Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 93, Number 11, 12 January 1923 — Page 17

MOM) AT J, ATI) FARM BUREAU Section AXD SIS-TELECRAM VOL. XCIII No. 11 Palladium. Est. 1S31. Consolidated With Sun-Telegram. 1907. RICHMOND, IND., FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. 12, 1923. SINGLE i COPY, 3 CENTS

FARM BUREAU Section

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FARM BUREAU IS PROMOTING HUHAL PROFIT Co-operative Market Program Urged

By WILLIAM R. SANBORN The American Farm Bureau is simply a federation of the various state associations, each of which contributes a per capita tax to the national body, j It grows automatically with the spread of the farm bureau idea and becomes great a 3 the farm bureau movement 13 developed throughout the country. It has an assured Income and all needed latitude in the handling of the farmers' problems in a national and comprehensive way. Whatever it does is for the benefit of the general membership and it is considered a great constructive body in which, la found some of the best informed and earnest men in agricultural America. The problems of the agriculturist are the problems of the American farm bureau, first, last and all the 1 time. It is accented as heins- a ereat.. effective force for the common wel fare; because the prosperity of the fanner is the prosperity of the country. Assures Prosperity If the basic industry, agriculture, is unprofitable and underpaid, the flow of money into all the channels of trade and enterprise is obstructed. The buying and consuming power of the public is reduced, beginning with the outflow of currency from the farms, which are the original sources of production. Quoting Secretary Coverdale of the American farm bureau federation we

find that:; "The farm bureau is a voluntary co-operative association having for its object the welfare of agriculture, economically, educationally and socially. "Its purpose is to assist in making the business of farming more profitable, the farm home more comfortable and attractive, and the rural community a better place in which to live. It seeks to perform in an organized way certain essential activities which cannot be accomplished through individual effort." Story of Development That is an appealing summing up. In a broad way as to its aims and purposes, it covers the ground. But as to how these purposes are to be carried out makes: a long and interesting story., A story which relates a world of detail and hard work, along various lines. One day in November 1919 James R. Howard, of Marshall county, Iowa, told his folks on the farm that he was going to run down to Chicago to attend a farm bureau organization meeting, and that he would be back in two or three days to supervise his cattle T.-feeding. He did not return according to that schedule. In fact he has had mighty little time for doing chores around home in more than three years, for he

was elected president of the new national organization, of which he was, perhaps, the formost promoter, at the meeting at which the American Farm Bureau Federation came into action. Serves as President He served acceptably as president from that date until the first of the present year when, having declined renomina'tion, he was succeeded as president by Oscar E. Bradfute, of Ohio, the man nearest in line to the succession, he having served as vice president for the past two years. The story of the fourth annual convention and its doings was told in detail in these columns recently and little need be said in relation to it at this particular time. "Jim" Howard has been a guiding and directing force in the American arm bureau from its inception. And more than this, he has been a driving force, a stimulator, of all its varied activities. He has traveled far and wide and has left his impress in marry states and at Washington, the latter hfinz evidenced by the activity of the legislative committee and the work of the farm bloc tor tne rener or iarmers. Has Had Experience

His successor in once is a Droaumincied, experienced farmer and cattle grower. He has been active in farm bureau work for years and was president of the Ohio state federation when elected to the presidency at Chicago. Referring back to Howard it is recalled that at the date of the organization of the Iowa farm bureau Mr. Howard was elected its first president and was holding that office when elected to bead the national body at Chicago. It thus appears that Iowa furnished the first, and Ohio the second man to cccupv the presidential chair at Chicago, "and that both these men were ota;e presidents at the time of their being called higher. As history relates, or as told by llenrv A. Wallace, brother of the secn tai v of agriculture: ".Mr. Bradfute is t'.ie sort of a man whom people speak rf as being a good level headed sort. He has been the compromise candidate for piesident three times. This time he went over." Mr. Baruch's Statement The bet-t or most pertinent speech made at Chicago, it is claimed, was made by an outsider, Bernard Baruch, of New York city. This speaker told the convention that: "Millions of good farmers on good land and with good crops ar actually running their business, through no fault of their own or mischance of nature, at a loss that spells ruin, if continued. Capital is being impaired and burdensome debts incurred to keep the farms going, and the farm people, and, indeed all of us, clothed and fed. This distressing situation Is partly due to tho general upset of the world during the war and after, but It has been aggravated by the weakness of the rural financing und marketing, that have caused the fanner to absorb much, if not most, (Continued on Page 2. Section 2

