The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-07
THE FATE OF The
FARM INSTITUTES
J. n. SHEPHERD, PRESIDENT OF
THE INSTITUTE BOARD DIS
cussEs THE CALAMITY WHICH
HAS ovERTAkEN THE BOARD
BY REASON OF sURKE's VETO.


Gus questions which have been re-
ferred to me as president Of the farm
ers' institute board asking what Is to
be done with our farmers institute
work, / wish to say that / am only
one member Of a board Of five men
who must decide this matter but ]
will give you my opinion as to what
should be done. Since many may not
be familiar with the facts / will state
the case.
Governor Burke vetoed the increased
appropriation for farmers Institutes,
which would have raised them from $6,-
600 a year to 5000 per annum. The
governor I presume did not know
what the situation Is with the insti-
tute fund and unfortunately must not
have made inquiry on the point.
The winter OF the heavy snow we
found 1t impossible to do much good
with the institute schedule on account
of the uncertainty Of travelling on the
part of the speakers and impossible
roads between the farm homes and the
places set for meetings. AS result
we called off all Of the meetings, or
practically all OF them that winter.
This left a considerable sum of money
to go over. During the earlier years
the appropriation of $4,000 was ample
on account of the institute annual
costing practically nothing and by rea-
son OF the demand for Institutes being
very light. The earlier institute an
nuals cost nothing by reason of the
fact that the superintendent solicited
advertising and took that money to
paw for the book. The board ordered
this plan discontinued as IL put money
into the hands Of the superintendent
to account for and in our opinion
cheapened the ANIMALS that we got
out.
All of the accumulated funds were
carried forward by the auditor and
placed to the credit of the farmers
institute During the last two years
we have drawn heavily on this ac-
emulation, which at the beginning of
that time amounted to. according to
my memory, about $4,000.
Last season the better farming train
was offered to us after we had ex-
pended all Of the money that we felt
that we could spare. The agricultural
| college could not take advantage Of the
offer, except to furnish speakers. The
institute management thought 1t was
too good an opportunity to be overlook
ed or to allow to go by default We car
RED this load out of funds which other
wise would have been left over for
this years work and the cost was as
remember 1t about $1,000, which made
last years expenditures for Institutes
about $4,000. The Northern Pacific
railway officials have offered better
farming train again this season which
cannot now be equipped for lack of
funds.
This winter, 1910, we held one in
stitute where four were called and we
now have demands enough booked to
keep the size of corps that we car
ried this winter busy for two years.
The house and senate passed the in
stitute appropriation increase without
single vote against it. The governor
had spoken favorably of the work and
as a result we put on more institutes
than we otherwise would have done
feeling that we could anticipate that
Increased funds would be available and
feeling that we should render the serv-
Ice which was so strongly demanded
and so seriously needed. The result is
| that we have at this time a balance
of about $4,000 in the institute treas
ury to cover the biennial period, which
will not pay the superintendent
salary.
We have only begun to recover from
| the surprise which the veto has given
us and have not formulated plan OF
procedure. The fact is we do not know
how to plan to do work with no funds
to work with. certainly hope that the
matter will be agitated through ouI
commercial clubs and various local or
/ ganizations which have taken a lead
ing part and great interest in insti-
tute work and a plan devised for keep
ting the work going.
/ do not need to discuss how vita
this work is to the farmer, the active
producing class Of this state. II is cut
ting off the strongest means of school
Ing that he has ever had and his only
chance to be taught about his business
aside from ready books and periodi-
Gals.
Personally, I have plan in mind
which expect to propose to Superin.
tendent Hoverstad and the institute
board. Namely, that we put out &
volunteer non salaried institute corps
Cor three months next winter to worl
with superintendent Hoverstad as 6
corps of lecturers. The railroad is per.
mitted to furnish the transportation &C.
cording to our new anti-pass law, and
II the commercial clubs, farmers clubs
or whatever organizations interested IL
the local towns will furnish the money
to cover the travelling and hotel ex.
penses, we viii be able to hold a linn.
tied number of Institutes. would make
this provision as a means Of meeting
the emergency which will exist, anC
the following winter when the legis.
lature will be in session that body
will have the responsibility and we viii
wait until they appropriate funds be,
fore starting any additional work.
Whether the board win adopt this
plan or not do not know, but /
would seem to me reasonable and adj
visabIe, and although 1t is not fair t.
to the farming people. who pay seven
ninttls of the taxes and have this ant
the experiment station as the only tw,
direct assets or aids in their business
Is the best way that can see out O
the emergency. j. III. Shepherd.
Prizes Sanitary Bakery open 70
business. Cakes and pastries Of 81
kinds. Prizes celebrated Homemade