Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-29


that their dreams of better condi-
tons for the farmers and their fam
lily will never come true until they
wake up and take action. One half
Of the farmers duty is to produce
food, which he has performed we'll,
the other half is to market his pro-
ducts and buy his supplies; this he
has carlessly neglected in the past.
Now through the Farmers Educa-
tional and Cooperative State union
of Nebraska they are being educated
relative to the needs and advantages
of organization and cooperation
This short article is intended to
give briefly the aims and purposes
of the Farmers Union of Nebraska
and few of the results that have
been attained
Aims and Purposes.
To secure equality, establish JUS
tice, and apply the golden rule.
To discourage the credit and mort
i gage system.
To buy and sell and assist our fell
low members in buying and selling.
To educate the agricultural classes
in scientific farming.
To teach the farmer the classifi-
cation of crops, domestic economy,
and the process of marketing.
To systematic Methods of pro-
duction and distribution.
To eliminate gambling in farm
products by boards of trade and
other spectators.
To bring framing up to the stand
ard of other industries and business
enterprises.
To secure and maintain uniform
prices for grain, live stock, and other
products of the farm.
Organization of Union.
In the spring of 1911 the first
Farmers Union meeting was held
in Nebraska. At first progress was
very slow and dscouraging, The
farmers would not take hold of this
new organization which was largely
due to the fact that previous farmers
organizations in the state Cat one
time in a flourishing condition) fin
ally broke up, and left the farmers
with the impression that no farmers
organizations could exist long
enough to do them any good. How
ever, during May, 1911 Farmers
Union, Local No. /, was organized
From that time on organization
work was carried on in several parts
of the state, and in December. 1918
the first. state convention was held
and the state union organized. Al
that meeting there were 1873 dele
gates present From this small be-
ginning, the Farmers Union of Ne
braska made a steady growth, and
is now one of the largest and best
farmers organizations in the United
States. The growth of the organi-
cation is as follows: January l, 1914
| 240 locals, 5000 members; January
| /, 1915, 400 locals with more thar
| 10000 members; January |, 1916, 731
locals with more than 10000 mem.
bers; January |, 1917, 1924 locals
with membership past 10000; Jan
uary !, 1918, 1926 locals with paid III
membership near $4,000; January l
1919 over 1900 locals were organized
with membership of about 10000
The above statement regarding
membership applies only to male
members over Fl years of age; in.
Guiding women and children there
are about 100000 people directly in.
terested in the Farmers Union Of
| Nebraska.
Local Business Organization.
| Shortly after the organization
work of the Farmers union in Ne
| braska started, our members became
interested in providing means fol
cooperative marketing of farm pro
ducts, as we'll as buying our farm
necessities. We soon realized the
| necessity of organizing local bust
ness enterprises and our member:
were not slow in taking hold of tFi:
matter. This work has been car
ried on from year to year, and to-
day we have organized and are op
Grating about $50 farmers union CO
operative grain elevators. Many O
| those associations in addition tt
handling grain, are dealing in farm
machinery, lumber, coal, Irvine, flour
and feed as we'll as many other farm
necessities. There are also abou
| $50 farmers union general mercan
tile stores, each doing large vol
Tune of business. Furthermore
there are large number of shipping
organizations and cream stations
and also two creameries and severa
| flour mills. In a great many place!
where no business organization:
have yet been established, the mem
bers are doing business through thu
locals. More cooperative elevators
stores and shipping associations arr
being organized this year than wa
organized during the same length
of time in the past.
State Business Activities.
The first effort in cooperative
buying was in April, 1914 when
with Practically no funds, an orde,
for $4,000 pounds of binder twin'
was placed and Irvine was shipped
direct from the factory to the con
suner, the members paying for The
Irvine upon arrival. This was ;
money-saving undertaking. 1n>somt
localities Is per cent was saved by
the consumers who bought thi:
Irvine. From that time on othel
articles were taken on and handled
by the exchange.
The following will give an out
line of what has been accomplished
along this line. During 1871
$3,987.65 worth of merchandise, If
addition to $4,000 pounds of binder
Irvine were handled. In 1915 the ex
change did business of $3lS,382.96
During year of 1916 the volumne O
business was $997,05960. The sale
for 1917 were more than $l,700,000
Il