Farm Bureau Official

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Photo by Bundy Morrow R. B. Farm Bureau Helps Worthy Projects, Asserts Treasurer By R. B. MORROW Furnishing of speakers for township and county meetings, advances of fund3 for state and county projects, giving them an early start and allowing us to benefit from them without delay, and support of club work and other extension activities, are some of the important achievements made possible by the expenditure of county funds contributed as dues by farm bureau members. Of the $5 paid as a membership fee, one is retained in the township treas ury for local use, $2 is sent on to the state office, from which 50 cents per member goes to the national office, while the remaining $2 is spent by the county farm bureau. One great advantage of the existence of the funds in the county treasury is the ability to draw upon them in emergency to help out local units or state or county projects which are paid for eventually by other means but need .quick financing to do their best work. . Example of Method. An exaniple is of the $400 advanced on the state live stock commission firm, later repaid by township units which themselves assumed the loans to the state company. In support of educational work, the county farm bureau contributed to the men's and boys' corn clubs last year and to the corn show which was staged last winter. . It also bore the expense of the county picnic in the summer and the county meeting on Dec. 16. - Aside from projects which have been supported by the county farm bureau, salaries and office expense account for practically all remaining expenses. This organization is upon a self-supporting basis, asking nothing fro mother citizens. , Shares Expenses. The county farm bureau shares the office expenses half and half with the county agent in return for the privilege of using the office, and also em ploys a stenographer on half time to do its work. Thus we do not have to depend upon county taxes collected from everyone, to pay the legitimate expenses of work done for us. interested in further details of the farm bureau expenses, I shall be glad For the information of any who is to meet any accredited township officials, or representatives or commit tees whom they may name, and to go over the books and explain the Items in detal. Farm Bureau Head Thanks Hoosiers For Co-operation W. H. Settle "I want to thank the people of Indiana for the hearty co-operation you have given me in the past and your loyalty to the Indiana Farm Bureau federation," writes W. II. Settle, presi

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dent of the Indiana Farm Bureau federation. "You have now placed a greater responsibility upon me and I invite and solicit your support in my effort to continue the work that has been so successfully carried on through our organization. "I realize that there is no greater responsibility resting on any man in the state than that of the president of this organization. As I see it, the future of agriculture in this country is dependent on the success of the American Farm bureau and its many branches. Most of the foremost statesmen and economists of thi3 country have agreed that prosperity can only return by way of the farm and that this can only be accomplished by co-operative marketing of farm products. "It is my ambition to-make our organization a real service institution (Continued on Page 2, Section 2

Benefits of Farm Bureau Organization BY L. A. PITTENGER District Director of Indiana Farm Bureau Federation

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HE FARM is the best place on earth to live but just now it is the hardest place on earth to make a living. Odd is it not that a people, wise as we think ourselves to be, should permit an economic condition to exist wherein the men and women who feed the world must starve all their desires except that of mere existence The farmer has been unable to break even in the last two years. The large number of second mortgages following closely firsts and chattel mortsraeres steDDins on

