Morris tribune., 1913-02-21
making for supremacy of the two


Security Trust company, st. Paul,
spoke on "Farm Credit - Accord
ing to Mr.. Wheeler. Minnesota bank
ers, realizing the peculiarly local con-
ditions in Minnesota have pursued
business tactics that differed some
what from those used in other sections
of the country. He said that banking
institutions here have sought the op-
portunity of being of some benefit to
the community at large. Notwith-
standing the popular belief. he said
the farmers of Minnesota practically
controlled its banks.
Mr.. Wheeler asserted that cooper
ative organizations were good thing.
but he warned against those associa-
tions wherein every member was not
absolutely sure of every other mem
ber.
Superintendent A. B. Wilson Of the
department of agriculture at the uni
versity declared that the farms of the
northwest were undercapitalized. he
also spoke on the farm credit system.
1t was Mr.. Wilson's opinion that the
farmers are forced to borrow money
at rates far too high. He declared
that after man had paid interest on
his loap at 7, 8 or 8 per cent for ten
or fifteen years and then had to renew
that loan without having made sat
isfsctory payment there was some
thing wrong with the system of credit
extended to him. This statement
MIR. Wilson said was based on the as
sumption that the borrower had done
Ihis best to carry out the loan.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY AGENTS.
| Alfred CARLSBAD, the Swift county
agent. said that the farm bureau had
Ebeen organized in his territory and
La town and country club given a
healthy start. He told Of the farm.
Iers' Institutes of the forming Of a
cow testing association, and other
Iactivities in which he had interested
the farmers.
F. r. johnson of Otter Tail county
ssaid that four farmers ciuts, one
Eshort course, one COW testing associa-
tion and one cooperative creamery
had been organized. The farmers
have been interested in twoindustries.
F. E. Marshall of Traverse county,
tsaid be had started out q few months
fago under discouraging circumstances.
After beginning he thought he could
only convert about S per cent of the
Imen Of his district to the better farm
ing idea. However. after two months
of hard labor almost half of the farm
ers had taken a part in the develop
ment effort as pushed by the agent.
A L. Norling of Grant county.
said he had taken up the better farm
ing movement with the children. He
offered prizes for the boys who could
writa the best essays on seed testing,
and organized an industrial fair
which will be held for the first time
next fall. A corn growers associa.
tion has been fOrme in Grant county.
F. D. Hawk of Stevens county. sale
he had found success possible by get.
ting the cooperation of the townspeo.
pie in the district.
A. D. Anderson of Pope county.
presented one of the most striking
: illustrations of the situations which
] an agent finds when he is becoming
] acquainted with his district. Mr.
= Anderson had figures showing that one
! farmer with a herd of seventeen cows
was able TO make only SIS. Is month
3 profit. Another farmer with a here
e of thirteen cows cleared $73. &c. Mr.
e Anderson placed these figures on slip
e of paper and asked the various farm
ers to estimate how many cows th'
E first man would have to keep in orde
j to clear as much as the second man
s This was one of the glaring cases O
mismanagement on the farm, Mr.
q Anderson said.
e A. B. LathroD of Big Stone county
d said that western Minnesota's great
e est need was for more residents. HI
g said the farms were much too larg
o and that they must be broken up an,
: crop diversifcation introduced. Jane
q Valentine told of the co.operativ
It movement among the farmers in Wis
e consin.
!. L. j.. Boughner of Minneapolis
I spoke on good roads.
The Graceville commercial clu
! rendered most elaborate banquet t
the visitors on Thursday evening.
0