Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-02-28
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-
tons; to aid in establishing state and
local organizations devoted to country
life; to secure cooperation among pro-
ducers; to aid in general and vocation
al 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 upo< 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 five 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, but in
dividual members from a given state
are to pool their votes and vote by
states. Each state delegation is en-
titled to as 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. II 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 a 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 mem
bership will be rapidly increased to
thousands, or even tens of thousands
and also that most eligible organiza
tons 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 It's an
nual meetings, and it is expected thai
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 farmer;
and two agricultural economists from
departments OF agriculture, agricul
tural colleges and experiment stations
Provision is made for undertaking
or assisting shows and expositions, un
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 1
possible for the congress to yer!
greatly increase the output of valuable
printed matter.
There is a splendid plan for audit
ing the accounts of the congress. Tn,
constitution may be amended In eithe
of two ways. Upon a years notice
1t can be changed by two-thirds vot
at the annual meeting; or. after dis
cussion, at an annual meeting. it cal
be amended by mail, or by return pos
tai card vote, within thirty days afte
the annual meeting.
The new constitution was made a
once operative, and the old officers
who had been elected for a two-yea
term, were retained for the ensuin
year. The president is c. F. Sanford
London, o., and the secretary is ]. F
Kimble, Port Deposit. Md; John N
Stahl of Chicago is legislative agen
and w. L. Ames of Wisconsin is treas
urer.
Provision has also been made for
committee to investigate an efficien
warehouse system for all farm proc
! ucts, with a view to securing adequat
and inexpensive warehouse facilities
Other committees are being projecte,