the heels of seconds tell more forcefully than high sounding words how hard pressed farmers are. The fault lies not in the farmer's production for he has over-produced. In this he has fulfilled his primary responsibility to society, only to have society penalize him for producing so much. His surplus establishes the price for the whole of his commodities. No industry and no civilization can thrive when long hours of hard work accompanied by the strictest economy are rewarded with prices less than the cost of production. The fault lies partly, in the farmer not following his produce further on the way to the consumer's table. This he means to do througS his co-operative associations. Denmark has done it successfully to the benefit of all concerned our country can do it, and that shortly. The year 1923 will be historic in the annals of agriculture for its wonderful development of co-operative marketing. The national co-operative law has been found adequate in all particulars; the best business minds of our country find in 'this co-operative movement, a strong stabilizing factor and are heartily endorsing its phenomenal development; and the farmers, forced by continued unequal selling and purchasing prices, are ready as never before, to co-operate. In this whole movement the farmer is manifesting no malicious selfish interest. He has learned from bitter experience that selfish business principles have undermined our economic structure and he is wondering why the Christian idea of co-operation should not prevail. It will be interesting, indeed, if farmers succeed in making the Golden Rule a practical factor in the world's marts. Nature grants the farmer no special privileges. She pays him just in proportion to the amount of labor he is willing to bestow on her. He is opposed to privileged classes who are granted special rights to amass wealth and special excuses to escape public debts. He wants those who use the highways to pay the toll. He asks hidden wealth to forsake its isolation and march up to the treasurer s office to pay its rightful share of our public expenses. The farmer knows that fundamentally he is the starting point for most of our prosperity and progress and he realizes that society, if it knew what is always best for it, would see to it that the sources of our wealth and welfare are manned by intelligent and resourceful people. The biggest problem in America today is to keep our social and economic condition such that we may always have an intelligent rural people. To do this the channels through which wealth flows must not all lead to town. For years we have been very much interested in the blossoms and fruit of our economic tree and we have been neglecting the roots. We must fertilize and cultivate the roots or the top will die. We have been criminal in robbing the soil to build granite walls in our cities, we have been most unwise in creating an economic system that drains the best brains from rural sections and deposits them in 'city centers. This means robbing our children's children. More than half the world is hungry all the time because their forbears did not pay back to the soil its legitimate rental in their day. In our great production we see no end, but there is an end and the generation of that time must go hungry even here in America. Let us be wise in our own day. Let us have foresight enough to plant the tree that will feed our children. Let us not selfishly spend nature's gifts and leave her bare of bread for those who follow us. God never blessed a land more richly than ours, let us be thankful enough for these bounteous blessings to do our part in continuing them to all our succeeding generations.

Farmers Can Look Forward With Hope - Realizing Progress, Declares Wallace

PALLADIUM NEWS BUREAU WASHINGTON, Jan. 12. The six million farmers of America can look forward to the new year which has just dawned "with renewed hope and with that courage which comes from the realization that we are really making progress," according to Henry C. Wallace, secretary of agriculture. At the close of 1921 the agriculutral interests were slowly beginning to emerge from one of the worst periods of financial depression in the history of the country, a heritage of the great war. At the beginning ot tne year which has just closed Secretary Wallace predicted better times for the farmer in 1922, and he believes that that prophesy has been fulfilled. Discusswhat 1922 accomplished for the American farmer, Secretary Wallace says: "Crops have been good, on the whole. Prices of the major crops are mostly considerably higher. While there has been a corresponding advance in the prices of things the farmer must buy, the total sum which farmers will receive for the crops of last year is greater by a billon and a half dollars or more than which they received for the crops of the previous year. This will certainly mean better tlmefe on the farm, and farm folks will be able to ease up a little on the grinding economy they were forced to practice in 1921. Labor Cost Reduced "The labor cost of producing the crops of 1922 was still further reduced. There were some substantial reductions in freight rates. Much helpful legislation has been enacted and more will be this winter. Interest Vat.es are lower and the credit strain has been eased. This has made it possible for many farmers who were ratheT heavily involved to refund their ob ligations and get themselves in con- . .. ditlon to win through. "There are still some dark spots.;

