Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-02-15
Farmers Institute.


Regardless of the inclement and
stormy state of the weather last We'd
nesday, quite number of farmers
gathered in the Court House for the
opening session of the Farmers Insti-
tute. Itwas too stormy before noon
for any to get in so the program for
the forenoon session was put off until
afternoon. Afternoon, the meeting
was called to order by the President,
70. N. Taggart, who introduced Mayor
H. w. Hanna, for speech of welcome.
The Mayor in a neat speech reviewed
the history of Audubon and Audubon
county, pointing out how necessary it
was to the merchants to have the
patronage ofthe farmer, and as patrons
welcomed them to this meeting that
was intended to be of material benefit
to the great working body of the coun-
ty. He pointed out the good of such
education and assured them they had
been the greatest factors in the town
he welcomed them to.
President Taggart responded and in
clear concise manner compared the
circumstances and existing conditions
of this and the year previous. BY
figures he showed that the far.
mers were more prosperous and by a
few remarks showed how the condi-
tons could still be bettered by econo-
my and education.
introduced to speak on the question
- Benefits to be derived from Farmers
Institutes" He hurriedly reviewed
the difference in prices of now and the
past and pointed out some reasons for
the change. Then he spoke more
specifically of the good to be derived
He cited how the strikers and other
organized laboring men failed in their
projects by not studying the circum-
stances of the changed condition of
things. He cOntended that watch
ing of the past and close study of the
present as read by statistics would be
of more benefit than striking and
grumbling. He showed how imprac-
ticable and impossible it was for far
mers to organize by an illustration of
the cotton growers of the south, who
few years ago met in conference and
agreed to raise less acres of cotton so as
to throw less on the market and there
by raise the price. They went home
jubilant and each thinking the others
would live up to the promise, thought
he would profit by few more acres
than agreed, and the result was a
glutted market. Then he spoke of the
creameries and discouraged farmers
forming stock company, but advised
them to encourage any individual who
wished to invest in one by assuring
him patronage. The same thing was
true of the beet sugar industry. He
counted that man a mean one who if
he found means of producing large
no. tnll 10 fnl
man, and thought that one of the
greatest benefits of the institute. He
also advised them to get better stock,
to breed better but to beware of cross
ing too many times. Another benefit
he said was in cool, long headed
reasoning instead of muscle and
Drawn. He then pointed out the ex
travagance in letting the machinery
stand out of doors during the time it
was not in use. Our farmers do not
pay enough attention to small fruits
and evergreen trees. The home is lett
desolate and drear looking, instead of
neat attractive and home like. He
should have water handy, the coal
and fuel sheltered, in fact to economiZe
by little outlay in buildings. Then
there was the rotation in crops. Not
a rotation in Il hap hazard manner but
one of thought and foresight. The
study of agriculture us II science had
helped Many OF the old time ques
lions had been solved by science.
Another vital question he said was
the balancing of food rations in stock.
He pointed out by examples how
money could be saved by watching
the effect of the different kinds of
foods Then hepointed out how those
men who had watched the change of
times had seen that the ratio of in
crease in the human population was
greater than the cattle increase and
that they were now profiting by the
high price of stock. He then touched
upon feeding in general and admon-
ished the farmers to feed whatever
they had. If they had but one or a
few feed them and gain and save
thereby In concluding he urged
them to remember the social part of
home life. That gaining riches was
not all of life, but that lite was to live
in all the fullness of their educated, re-
fined possibilities.
The attendance Wednesday evening
at the lecture given by Geo. w. Van
Houten was fair, but not such as a
lecturer of such merit deserved. 1t
may have been owing to the inclem-
ency of the weather that no more at
tended, but those who attended speak
very highly of the lecture and pro-
nounce Mr.. Van Houton student, .