The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-06-14

could and without the exercise Of the
powers of the Commission in emer-
gency cases.
In the case of milk prices the Com
mission was able to avert a threat
ened price Of from 10 to 20 cents per
quart. The dealers had freely pre-
dicted that these would be the pre-.
vailing prices. The disaster and sur
fering among the poor can we'll be
ina ined had this come to pass. The
same was true of the prices of bread.
The result was reduction from 20
cents for 26 ounces of bread to IL
cents for 80 ounces. -. u. %..#' '
All of these things have been a
direct result of efforts of Governor
Burnquist and the Commission. At
no time has it been possible to sc.
cure the cooperation Of the leaders
of that "bolsheviki" Organization in
these laudable undertakings, altho it
has been solicited time and again.
They confine their efforts to behttl-
ing, ,criticising and propounding I'M
possible and impractical theories in
their wild efforts to becloud the iss:::s
and appeal to the prejuddces Of the
farmer and laborer whom they claim
ed to represent. These matters are
a. matter of record and cannot be sue
cessfully disputed by any honest per-
son. - ~
At conference called last fall by
Governor Bunrnquist to consider the
proosed price of wheat, representa-
tives from North and South Dakota
were invited to be present. 1t is
matter of record that this is the first
step taken by any official to insure
a just and fair price Of wheat to the
farmer. Again was practical and pa
triotic effort matched against frothy
vaporings and preju Iced mouthings of
the discontended and selfish. The re-
suit that many millions of dollars were
saved to the farmers Of the North:
west by the timely effort and thought
fulness of our governor whose. entire
thought was to protect their interests
a price commensurate with the high
cost Of production. -,
The committee consisting of COL c.
H. March and Dean Thatcher together
with representatives Of North and
South Dakota went to Washington and
urged price of $3.50 per bushel. The
final result was the fixing of $3.50 as
against the proposed price Of $1.65, a
difference of SIS cents per bushef With
a normal crop of wheat of ,250,000,000
bushels in these three states it means
the saving to the farmers the enorm:
Gus sum of s1S7, $780, 900. lit has not
been successfully disputed that this
was brought about thru the initiative
and foresight of Governor Burnquist
and the Safety Commission and with.
out the assistance direct or indirect,
Of those who are so loud and profuse
in their protestations that they rep.
resent the farmers of the North.
west.
Again is the fight for the best in.
terests of the farmer taken up in the
case of the fixing Of the grain stand
ards. Gov. Burnquist again found it
necessary to send Messrs. March, O.
P. B. Jacobson and Mr. Rehnke, chair
man of the State Board of Grain Ap-
peals, to Washington in an effort to
have the old Minnesota grades adopt
ed as the grain standards of the Fed
eral Government. It is generally
agreed that the present Federal grades
are not fair to the producer. Col.
March was selected as spokesman for
the committee and laid the entire mat
ter before President Wilson in such
an effective manner that there is
every prospect that the mission of the
Committee will prove to be success
full
Again in the matter of labor has the
Commission been of practical assist
ance to the farmer and Governor
Burnquist has been foremost in all ef-
forts along this line. $4,000 men were
placed throughout Minnesota with
farmers who were in need of help,
WITHOUT eXp0uSc Ut ITOuUlc W Iucu.
AS a consequence there was no short
age of farm labor in Minnesota last
year. The agency in Minneapolis,
which was almost the first thought
Of the Commission, is in better shape
this year and the scope Of it's work
broadened in order to be of practical
and permanent benefit to the farmer.
n this great task we have also failed
to note any particular effort made by
the so-called farmers and laborers"
friends to cooperate with Governor
Burnquist and the Commission.
Another plan evolved by the Com
mission which has meant much to the
consumer and the farmer has been the
marketing agency maintained in the
Midway District where the consumer
bought produce at wholesale and the
farmer was able to find market for
his produce where there otherwise
was none. The following specific in.
stances will prove the practical bene
fit of the plant
The following is quoted from re-