Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-08-01
COOPERATION BIG
NEED, SAYS POMONA
MASTER H.P. BRIGGS
Declares Farmer Must Be Edu-
Gated in Distribution as Well
as Production.
THIS Is WORK OF GRANGE.
General Public Must Look up to
Farmer-Government Should
Also Help.


The best and most-tothe-point dis
cussiOn of the question recently raised
b. THE WASHINGTON STANDARD. name
ly, Are we Farmers or Ranchers
Here on Puget Sound?" was received
this week III letter from H. P. Briggs,
master of the Thurston County Po-
mona Grange and one of the leading
farmers of the county.
The letter was thrice welcome, not
only because 1t was to the point but
also because it showed that the farm
ers and ranchers themselves are TAX
ing up this question for discussion and
are giving it intelligent consideration
1t Is live question and only the sur
face of 1t has so far been touched
The whole problem of the advisability
Of this method or that has not been
gone into; the problem Of education
ard distribution has just been touched
upon; facts and figures to prove the
frequent assertion that this Puget
Sound section is adapted only for a
small ranching district and is not a
community for large farms have been
brt merely suggested, while the part
the Grange can play in improving the
methods and aiding the farmer has
just entered the discussion.
Many more points even than these
enter in the discussion of this ques-
tion. In its proper solution lies the
secret of the development of this
whole section from the agricultural
standpoint, greater question than
any that confronts the state today, for
there is no more important problem
demanding solution at the present time
than the problem of how our logged
off lands are to be improved and cul-
t:vated. That is the big point back
of the question raised by THE WASH
INGToN STANDARD-and the best way to
solutions, lies in the experiences and
the advice of those who are now en-
gagged In developing portion of it.
So it will pay you to read the fol-
lowing article. 1t goes into the ques-
tion more deeply and directly than
any of the previous ones and 1t comes
from a man who knows exactly what
he is talking about. Here it is:
Editor of THE WASHINGTON STANDARD:
A few weeks ago there appeared in
you paper letter signed City Feller."
| am not trying to reply to it, for such
ideas find good soil in the minds of
many Of our city fellows who usually
know much and do little.
think most of the farmers of Thur
ston county will agree with me when l
say experience is far the best means Of
obtaining knowledge.
| l have lived on farm most of my
life, in the Eastern states where they
did farm, and also in Western Wash
ington where, as the party said, they
ranch.
A man once said the difference be-
tween a farmer and rancher was,
that a farmer lived on a farm and
made his living off the farm. while a
rancher lived on a farm but made his
living working for some one else.
There is perhaps some truth in that
statement. but one thing Is true, that
when a man is farming he has no time
to do anything else.
| think If the people worked more
and criticized less our farming indus
! try would be more attractive, more
profitable, and more pleasant, but un-
der present conditions it is a serious
problem.
No one can tell us in black and
white how to overcome this condition
that we find nation wide, and while our
agricultural school work Is beneficial 1t
is incomplete, but l believe when the
farmer is educated to a certain point
then and only then will farming be
what it should be.
Let us take a good view of what we
have today:
First, most of the farmers start in
without money.
Second, they have no resources and
are compelled to seek work to keep
body and soul together while they im-
prove their farm.
| Third, no man can on the average
wage work and support family and
improve his farm at the same time.
CONTINUED on page A.