Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-09-16
SECRETARY MOORES
ANSWERS QUESTIONS
Replies TO Article by Mr.. Pettycrew at
Some Length and Concludes by Ask
ing Rather Pertinent Question.
To the Editor:

To the Editor:
Last nights journal confined list
Of categorical questions intimating that
the Salem Commercial Club is useless tC
the farmers OF the community.
In the first place, the club is support
ed not by the farmers but by the bus
iness men Of Salem, and although the
farmers have been repeatedly solicited
only six out of 1000 in the county helu
with this work. Hence the club feels
little responsibility toward them, ex.
eept Of course as we are glad TO do
what we can toward helping The whole
community even if the farmers do not
carry their part of the burden. Sec.
ondly Mr.. Pettycrews motives are
open to criticism, as some time ago he
came to the club with a proposition for
working for the club among the farm.
ers. We felt that be was not fit tf "a
70 undertake the work and be was rot
hired. Consequently be takes the role
Of critic.
The club is, however anxious to do
what II can toward cooperating with
the farmers, and for those farmers who
have a sincere motive for knowing
about the clubs work, We answer the
questions as follows.
]. cor what benefit is the salem
Commercial Club TO the farmefg"
The club and its predecessor, the
Board Of Trade, have spent thousands
OF dollars in advertising the farmers
products. This year it pays SS50.OO to.
ward maintaining an agricultural ex.
pert to help the farmer toward improv-
ed methods. II has secured industries
here that take the farmers produce,
and has attracted hundreds Of settlers
for the county and city.
2. "Can or will you please name some
one thing that the Commercial Club has
ever done for the farmer that was not
an unpreventable by.product Of an Of.
Tort 70 help the commercial man 80
Anything that helps the farmer helps
the business man, and what builds ur
the business OF the city helps the sur.
rounding farmers With this qualifiea.
tion, the contribution toward the ex.
pert agrieulturalist helps no one but the
farmer. He is the one who makes the
profit from increased crops.
So What per cent Of the club mem.
beFs that are paying their dues live on
farmsfn
To be exact, six of our 400 members
are farmers. 1t is a fact lamentable
but true, that most OF them are willing
20 accept the benefits but refuse 10
help with the expense.
4. 4."What has the club done in the
PAST twelve months that has been a
benefit TO the farming mcmbersl"
Among other things, il has orgoui2ed
the Oregon LoganbeTry Association. II
IL now working TO establish potato
starch factory TO take the farmers
surplus potatoes, and is listing aud dis
tribnhng descriptions of cheap lands
for dozens OF Marion county farmers.
5. "What is the Commercial Club do.
ing to make Salem prices for farm prod
ace compare well with Portland prices
some time in the near futurel"
The club, through its publication and
through letters 10 the farmers has nd
vertised the public market and Il is Of
fering to do all the work of adveytis.
ing the loganberry Ia the East if the
farmers win help dofray the expense,
Prices for farm produce, however, as
we'll as prices for lumber and WOOL are
beyond the control of this club or any
other organization, They depend upon
the inexorable laws Of supply and de.
mand. The Portland demand is larger
and the prices consequently higher,
{. SIN what way does Salem help