Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-10
HITCH BANKS Up
TO THE FARMS
The Bankers Agricultural
Commission Is Now Busy
Joining Interests.

Near Champaign, Ill., there is farm
which grew an idea. The farm belongs
to B. F. Harris, who resigned recent
ly as chairman of an agricultural COM
mission of the American Bankers asso-
citation. The idea, naturally, belongs
to Mr.. Harris. too.
Mr.. Harris. having spent some siren
uous years in the management of pub
lie utilities, decided to retire for lit
tie rest ~ years ago. AS a propitious
spot for his purpose he picked out
farm Of 800 acres which had gravitated
into the hands of a Champaign bank
Of which he is president.
Like most of the farms in the vicin-
ity, this one was making a little bet
ter than expenses. Mr.. Harris had
acquired the idea in the public utili-
ties business that a property which
barely paid it's board was hardly worth
owning He decided, accordingly, that
the farm was goirg to produce divi-
dends.
Mr. Harris was not farmer. His
parents before him for two genera
lions had been bankers. He had divid-
ed his own time between law, banking
ana pubic ulllltlcS n compendium VI
all the new manager of the 800 acres
didn't know about agriculture would
have occupied many pages.
COOPERATION THE IDEA.
Today the 800 acres have grown to
26O0 the Harris farm is the largest in
the corn belt; and the owner made
more money out of it last year than he
did out of his, bank. Now, for the idea.
1t was that the interests of the banker
and the farmer were identical.
Mr. Harris grew the idea on his farm.
\ But he didn't leave it there. Instead,
he took it with him to meeting of
the Illinois Banl; ers' association eight
years ago.
I'VE haven't been paying enough at
tention to the farmer" he told the
meeting. Unless the farmer makes
money, we can't. His interests are our
interests. We've got to get out from
behind our desks and do something"
The ultra conservative element nat
urally didn't take much to the idea.
The other element, however, did, and it
was strong enough to give it trial. An
agricultural committee was organized.
1t distributed bulletins, imported better
stock, talked over the farmers needs
with him and lent him money for farm
development.
THE IDEA GROWS FAST.
The results were so good the idea
was taken up by the national associa
| ton. Today the agricultural commits
sion is one of the important divisions
! of the A. B. A. 1t employs county
| agents to promote scientific agricul =
ture, fights for good roads. sees that
every new wrinkle in farming goes
straight to farm, gives prizes for every
| thing from good butter to good pigs
encourages all sorts of organization!
among the farmers. and altogethe;
takes an active and beneficial part in
the life of the countryside.
In different communities different
plans are followed. One banker, for in
stance, a few years ago offered to LEND
any farmer in the county mono.
enough without interest to build a silo
| Many accepted his offer. which re
suited in increased farm value.
throughout the county. Another go
up a motor car excursion and tool
about $50 unprogressive farmers OF
a trip to the state agricultural college
Just before they went away the far
mers had voted down appropriation
for cattle dipping and good ROADS
When they returned they began
movement for securing both by Fri
vate cooperation.
RESULT AROUND CHAMPAIGN.
The movement is nowhere more ac
tive than around Champaign, Ill. MI
Harris sees to that His latest expert
ment was last month. when he, CAV
picnic on the former 320-acre farm
to 1000 farmers. AT the end of it h
made little speech, the gist of whicl
was:
You'll see a lot of new tangled ma
chimes around here. I've found the
make me money. If anyone here want
to buy like machine he can get tn
cash for it at my bank" Many Dor
rowed money.
Mr.. Harris values the farm for tn
income it yields. But he values it al
most as much. or perhaps more. 70
the record side crop 1t produced on