Farmers Independent

Why Farm Organizations
Are Supporting Smith

A. W. Ricker, Secretary of the Corn Belt Federation of Farm Organizations gives the reasons why farm organizations are opposing Hoover and supporting Smith, in a letter to Senator Frazier of North Dakota.

He says in part:

"The Republican Party at Kansas City refused to adopt a platform recognizing and advocating the principles of our farm bill. That Party likewise refused to nominate Lowden, Watson, or any other candidate who would sign our bill. This action of the Republican Party taken in defiance of the protest of the organized farmers that we would not vote for Mr. Hoover whom we regarded as the implacable foe of our bill makes it impossible to support the presidential nominee of the Republican Party in this election. Our attitude toward Mr. Hoover, however does not prevent us from supporting other Republicans who are candidates for public office and whose loyalty to the McNary-Haugen bill may not be questioned.

"The Democratic Party in convention at Houston accepted our farm plank and Smith, its candidate for president, has pledged himself to our farm organizations in conference and to the country generally at Omaha that he will go through with our program.

"I care nothing about Tammany nothing about the wet and dry side of this contest and I care nothing about the religious belief of the candidate. My only concern is that a president be placed in the White House who will use his pen to sign instead of veto our farm relief bill when it comes to him from the Congress. I have every reason to believe that if the Congress of the United States passes a bill containing the essential principles of the McNary-Haugen Act said bill will be vetoed if Mr. Hoover is elected. I am also assured that if such a bill comes before Al Smith in case he should be elected Smith will sign the bill. That is why I am for Governor Smith for president."