The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919, 1913-02-07
FARMERS FORM NEW SOCIETY
Aims to Affiliate All Organizations for
Action Along Lines Of Country
Life Questions.

The objects outlined by the new
constitution adopted by the Farmers
National congress in New Orleans. are
to affiliate all societies for action
along lines of broad country life Ques-
tions; to aid in establishing state and
local organizations devoted to country
life; to secure cooperation among pro-
ducers to aid in general and vocation
= education of farmers, and to further
the passage and execution of laws
which will promote country life.
This constitution provides for two
kinds of membership. Persons may
become annual members by paying an
nual dues of one dollar; after attend
ing one annual meeting, annual mem
bers may become life members by the
payment of ten dollars. or, after at
tending four annual meetings they
may become life members upon the
payment of one dollar. Associations.
institutions and departments may be-
come members and send delegates up
on payment of ten dollars for one dele
gate and 1--WE dollars for each addi-
tional delegate. Organizations with
four to eight thousand members are
entitled to two delegates each; eight
to sixteen thousand members, three
delegates, and one additional delegate
for each additional sixteen thousand
members.
Each delegate has one vote. hpt in
are to pool their votes and vote by
states. Each state delegation is EN-
titled to MS many votes In the annual
meeting as there are multiples of ten
thousand farms in the state. There
being something like seven million
farms in the United States, this would
provide about seven hundred votes
from all states. 1t is believed that
there are about fifteen hundred coun-
try life organizations which may be
considered by the council eligible to
membership; with the additional dele
gates from large organizations there
may be approximately two thousand
delegates representing organizations.
This means a possible delegate body
in annual meeting with between TWEEN
ty-five hundred and three thousand
voting delegates.
Besides the usual executive officers,
there is council made up of one
member from each state, and this
council elects an executive of five
members chosen from the membership
of the council There is also vice
president for each state. who is chair
man of his state delegation.
1t Is expected the individual men,
bership will be rapidly increased to
thousands, or even tens of thousands,
and also that most eligible organiza-
lions will adhere within a few years.
This will provide an annual budget of
some tens of thousands of dollars. The
congress will of course have Its an
nual meetings. and it is expected that
these will become much more techni-
cal and more practical in the interests
of American country life. Numerous
committees are projected, which may
consist of groups of say five farmers
and two agricultural economists from
departments of agriculture. agricul-
tural colleges and experiment stations.
Provision is made for undertaking
or assisting shows and expeditions, UNI
der special votes of funds for those
specific purposes.
There is also provision for an an
nual report and other publications un-
der fiscal plans, which should make 1t
possible for the congress to very
greatly increase the output of valuable
printed matter.
There is a splendid plan for audit
ing the accounts of the congress The
constitution may be amended in either
of two ways. Upon years notice,
it can be changed by two-thirds vote
at the annual meeting; or. after dis.
cussion. at an annual meeting. 1t can
be amended by mail, or by return pos.
tai card vote. within thirty days after
the annual meeting.
The new constitution was made at
once operative. and the old officers.
who had been elected for a two-year
term, were retained for the ensuing
year. The president is C. F. Sanford,
London, O., and the secretary is J. H.
Kimble, Port Deposit. Md; John NJ.
Stahl Of Chicago is legislative agent
and w. L. Ames of Wisconsin is treas.
urer.
Provision has also been made for
committee to investigate an efficient
warehouse system for all farm prod.
ucts, with view to securing adequate
and inexpensive warehouse facilities
Other committees are being projected