The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-07-06

The quarterly county cOnven- 1
ton of the Koolenai Farmers
Union composed of the locals in
Kootenai and this county, was /
cne Of the best in the history of
the association. 1t is really too |
bad that every person i'm this
county could not have been pres
ent at all the meetings and lis
tened to the proceedings. We |
do not believe there was a single |
person present but what felt That |
the benefits which he received !
very much more than compen-
stated him for the time and money
expended.
The representatives from the
Kootenai county locals came up
from Occur d'Alene on a special
boat arriving here shortly before
two o'clock Friday. The con-
vcntion was called to order at
2:3O by the county chairman,
Charles Waggoner of Post Falls,
with about sixty present. Mayor
@. f. HALEY was introduced and
very cordially welcomed the con.
vention to this city. He made
an excellent speech which was
highly appreciated by The dele
gates.
j. r. Taylor, state organizer for
Washington and Idaho responded
on the part of the convention i'm
one Of his characteristic speech
es. He was followed by Ed Kol-
man, president of the ST. Maries
Commercial club, who welcomed
them to the city on behalf of the
club calling attention to the sim
ilarity between the club and the
Farmers Union and giving illus
trations of what could be ac-
complished by organization. A.
Webster of Post Falls responded
on behalf of the convention in a
few we'll chosen remarks after
which the convention settled down
to business.
The first order was the appoint
ing of a committee on credentials
committee on resolutions and
another on good of the order
after which the convention listen
ed to the reports from the differ
ent locals. Mrs. Waggoner of
Post Falls was appointed to pre-
pare an article on the doings or
the convention for the National
Field, the national organ of the
Farmers Union, and a committee
was appointed to arrange Tor o
picture of the convention to be
published in connection with the
article.
An open meeting was held i'm
the evening which was fairly we'll
attended but comparatively few of
the people of the city were pres
ent. The first speaker on the
program was ID. Mccall of Athol.
Mr.. Mccall, who is the father of
Judge Nc Call, receiver of the
United States Land Office at Occur
d'Alene, is over eighty years OF
age but is still strong and hearty
and never misses a chance to at
tend Farmers Union Conven-
ton. He recited an original
poem and followed it by an elo-
quent address on Farmers Union
ism and the necessity of coop
Grafton among farmers which
was enthusiastically received.
He was followed by J. r. Taylor
state organizer, who is an able
and entertaining speaker. His
subject was the need of organ
ization and cooperation on the
part of the farmer. lie pointed
. ysui the fact that every line of
business except the farmers is
organized and quoted statistics
prove that while the cost of
farm products To the consumer
was approximately seventeen mill
lion dollars per year the farmer
realized less than six million, the
balance going to middle men and
transportation companies. He
closed his remarks by calling the
attention Of his hearers TO the
great good that the National Life