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AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
We are directing our attention to-day toward a bill introduced by
Congressman Ketcham (H. R. 10568) because it brings to bear on this
question more of the principles that we believe are essential than
any other bill so far introduced.

T.ct me make this clear: The grange is never going to be in the
position that the only kind of a bill that can be passed that will
benefit agriculture is * our ” particular bill, without any amendments
or without the dotting of any “i’s” or the crossing of any “t’.”
We realize full well that we are not perfect. We realize that this
committee will have to perfect and work out changes and plans; and
the grange—and I repeat again, speaking for its 800,000 members—is
extremely anxious for the passage of legislation by this session of
Congress, that removes at least some of the inequalities that burden
the American farmer—we do not say all of the inequalities, we say
some of them. We are not presenting a perfect piece of legislation
that reaches all the problems and all the ills of rural life. We are
just attempting to do one thing—and I am addressing all my re-
marks to that one thing—to removing the inequalities in price that
the legislative and commercial fabric of this Republic has built dur-
ing a century and a quarter as relates to American agriculture.

Mr. KincHELOE. You do not, then, come in the spirit that we must
take the Ketcham bill or leave it at our veril. I am glad to hear
you say that.

Mr. AswerL. -That is very consoling.

Mr. Kincuerok. I say you do not. You do not answer that ques-
tion. That is true?

Mr. Taser. We do not intend to dictate. My distinguished friend
from Kentucky, I hope you may know us better. as we are going to
organize granges in Kentucky.

Mr. Kincnzeror. I hope you do. It is a mightly good organization.

Mr. Taser. We hope to do nothing in the way of dictation. We
want to cooperate and not dictate.

Mr. Crarke. You are not taking the position, either, that you must
have this or nothing, are you?

] Mr. Taser. We are not. We are supporting it because it is the
est.

Mr. Crarge. Certainly.

Mr. Taser. We will prove to you it is the best, but we are not
going to say it is the only thing that will do the trick.

Mr. Witrtams. Leaving to the Committee on Agriculture the re-
sponsibility to determine what is the best thing should be done?

Mr. Taper. I would say, not as a compliment but as a fact, that
there is no group of 21 men in America that knows as much about all
the problems of rural life as do the gentlemen around this committee
table; and we accord to you the duty and the honor of working out
that solution.

Mr. PorNELL. I think the committee agree with vou unanimously,
Mr. Taber.

Mr. Taper. I am most delighted. I never had a committee to
agree with me so unanimously before.

I think the best thing for me to do right now, Mr. Chairman, is
to stop short, because as we progress I am confident that the opinion
will not be unanimous. =

Mr. Aswerr. Did you ever say that to any other committee ?