was washing the window and also was wristling that nifty ballad, "Ramona." He was not apparently doing a good job (of the whistling) and quite a crowd gathered. Presently a policeman ambled up street and the gang dispersed; and the clerk started the last verse of the song without further molestation. FOR THE GOOD OF THE SERVICE Excitable Citizen—"Why is a promotion?" Peaceable Person—"Why, my friend, that is the best thing in the world to maintain discipline. Regarding officers, should you take a man out of the ranks and put him up a pag—that's good stuff. There is then an incentive for all the boys to excel in their work, expecting to go up higher. Sure, Mike, by all means, promote the boys. That's good for efficiency." FOR THE GOOD OF THE SERVICE Excitable Citizen—"Why is a promotion?" Peaceable Person—"Why, my friend, that is the best thing in the world to maintain discipline. Regarding officers, should you take a man out of the ranks and put him up a pag—that's good stuff. There is then an incentive for all the boys to excel in their work, expecting to go up higher. Sure, Mike, by all means, promote the boys. That's good for efficiency." NIZE WAY TO SPEND TAXPAYERS' MONEY Old Home-Town Official—"As near as you know, what is a foreign alliance?" European Plenipotentiary—"That relates to a pact. Regarding the keeping of the peace should it so happen that' the other fellows could not hold the boys in check—why they would call on their big, husky, wealthy brother to do police duty." KEY, COWBOY, DIDJA KNOW THIS? It has just been-learned why rough riders wear ten-gallon hats. It is radioed that in case of the rider taking a header the big lid will prevent (maybe) his neck from being broken. SHAVE A DAY KEEPS STARES AWAY If some of the ladies insist on going about in the wide open spaces without stockings, some the curbstone on-lookers say that the Janes ought to buy safety razors. SHORT CUT TO HUBBY'S TUMMY Home-Loving Hombre—"Gastronomically speaking, what is the full dinner pail?" Gimcrack Girl—"Nowadays during the height of the can-opener season, the laboring man lays in a generous supply of fodder in the original packages." G-R-R-R—DROP THAT BONE! An ardent oxponent of farm relief says: "It's fundamental purpose is to establish an effective control of the sale of exportable surplus, with the cost imposed upon the commodity benefitted." That's about as practical as driving a square plug into a round hole. PASSING INTO THE SHADOW A gay young man who has been tried and convicted of first-degree murder, and who has been sentenced to hang, smiled when he heard of his fate and remarked that he would not hang. He expects that he will be granted a new trial by a higher court. KEEPING OUT OF THE KANGAROO COURT First Offender—"You may tell as you know the meaning of a parole." Two-Time Tommy—"Primarily, the object is to keep out of jail. Where a prospect has influence and a drag he is not humiliated by being frisked for funds to buy the makings." CHEWED TO A PULP The excitement is over, and all the old maids have returned to their knitting, since the cream puff lover has been taken off the front page. HEY, EDDIE, FETCH A BEEFSTEAK After an attorney stepped out of a court room in an adjoining county the other day, a husky young cowboy stepped up and said: Two-Time Tommy—“Primarily, the object is to keep out of jail. Where a prospect has influence and a drag he is not humiliated by being frisked for funds to buy the makings.” CHEWED TO A PULP The excitement is over, and all the old maids have returned to their knitting, since the cream puff lover has been taken off the front page. HEY, EDDIE, FETCH A BEEFSTEAK After an attorney stepped out of a court room in an adjoining county the other day, a husky young cowboy stepped up and said: “You would call my mother a liar—would you?”—and before the lawyer could enter a demurrer the cowboy’s first landed on his optic. Lights went out and the symphony orchestra struck up “There Are Times When a Fellow Wants To Be Alone.” OUT WHERE THE CORN TASSELS BLOW The farmers in the wide open spaces, where the corn grows tall, have been hearing warm words of wisdom and have been told that soon they will raise two blades where only one grew before; and not only that, the pay envelope will hold more than ever before. They naturally heaved sighs of relief, to hear that the people were doing everything possible to give them relief, and they of course felt relieved to think that the people would help them. THROW OUT THE LIFE LINE Speaking of relief, there is the guy who works on a commission basis, has a wife and six kids, pays rent, has a car midway paid for, a radio contract on his hands, owes the milkman for the last two month’s delivery, has a tea-bone appetite, and all of his best friends away on their vacation. BRINGING HOME THE BACON There is a man in this county who has a twenty-year-old avocado tree on his place, from which he harvests fine, luscious fruit, has a standing order for all he can raise, gets a dollar a pound for the pears; and the only thing that bothers him is to get props strong enough to hold up the limbs to keep them from breaking down. STRETCHING HEMP The “crime wave” in an adjoining county recently took a decided flop when in one week three murderers were condemned to hang.