Do We Have

HELLO FOLKS — The difference between a statesman and a politician is that the politician creates problems and the statesman solves them.

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THE DEMOCRATIC convention is over and the Republican about to begin. I was pretty sure that Kennedy would win at the convention and on the first ballot. I had been following his campaign and organization and anyone who has as well oiled and healed an organization as Kennedy is bound to win.

His choice of Lyndon Johnson as running mate surprised me, but had he not chosen Johnson he would have lost the South and might do so even now. However, Johnson has a great influence in the South and that might pull it into the Democratic camp. It also might draw a number of middle of the road votes.

I have always had great respect for Kennedy. He at one time stood for solid principles and still does if it is politically 'smart'. The thing that bothers me most is his falling into the same trap that Stevenson fell into.

When the Democrats had their midwest farm conference at Sioux Falls in 1956, Stevenson had a prepared speech in which he stated that neither high rigid nor flexible price supports were workable. This was his feeling. The so called 'liberals, who were running the show and intended to be sure that the decisions of the Conference went their way insisted on seeing his speech in advance. When they learned what Stevenson had prepared they informed him that if he insisted on giving that talk he would not get the Democratic nomination. The upshot was that Stevenson changed his theme.

We all know that Stevenson, as a result of that switch, got the nomination. In doing so however, he lost the esteem of a lot of clear thinking citizens.

Now Kennedy has fallen into the same trap. He says that he has changed his thinking because of the drop in farm income. The fact is that he knows he could not have had the nomination unless he knuckled in to the extreme element of the party. What this will cost him in the long run is hard to see. but one thing is certain, there are a lot of good people who are disappointed.

There are a lot of well meaning people who think that letting the 'government regulate the prices and production of commodities is all right, but the real propellent behind it all is the subversive element that adheres to the orders coming from behind the 'iron curtain.' The Communist planners know that they have to control the food that goes into the peoples' stomachs before they can really have control of the masses.

History has shown that a free market controlled by co-operatives and free organizations of the land assures the most for the product in the long run. The forces who are drumming for government controls are for the most part not interested in good income for farmers: they are interested in subverting the nation and can sing more confusion than in solving problems.

In the days ahead let us not be confused and let us not he misled by those who advocate government control. They are only interested in setting the farmer hack to the horse and buggy days and weakening the nation by heaping the food bill on the consumer making him unhappy and giving the farmer a smaller portion of the economy 'pie', all this through slowing down and reversing efficiency, destroying our markets. exports and causing general confusion.