The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-01-31
FARMERS SHOULD ORGANIZE.
MIX River Raneher Urges Cooperation
For Profitable Isl Of Cr0ps.

MIX River Raneher Urges Cooperation
For Profitable Use Of Crops.
Editor of River Press:
l beg to ask for space in your paper
to address the readers Of the "River
Press" whom this may interest and
especially the members Of The Valley
County Farmers club that was II.
ganized at the conclusion OF the far.
mers' institute held at Hinsdale last
spring.
We conclude that, since the word
from the secretary OF the interior has
been made public, the skepticism
evincsd by not q few as to the actual
construction of the irrigation system.
In Milk river valley, has now van
ished. Their fears we think, were
partly responsible for our inactivity
since We organized. Now, the case is
different. With that system complet-
ed and the water ready to be turned
on the dry and thirsty land a coudi-
ton will confront Us which many. I
fear, have not reckoned with.
1t has been stated with positiveness
and repeatedly that the crop OF native
hay alone would pay for the water.
To this statement we answer, "Yes"
and "No." II the farmer owns stock
enough to consume the hay, yes. But
1t the hay crop Is to b:iog the cash,
no. The stock in the one case would
pay the price of the water. But this
winter thus far has demonstrated that
neither the old hay. stacked for sew
eral years, 0 the crop Of last sea.
son will be used during this winter.
And it is as certain that it will not be
all sold or shipped away. If alfalfa
this winter commands only S2.75 per
ton where irrigation is practiced-if
it is worth only the price of putting it
up, hay thrown in why should we
have reason to state that the immense
crop of the whole irrigated valley
should command $500 or $1,000 per
ton? Now what is true of the hay
crop--auy hay crop, is true of most
any other crop we might raise. The
raw product cannot be disposed of on
the local market. To ship it away is
out of the question.
AS stated, the stockman who has
cattle or sheep in sufficient numbers
to consume the raw material on his
farm need not worry; but the men
who W forty, fifty or l6O acres or
more with no stOck-and there will be
many OF them-these are the farmers
to whom these conditions referred to
apply. Unless the people in the Milk
river valley prepare to meet these
conditions now easily seen, they will
find themselves the certain victims of
the painfully slow process of evolu.
ton that exists in all new countries
where people fail to see their oppor.
tunities.
Left to ourselves to work out our
s~alv alton, each one for himself single
handed, it would take one or two de-.
cades before local markets are estab.
lished. Here the time worn story ap
plies OF the bundle of sticks tightly
bound together. They could not be
bent, much less broken; but taken
singly were easily destroyed. Unless
we act in concert and cooperate along
the lines of certain crops We shall de-
eide upon together. it Is because we
utterly fail to grasp the situation that
c%onfronts US, and We will commit an
injustice to ourselves and to our fami.
lies.
Say, do you think those public
styled "business men," or the law.
yers or your lawmakers and politi-
clans will step aside to build up your
home markets: see that you get just
prices and arrange aft fairs quite salts.
factory? Not on your very life! Blu,
while your are real quiet and indtfer
ent, they will be very busy for them
selves. In the final ''round-up" you
will pay them for their hard work to
the tune of the very last farthing and
you will pay for your apathy in mat
tiers in which you and your families,
above all others, are most interested,
FRED w. ARNDT,
Saco, Montana.
Sheep and Wool Gossip.