La Junta tribune., 1915-07-10
STORY o. Aks1L.A AxD IAN.
tcontiaasd from IN r.ss,

D
and the proceeds fron tossfsts xho
came TO spend the sammsy. Ashland
was in fair conditi0n q dwfndle al
most entirely away.
II was At this point fka& tAe busi-
ness mems club Of AsklanA took !
hand in the ease They appreciat-
ed the possibilities Of tn eosa.ry ad-
jacent to the city and kaev /, was
the only salvation for them. They
at once Organized % meet Tie issue.
The entire farming county about
Ashland was carefully suryeyed 10
determine how many farmsrs there
were close enough to b. couated as
tributary to the city. how many acres
Of land were cleared. how many cows
these farmers had and how many
they thought they could keep if fur
nished them In such q way thai they
could afford to buy. Thh survey
showed IS farmers. 27so aeres Of
cleared land. and 7iS cows. They
wanted i57 more cows II they could
get credit 10 buy them.
Then the business men gave a ser
les Of Saturday noon iunchex. Forty
business men each invited one far
mer as his guest each Safurday.
They employed an expert 70 talk
cows, COWS and nothing but COWS to
these men. Once they had some in
terest aroused. they got busy.
The Ashland banks agreed II the
business men would guarantees them
against any loss in any sum 10 fur
nish the farmers four times the
amount OF the guarantee. The bust.
ness men guaranteed $4,000. A
committee was appointed consisting
OF four business men and three far
mers to work out the details Of the
plan.
will not enter into the details Of
the plan At this time because they
are quite lengthy However. I have
them In my possession aad ! believe
they are worth the consideration OF
the Ia Junta Industrial Association.
The agricultural college furnished
an expert 10 assist In the task Of buy
Ing the cows. The United States
department Of agriculture also fur.
nished = man to help In this work.
Five carloads Of grade Oussnseys.
grade Holsteins and . few Jerseys
we're distributed. The farmer paid
for these only the actual cost Of the
cows At Ashland. Distributes was
by sort Of drawing system agreed
TO In the plan drawn uD. With
scarcely single excepsion. the eoss
furnished have been satisshsossy.
The first lot Of thers cows Vas ais
tributed May 30. 1919. The secoad
OF two cars August II. 1913. The
banks invested ss.s7s and had been
repaid sass by January I. 1914.
Arrangements are now under way to
purchase several carloads more. No
doubt they have been bought and
distributed long ere this time.
SO much for the plan In brief. I
realize that many details hay. been
omitted hut the idea In nj least appsr-
.nt.
This is only one Of several differeat
plans that Wisconsin IL employias.
II seems to me TO be applicable to La
Junis. II preciudes several ihinss
foreign 10 the cos buying Industry q
pssrtised In most communiti-s xheep
private Individuals engage In this
business for perpoasi profit. I, -
lists the co-operation Of the sgricn).
tursi college and the tinted s,soss
department. both Of which. ! believe.
~e are nssiecsins In our study o. ~
case. Il calls for real active oo-eo.
erstion between busiaess men -
the fasmers. . thing that 10 Of H.
mense worth In securing and hola,na
couassy trade. Il psesupposes ~
the business msn has IN Interest =
the farmers for mutual rattle. thsa
selfish reasons. n
read With Interest the campaisn
Of the industriai Association 10 =.
cure . membership Of zoe. wouiduV
Il BE- good shias 10 have some d.e1-
mite object In view that you are 81.
tag out 10 accomplish. ! bsliye ,he
nsmbesship could b. more easil, o.
taised.
Risht In this connsciion is, me
say that wiscoasin leaders aloua
dairy lines feel that they are only
yet working bssinaias. Dean lea.
~. Of the agricultural college. inaus.
utsted the movemest nearly Q sen-r.
alton ago Nov he IL away from the
state and Dr.. Babcock. the lsven,oe
Of the Habcock test, Il grouins eul,e