Unless Farmer Gets More For Products America's Food Supply is Imperiled

By FREDERIC J. HASKIN WASHINGTON. D. C, Jan. 12. What is the matter with American farming? Something - evidently is wrong with it. Although to the city consumer food prices generally are still much above the pre-war levels, there are many sings that the farmer who produces the food is in distress. Otherwise, why should President Harding give up part of his "Thanksgiving holiday, as he did, and meet with a number of members of the Senate in order to formulate a legislative program of agricultural relief? Or why should 50 members of the senate pledge themselves to supplant the ship subsidy bill with a rural credits bill, if one is presented from the committee before the subsidy bill is disposed of? " " These are two of the signs, but there are others. The last census shows that fanners .of the United States for the first time in history now constitute a minority, yet we now have In congress an agrarian bloc, which is the most determined confederation in that body and which regardless of the political affiliations of its members, is resolved to press for remedial rural legislation regardless of any other national policies. The grain crops, of the United States last year sold at a loss, so far as the farmers were concerned. It is com-

In some sections weather conditions last year were unfavorable and crops were short, and farmers inthese sections are having a very hara time of! it. Freight rates are still too high, especially for those who must pay fori a long haul to market. j Must Conrtol Taxes j "Taxes are high, but this is largely due to the increase in local taxes, over which farmers themselves must exercise contiol. There has been gratifying growth in farmers' co-operative marketing associations and more of them are being organized on a sound business basis. Aside from the help which "has been given by legislation and by administtation activities, strong economic forces are at work to restore a more normal relation between agricultural and other industries. The peril in the agricul.ural depression is more keenly realized by other groups than ever before, and on every hand a sincee desire is being evidenced to do what can be done safely to help the farmer better his condition." And then with a glance for the future, the secretary of agriculture says: "Everything considered, we have good reason to expect still better things for agriculture in the year 1923." Secretary Wallace's administration of his department has been remarkable for its efficiency and its economy. The department saved and turned back to the treasury more than $2.-

000,000 out of the funds alloted to itj last year. But this was not accoin-1 plished at the cost of lowering the! quality of service. In discussirg the various forms of extension work in which the department co-operates with the various n , i 1 that about 4,000 persons are now em- ( Continued on Page 2, Section 2 mon now to read of crops in the marketing of which the transportation charges entirely ate up what the farmer receivedfor his produce. As it was- back in the hungry nineties, we hear of western corn being burned for fuel because i,t is cheaper than coal. Fruit CKops 'rot on the ground because the market prices will not pay for even the cost of picking and shipping. And in spite of all this, the cost of living for the city dweller is considerably higher than it was before 1914. The fact is that farming is in a bad way, and if conditions continue as they are, it will become a declining

industry. The economic laws that once took care of the farmer no longer seem to he working in his behalf. Once when retail prices were high he shared in the retailer's prosperity. Today prtoes are high, but the farmer gets less than he did when they were low. To find the cause of the farm crisis congress last year created a commission of inquiry. This commission, with the aid of economists and other experts, went deeply into the subjects, serding out thousands of questionaires awl examining hundreds of witnesses. It has recently issued its report, a monumental work in four volumes, (Continued on Page 2. Section 2

WORK OF WOMEN IN ACTIVITIES OF FARM

BUREAU IS DEVELOPED By MRS. LUCILLE BEESON Webster A girls' club this last summer, a picnic of the girls mothers, several entertainment programs which the whole community enjoyed, a community play night, when old folks became young and played on equal terms with their grandchildren, are a few of the activities of the Webster Township Farmers' association, in which the farm women have been actively interested or for which they have been responsible. Most of all, however, we are proud of the community spirit which has been developed by including women in farmers' association activities and the general custom of working and playing together. This spirit has resulted in everyone working together in loyal co-operation whenever any enterprise of general interest was undertaken. The first community spirit development was due to the Odd Fellow and Rebekah lodges of the township, and this same custom of giving admission and occupation both to the men and the women is now being carried over into the organization of (Continued on Page 2, Section 2 Boys' and Girls' Club

