Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-02-21

called to order by President Forty.
Prof. A. H. Snyder, of Ames, gave
very interesting talk on maintaining
the fertility of the soil, and the
necessity of tile drainage where needed.
In the afternoon Mr.. Ames talked on
Organization Benefit, " of which the
following is an all too short summary:
The subject is one that should receive
much consideration by the Stock raiser
as it is just as necessary to have a
profitable market as it is to success
fully raise and fit stock for market.
Every class of business at the present
time has it's organization for the benefit
and advancement of the interests of
those concerned, and its effect is felt
in every way. The lumbermen held a
convention in Minneapolis the other
day. Do you think they were there in
the farmers interest? The farmers so
far are the only class of men who
neglect to follow the old adage "In
union there is strength" There has
not been time in the past IS years
when there was SO wide spread of
values between the prices paid for the
live animal and the price paid by the
consumer for the finished product. The
price asked for meats remain the same
to-day as before The recent panic, the
retail price of meats on the local counter
changing little if any. The deprecis-
ton of wealth in this state represented
by the decreased value of its live stock
has been far in excess of the amount
of gold borrowed from other countries
to establish confidence in the money
market an absolute loss Of wealth to
the producing interests of the country.
The Corn Belt Meat Producers Associa-
ton organized four years ago by volun-
tary membership, as strictly business
proposition devoid of political or
partisan nature, has done more to
further the interests of the farmer
than any other association of its kind
ever organized. Briefly summarized,
the Association has secured return
transportation after a three months
fight before the legislature; committees
have gone over the different railroad
systems urging improvements in stock
yard accommodations and train service;
brought a hearing before the State
Railroad Commissioners, asking a
reduction on rates for live stock Except
hogs) for all points in the state (no
change having been made in live stock
rates for II years. with the result that
the distance tariff on live stock, except
hogs, was reduced an average of 1s
cents per cwt., fecting all shipments
within the state. At present the
Association has most important hear
| ing before the Interstate Commerce
Commission to regulate rates for Iowa
shippers who are now paying rate far
in excess of those given other shippers
in like and contiguous territory. Given
equitable rates and good service, the
next necessary adjunct is the handling
of stock at terminal points. Here Mr..
Ames described the workings of the
Cooperative Live Stock Commission
Go. of which he is president, organized
by farmers, feeders and shippers along
strictly cooperative lines for mutual
benefit in the handling and selling of
consignments Of stock 10 the Chicago
yards. Mr.. Ames claims that many
questions upon which the Company has
taken stand are not rightly under
stood by the people and that with a
few exceptions the market papers have
denied them the privilege of stating
their position, giving as an instance
the recent agitation concerning the post
norton examination order of last sum-
mer. The present method of disposing
of animals affected with lumpy jaw is
unnecessarily losing thousands of dol
lars for the producer, as is most evil
dent and can be readily ascertained
from the books of the officers who are
L in charge of the examinations. Mr..
Ames stated that the stock raisers of
this section have been receiving to a
considerable extent the benefit of the
work of their neighbors and should as
sist in the work by forming an organi-
cation and becoming members of the
Corn Belt Meat Producers Association.
During his remarks the speaker also
paid his respects to the home market"
proposition in these words: "Who buys
our beef? The fancy cuts go down
east. The fat. coarse beef is called ex-
port beef and goes to England. The
poorer cuts we have only home mar
ket for, but France and Germany
would take all we have to spare if we
had trading treaty with them. And
why haven't we? Because Uncle Joe
Cannon sits on the lid and says you
can't. Canada and the Argentine Re-
public each have treaty with them
and are getting the trade. /"
PREMIUM AWARDS
/ Best jar Of farm made butter: An
drew Fuller LIST, B. P. Norton I'd, c. v.
johnson 3D.. Is
Heaviest dozen of eggs: Walter For
ry Jr., LIST, Volney Vance End.
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.
School Consolidation Discussed at the