MADIGAN: AGRICULTURE SECRETARY SEES CHANGES COMING

Voters should recognize that change will occur no matter who is elected president, and they should decide who to vote for based on who they want to manage that change, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Madigan said Wednesday.

"This election is about change, but we respectfully suggest this is about management change," Madigan said in a noon speech before the Cape Girardeau Lions Club. "The question is: Who is the best person to manage that change?"

Madigan said change is an ongoing and inevitable. "The challenge is not to seek change but to manage change," said Madigan.

He pointed out that during President Bush's tenure, 42 world dictatorships have become democratic. Madigan said the world has changed dramatically and Bush was the best candidate to manage the role of the United States in the changing world.

Madigan, a former congressman from Illinois, toured Southeast Missouri with 8th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson Wednesday. Madigan said he is trying to spread the word about Bush's accomplishments the last four years.

"It has been hard to get that message out there through the national media this year," said Madigan.

The agriculture secretary admitted polls show the president trailing, but he said the Republican tracking polls show Bush closing to within 7 percent. In 1980, he said, Ronald Reagan trailed President Jimmy Carter by eight points two weeks before the election but finished with a 10-point victory.

He suggested the present polls show that Americans want change, and, as they decide who will manage that change, they will look to the Republican president. "We think if they understand the change that has been, they will find we have had good stewardship the last four years."

Emerson introduced Madigan and praised his performance as agriculture secretary. He described Madigan as "a very distinguished public servant."

"He is the best secretary of agriculture during my lifetime," said Emerson. "Some very significant things have happened on his watch. He has been a real fighter for our interests."

Emerson told the Lions Club that Southeast Missouri is a very diverse agriculture region, growing almost everything but sugar and citrus.

"We here in Southeast Missouri are poised - perhaps better than any other area - to take advantage of the remarkable events that have occurred in international affairs the last four years," said Emerson. He said that having three active ports in the 8th District is helping to make foreign markets more accessible.

Madigan said the economic slowdown the United States is experiencing is part of a slowdown occurring all over the world. He said that during the last four years the U.S. has had a job-creation rate of 18 percent, compared with 13 percent in Japan and 5.1 percent in the European Community.

He said that during the Bush presidency agriculture exports to Canada have increased 44 percent, and Canada and Mexico combined have replaced Japan as the nation's largest export market for agricultural products. The value of farm exports has increased from $27 billion to $41.5 billion during Bush's presidency, Madigan said.

The secretary said that more Missouri and Illinois agriculture products are exported to Canada than anywhere else.

Over the last four years, Madigan said, farm equity has increased 42 percent and farm debt has declined from $162 billion to $108 billion.

Madigan warned that electing Gov. Bill Clinton president could lead to serious economic problems comparable to when Jimmy Carter was president. He said interest rates that were 21 percent then are 6 percent now; inflation that was 14 percent then is less than 3 percent now; and the unemployment rate is down from 10.5 percent to 7.5 percent.