West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-01-01
The FARM BUREAU
County Plan Of Grange Co-opera.
ton Considered.
" II 10 a Good Thing the Grange Ought
to Become a Constructive Agent to
Develop it-otherwiss II Should BE
Opposed.

W SccoWo - Sonstructfve agent TO
Develop it-otherwise II Should BE
Opposed.
The task OF agricultural education
will never be complete until we seek
to reach the very last man on the farm
with the best things said President
X. l.. Butterfield at Kalamazoo, speak
ing To 300 people assembled to confer
with hin concerning rural affairs.
For forty-seven years the grange has
been concerned with the effort ito
reach the last mar on the farm with
the best things" says Miss Jennie
Buell., lecturer OF Michigan state
grange. In the Michigan Farmer. Some
times IL has led, again it has followed
other institutions i'm the quest. There
lever was a time when IL was nearer
the goal, nor n time when 1t might see
so clearly how distant is that same
goal as today. There is still a wide
gulf between "the last man and the
best things a~griculturally. albeit great
movements are stirring 10 bring them
together. Greatest OF all present move-
ments IS that one which aims at CO.
operation. which I'm reality includes all
others OF whatever name. And for CO.
operation In theory the grange stands.
IL IL stands for anything. The diff
Guilty now is to assist In applying it
practically so as to carry the best
things" into the byways TO 1.-THE last
man." 1t means working shoulder to
shoulder with those we never have CO.
operated with, both I'm and outside the
grange. Ii means finding common
ground with consumers MS well as with
producers. with bankers as well as
farmers, and so cooperating from that
common ground for the betterment OF
all.
One form of possible cooperation
which Is tapping Mt our doors today Is
that OF the county farm bureau. Great
diversity OF opinion is held by indlvid-
ual patrons. and exactly opposite posi-
lions are being taken by different
oranges. which alone shows the need
for thorough investigation and deliber-
ate action on the subject. At best the
whole matter Is I'm n haZy state. so
new that as yet II has taken no form
that universally prevails.
Certain 1t is that pure p%aternalism OH
the part OF city business men will be
resented by country business men.
Just as certain is it that no one can
possibly object TO the farmers OF n
county forming an association among
themselves for promoting the rural
welfare OF that county from any and
every standpoint they may see fit.
Both of these plans for farm improve
ment exist now. together with many
other plans In between. Some coun-
ties hire a secretary" manager"
demonstrators" agent" expert
call him what you will. Others do
not. Where employed in some in
stances this field man devotes special
efforts to soil Improvement. in some 70
alfalfa and forage crops. in somS to
seeking better markets and tS stand
ardizlnz the products offsfed for sale;
In some he is active in strengthening
and extending organizations among
farmers. Varying forms of this idea
have been v~ariously launched-by the
federal government, by agricultural
colleges. by bankers, by city boards OF
trade and by farmers alone. On all OF
these the grange will find material for
study and comparison.
Here. then, Is a large opportunity for
extending grange influence outside its
own borders, yet one which also con
Germs Its membership vitality. II the
county farm bureau. by and large. IS
n harmful proposition the grange
should condemn IL wholly after careful
and full examination. If, however. it
finds I'm the idea possibility OF develop
ing into n plan for "reaching the last
man on the farm with the best things
the grange ought undoubtedly TO stand
as a constructive agent in developing
IL 10 that end.