The Greeley tribune., 1912-01-11

Tho eighth annual institute Of the
Weld County Farmers club, which
il conceded to have been the best
meeting 10 far held, both In interest
and numbers in attendance, closed
Thursday afternoon.
The papers and discussions which
followed touched nearly every phase
of farm life at some point. No one
in attendance at the sessions could
fail to be benefited, for these were
no mere theorists who addressed the
audiences. From the president OF
the Agricultural college to the most
horny-handed tiller OF the soil, each
had had actual experience In his
speciality. added to the book learn
ing which he might or might not
possess. The mere prefix, ''profes-
sor", does not of necessity disqual-
ify an individual to impart valuable
instruction, any more than does the
lack of the college education. Brains
and experinece are necessary, and
the book learning then becomes a
valuable adjunct.
Men who attended the institute
recognized the truth of these state
ments. They were not the ne'er-do-
wells Of the farming business, ~ =
rule, but those who have been fairly
successful in their. work, and a
speaker who should have attempted
to pull the wool over their eyes with
fine spun theories would soon have
been greeted with shouts of de-
rision.
From the opening speech of Presi-
dent Charles A. Lory to the clos
ing talk on alfalfa by plain Ben
Preston, farmer. each had = mes
sage of vital interest to tell, and 1t
fell on receptive ears.
Practical Men Aidea
The practical farmer was helped,
while the lawyer. the doctor, the
teacher. or the business man who
may have had sneaking idea that
he could own piece of land and
rent 1t, or let some other fellow
work 1t for him, and thus add ma
terially to his income. probably was
put In the way of saving his money
and his disposition by abandoning
the thought. III there was one les
son more plainly set forth than an
other. 1t was that nothing short of
making home ON the farm, and of
directing its labors, keep
ing everlastingly on the job, as one
speaker put 1t, could give a man
more than the most precarious
existence. With sufficient working
capital. coupled with industry and
thrift, ample technical knowledge,
some business talent, and close per-
sonal attention, q farmer may rea-
sonably hope to make = good living,
educate his children. keep his fam
lily In comfort and lay up q compet-
ence for old age. Minus either
factor, he can only exist.
The institute gave opportunity to
set right several Misunderstanding.
President Lory made plain the posi-
ton OF the college, and why 1t could
not act as check assayer for individ-
ual beet growers who had differ
ences with the sugar companies.
Fake Story Denied
The beet growers attorney, Mr..
DAken. Of Longmont. proved from
the official report of the congress
sional committee investigating the
sugar trust. that tho testimony OF
Beetgrower Botkin, OF tho Farmers
union. has been grossly misquoted
by the newspapers. and that there
was no reference in his testimony to
peonage or anything OF the sort.
Hans Mendelsohn. beet seed expert
In the employ Of the sugar COM
pany. but with mind Of his own.
nevertheless. clarified the murky
that has surrounded the
Beed problem In the minds of some
Of the growers.
Interest In the dairy business has
been perceptably increased by the
talks on dairy cows. silos and sill
age Nevertheless, caution will be
used. for It was made plain that
money can be lost just az rapidly
with cows a. with fusarium infected
potatoes. and that not over half the
dairy cows pay . profit on their
keep. go slow" IL As applicable
hero as elsewhere.
Light was thrown on the Car
penter irrigation law. and its pro-
visions thrashed out pretty thor
oughly. but It 10 questioned whether
much real headway was made In
reconciling the differences Of opin-
lon that have arisen concerning 1t.