Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-09-27
Committee MAKES
REPORT TO Owen

Some time ago Gov. Hanna ap
p%Opointed W.. p. Tnttle, w. A. Scott
and j. E. Phelan as a committee to
study agricultural conditions in this
state and to report to Director Gen
eral Owen. Following is their re
port: '..r
Mr.. Clarence J. Owen,
Director General, The Permanent
American Commission, Agric1l-
tural. Finance, Production, Dis.
tributiOn, Rural Life.
My Dear Sir: We, the undersign-
ed, commissioners appointed by Coz
ernor Hanna of North Dakota. t" re-
port Oh 'Ae Agricultural needs OF
North Dakota, Respectfully submit
the following:
Statistics show that in 1911 farm
ers received six billion dollars for
their products. The cost Of trans.
portation for the products was only
! four hundred ninety-tive millions.
The farmers for such products, in
Guiding the cost of transportation,
got less than ono-half Of the total
! amount paid by the consumer.
The agricultural needs of North Da-
kota at the present time can be best
served by all the we'll disposed PEG.
pie who are advising the farmers
how to travel the road to success,
making good in that line themselves,
that is, IL we know how to farm and
how farmers ought to farm, let us
demonstrate the methods by practical
experience. In other words maintain
successful farms where weeds are cut
out, profitable crops raised, moisture
conserved and success perpetuated.
Then demonstrate that all this car
be done at a profit, and convince the
farmer that he is not being made a
part of an industrial system that is
aiming to force production without
due measure OF profit.
When the country home is given
the same ~convenienceS that the city
home enjoys, the city must pay for
its food supplies of the farm sutli'
cient to hire the help necessary to
take care of the tine and cost OF
such improved living. Competition
mentally, advantagcously and econ
'llISttIlS lIo bVCl w hCti III NllC ~
that the quality and price Of help in
the country has not kept pace with
the price the city wishes to pay for
farm products. The result is the
changing Of ownership.
Farming, to be a success, must be
a profitable and enjoyable industry.
The farmers are getting tired Of be-
ing preached at, but never grow tired
Of seeing things grow, or being made
to grow bountifully. Present meth
DDS in national government tend to
put the farmers in competition with
all the world, to set an example in
the competitive system, making it
necessary to produce the greatest
amount for the least compensation.
Over against this condition stands
the powerful organizations that tend
to hold production to a safe and prof
liable balance with the demand, in
nearly all industrial fields, including
skilled labor. -
So far as North" Dakota is concern.
ed, no state in the Union is better
equipped to supply the necessary
credit to farmers for their needs.
The university, agricultural college,
experiment stations, farmers insti-
tutes, country schools, are all ade-
quate and progressive and practical
ly in the hands of the farmers-rer.
resentative government to shape &C.
cording to their own best interests
and the interests of the state.
In this direction we recommend
further effort and extension of agri-
cultural and manual training in ell
the schools, expansion of demonstra-
ton farms throughout the country,
also a better farming association. We
recommend untiring effort in main
tanning a cordial fellowship between
the farmers and their brethren of The
banks, the railroads and commercial
%centers. ...
The uplift is on in North Dakota
and the intelligence Of the farmers is
equal to their task, and today, we be-
lieve that the farmers are co-operat-
ing OF a narrower margin of profit,
considering the property and labor in.
volved, than any other industry il,
this nation.
Under present conditions, dollar
wheat on the farm, and other prod
ucts in proportion, can aid the "bacI:
to the farm movement. Many are
deploring lack of production on the
farm and the cities are crying for
lower cost of living, but no n wants
so-called cheap living, excepting
those who are seeking for nothing.
Proper compensation to the farm
er for his labor and his products
will insure bountiful and ample pro.
duction.
W. P. FUTILE.
w. A. SCOTT.
T. pHEI & u