Much Support All Over Wayne County

By J. L. DOLAN j Boys' and girls' club work probably has been the one activity in the cooperative work of the county agent office and the Wayne county farm bureau which has been watched with more interest and encouraging interest than any other. This is easy to understand, for the wealth of Wayne county lies in its boys and girls and its future prosperity depends .upon their careful devel-' opment and training. Every one, in city and country alike, is interested in them and willing to help them in any way possible. Pig Club work the past year has been engage in by 80 pig club members of whom 76 finished the work and exhibited at the county fair, receiving a total of $702 in premium money. A pig club sale conducted later also realized a nice additional sum for such of the children as did not care to continue keeping their stock.. Receives High Rank Ranck was selected as acheiving the most praiseworthy record in the county. Besides engaging in the county contest, he exhibited his pig at the state fair in the state pig club show, winning the state championship in the Chester White class. He was later chosen to represent the county at the international, and has an account of his trip in another column of this paper. Besides Robert, Asher Baker, Harold Knote, and Jerald Medearis were county champions in the pig club, and won free trips to Purdue university. Linville Wissler was county champion in the corn club work, but hardly less commendable was the work of the others enrolled, who also made splendid records. Accounts of their w-oik are also given elsewhere. Ten boys enrolled in this club and six finished the work.

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mm. ., Everett Hunt Tax Relief for the Farmer Through Bureau's Action By EVERETT HUNT President of the Wayne County Farm Bureau A reduction of about $5,000,000 in the assessed valuations amounting to about $100,000 reduction in the taxes, will be realized by Wayne county farmers in the 1923 taxation as a result of the activities of the Wayne County Farm Bureau last winter and spiing. The work of the farm bureau on taxation was one of its most important accomplishments, and probably result ed in a larger saving, than any one other accomplishment. The attention of the Indiana State Farm Bureau Federation was called to the unjust land appraisement within our state, a year ago. The state or ganization, backed by 60,000 members, set out to investigate ana adjust this complaint. Call State Meeting They called a state tax meeting last January, to which each county chairman of the farm bureau was asked to send a representative. The matter was discussed fom the floor. After the meeting a committee of 10 men, one from each of the 10 federation districts of the state was selected fo draft a policy to be followed throughcut the state. The writer was named as representative of the sixth district, composed of Wayne? Randolph, Fayette, Union, Madison pelaware, Henry, Hancock, Marion, and Hamilton counties. On the following day, the committee met with the state tax commission and presented their claims. The commission at first was not inclined to believe the farmers had a just claim. We insisted that the farmer was willing to be assessed for every dollar of actual value but not for more. Prove Contention W'e soon proved, from the same figures the commission itself had compiled of land sales in 1920, that our cause was a just one. Practically evry sale listed was an abnormal one and we had statements from farmers knowing of the sales, that they had been made at inflated values. We asked for a reduction on land values only, not on improvements. The state tax commission agreed to co-operate ith the farm bureau in making the 1922 assessment. They instructed the county assessors to request their respective township assessors to work in co-operation with a tax committee of three farm bureau members of each township. In Wayne county, the assessor and the farm bureau committees carried this plan out In detail. As a" result o fthe farm bureau activity on land revaluation, we have the following figures to present. According to Wr. C. Nusbaum, a representative of the state board of tax commission, a shrinkage of $300,000,000 In taxable property resulted last year. He attributed this shrinkage (Continued on Page 2, Section 2 Work Receives ' i S S A fhnta by Bundy. J. L. Dolan Organization of the clubs for next year is proceeding now. On Tuesday morning, letters went out to 1500 school children all over the county, describing the club work and explaining the possible rewards amd the methods of enlisting in the work. This is the first time it has been possible to give uch wide publicity to club work, and it is possible that It may widen the activity more than has been possible heretofore. One new club of which we have high hope, is the calf club which is planned for 1923. Demand for a calf club has been strong, but no satisfactory arrangements could be made before.

