The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-14
FIGHT ON HACKER
WILL BE WAGED BY THE NEW
ULM STATE DAIRY MEET
0WAT0NNA. AND VICINITY
WILL SEND DELEGATIONS TO
WORK AGAINST THE PRESENT
SECRETARY's REELECTION.
ROBERT CRICHMoRA, OF PRATT,
Is Mentioned for the Place by Lead
ers in the Opposition to
Hacker.
ROBERT CRICHMoRA, OF PRATT

A determined fight will be waged at
the annual meeting Of the State Dairy
association at New Ulm next week to
GUST from the secretaryship Prof.
Thomas L. Hacker, of the state school
of agriculture who is charged by his
opponents with diverting the associa-
ton from the work which it was de-
signed to accomplish and for which it
received liberal appropriations of stats>
cash. The objections to Mr.. Hacker
are stated very pointedly in a recent
issue of the Owatonna Journal as fol-
lows:
The object of the State Dairy asso-
citation which meets in annual conVen-
ton next week in New Ulm was pri-
marily to interest farms in the dairy
industry and to bring together practical
and experienced dairymen to discuss
matters pertaining to the care of
stock and the making ana marketing
of dairy products. To forward this OBJ
ject the state makes an annual apprO-
priation, and for some years the knOWl-
edge gained and disseminated was a
great stimulus to the industry and
helped materially to give intelligent di-
rection to the farmers efforts.
One of the main objects sought to be
attained by the Legislature in making
the appropriation was to make dairy
ing more general throughout the state,
and a line of work contemplated was
the holding of meetings in localities
where dairying had not been generally
introduced. This feature has been al
most entirely lost sight of. The meet
ings have lost their popular and edu-
catiOnal character, and the manage
ment has been allowed to fall into the
hands of few so-called experts who
have utilized the machinery of the as
ISOLATION and the money of the state
for other purposes than those for which
they were designed to be used
The professor of dairyiGg at the ex-
pertinent station, not satisfied with do
ing the work and drawing the salary
of $500 year pertaining to his office,
first secured the ecretary'S office in
the dairy association and practical con-
troll of the organization to the eXclu-
sion of the pioneers who had given it
strength and character, and then be-
gan a persistent fight against the
dairy work of the farmers institute
one of the most valuable lines of work
ever carried on in the country. He
deiry instruction in the state should be
put under his control. His egotism
and arrogance necessarily created an
antagonism that has hindered the work
of the farmers institute, the state
dairy and food department and the
state dairy association.
An examination Of the expense ac-
count of the association Will convince
any one that Prof. Hacker did not
keep in view the object of the legisla-
ture in making the appropriation. The
Hacker name plays a conspicuous part
in the bills. Prof. T. L. Hacker, sec
rotary, F. NJ. Hacker, assistant secre-
tary, and Mrs Hacker, all came in for
share of the money of the state, while
the work for which Mr.. Hacker was
paid, at least at the CrOokston meeting,
was really done by Miss Anne A. Villas,
daughter Of Mrs. Hacker, who was
paid for it out Of the state funds. A
good deal of the money was paid out
for railway fare and for sleeping car
accommodations for the secretary and
his family and friends. Delegates ex-
penses were paid to other states, money
was expended for organizing fire as
sOciations, the printing bill was enor-
nous, but one looks in vain for any
evidence that any part Of the state
funds was used for the main purpose
make dairying more popular in districts
where but few were engaged in the
industry.
At all events it seems quite certain
that the association had done enough
to advance the personal aims and am
billions of Prof. Hacker. There is no
good reason why so large share Of the
funds of the association should be re-
garded as his private perquiSite. On
the contrary it would seem that the
best interests of the state would be
subserved by a change of management.
New men from the ranks of practical
farmers, dairymen and creamerymen of
the state who will work for the general
public could, with advantage, be chosen
to direct the affairs of the association.
It needs officers who will use the public
funds for public purposes, and not to
provide themselves with sinecures. 1t
should have a set of men to direct it's
affairs who will use their official posi-
tons as a means of widening and en-
larging the work of the association and
extending it's benefits to the people of
the entire state. All officers of public
organizations and especially such as
depend upon their popularity with the
general public for their success should
be free from any personal antagonisms
that hinder them in their work, and the
time. the money and the influence of
the State Dairy association should not
be used in fighting the battles, lining
the pockets or furthering the ambitions
of individuals.
The candidate conspicuously men
toned to succeed Prof. Hacker, is
Robert Crichmora, prominent dairy
man of Pratt, near Owatonna. He has
long been an active mover in the work
of the State Dairy association, is a
member Of the board of county COM
missioners of Steele county, secretary
of the Farmers elevators for the state,
and president of the Pratt Creamery
company.
A large delegation of business men
from Owatonna and Waseca and vicin-
ity, will go to New Ulm to boom Crich-
mora.