ETTER FARMS

DEVELOPED IN WAYNECOUHTY Farm Bureau, County Agent, Are Active By J. L. DOLAN Wayne county is one of the leading counties in the state in the development of improved methods in farming. The county agent and the farm bureau, co-operating, have started a campaign to eradicate loose smut in wheat. In the last two years nearlv 1,000 bushels of wheat have been treated at the hot water plant at Centerville; 1,200 acre3 of corn in "Wayne county were planted last spring "with seed that was tested for germination and disease at the county agent's office. This represents a saving of $4,2S9. Twenty-eight hundred bushels of certified seed potatoes, enouzh to plant 200 acres and yielding 21 per cent more than home grown seed, was another activity that saved Wayne county farmers at least .$5,000 in the purchase price and in increased yield. Other Activities. Poultry culling, shipping live stock-co-operatively, boys' and girls pig and corn clubs, and other minor projects are features of extension work developed in the county this year. The value of boys' and girls f lub work can not he expressed in dollars and cents, but in activities mentioned above, together with the profits from co-operative organizations by farmers this year, a net saving of $47,184 was realized. The county agent and the farm bureau are either directly or indirectly responsible for this saing. Continued work in grain and livestock development will in a few years grow into a saving of hundreds of thousands of dollars to Wayne county farmers. Three years ago about five farmers In Wayne county were making a specialty of arowing high grade seed com; today we have at least 25. Three years ago no farmer in Wayne county could cull his poultry flock effectively; today at least 400. farmers and farmers' wives can do the trick," and do It right. One year ago Wayne county had no farmer who ever grew 100 bushels of corn to the acre in the Purdue university five acre corn contest, and they had been trying from year to year; today tour men have that honor. Three years ago today It cost $1 per cwt. to market hogs at Indianapolis; today 42 cents does the work. Three years ago a Wayne county farmer, appearing before a tas board asking for a reduced assessment, would have received little attention; this year his cause was heard, and his decree granted. These are only a few of the accomplishments of the county agent and the farm bureau In Wayne county. Extension work means money sa-ved. Erroneous View. Very often my attention is called to an expression which is prevalent among a few farmers in that they believe improved methods of farming are harmful because production is increased, consequently the market is glutted. This is an erroneous belief. Purdue university and the county agent are not aiming at increased production so much as the aim is to "re duce the cost of production." If scientific methods will produce 80 bushels of corn per acre with the same expense and labor that formerly grew 60 bushels per acre then the cost of raising a bushel of corn has been reduced. And if 60 bushels satisfies the consumers demand, then next year why not plant three-fourths of an acre which will net the 60 bushels, and plant the other one-fourth acre to tome other crop which is in demand. Agent and Farm Bureau In the early years of county agent work In Indiana, the county agent was sent into a county by Purdue university, and without the assistance of any organized body in the county the agent had to "blaze the trail" alone,end he encountered much difficulty. Since the organization of th Federation of Farmers three years ago the county agent has found a body of farmers with whom he can work effectively, and today the Farm Bureau and county agent are together, the one depending upon the other for assistance in promoting the gospel of a better agriculture and a better country life. The county agent does not hold an office In tho Farm Bureau, nor does he take an active part in the commercial activities of the Farm Bureau only insofar as he can render assistance in bringing into the county a superior grade of seed, or in developing a more economical way of marketing farm products. County Agricultural Agent

The office of the county agricultural agent w as created in the United States In 1914. The primary purpose of this office is to establish a medium whereby the results of investigations of the experiment stations can be passed on to the fanner. Technically speaking, the county agent is the "mouth piece" of the state college of agriculture. All extension work of the college carried on in WayneVounty radiates from the county agent office.. The office is under the supervision of the states relation service of the United States department of agriculture, and the county agent is granted the use of the United States mails free of charga to carry on the work of the office. Experience Necessary Each state requires of the county agent a special qualification in experience and education. As a rule the agent must be a graduate of a college of agriculture and have a number or years of actual experience in practical , farm work. The salary of the county agricultural agent is paid by various agencies; the states relation service of the United States department of agriculture, the state of Indiana, the county of Wayne, and the county Farm Eureau all contribute to the salary ot (Continued on Page 2. Section 2