Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1919-11-21
COUNTY FARM BUREAU
DOING SPLENDID WORK
R. w. Keller, President, Gives Ac-
count of Work Accomplished
Here

The following article written by
Il. w. ,Keeler, one of the most sue
cessful farmers of Stevens county,
and president of the Stevens County
Farm Bureau, appeared in the Cho-
kio Review of last week. Mr.. Keeler
tells Of the work the farm bureau
has been doing and recommends that
this good work be continued, only on
larger scale:
wish to get before our people
some facts in regard to The Farm
Bureau and also something Of the
proposed Federation of Farm Bureaus
both State and National.
In my estimation the present Farm
Bureau has justified it's existence and
paid for the time and money put in
to it many times over. Of a necessity
much of it's work is of such a nature
that we cannot put our fingers on the
exact amount of dollars that it has
made. We know that there is many
times as much good stock in the
county now as there was a few years
ago, that our farm practice is grad
ually changing from grain to a more
diversified line Of farming, with a
consequent increase in the wealth and
prosperity Of our people. We know
that the interest that is being awak-
ened in the Boy and Girl Club work
and will continue in this work, if it
is properly looked after, and will be
of great money value to those parti-
cipating and through them will at no
distant day show in the greater pros
perity of our people.
It was through the action Of the
Farm Bureau that harvest wages for
the year 1913 were held at 81 per
day. Had things been allowed to run
as they started we would have paid
much more for our help that year.
This is a direct beneft that every
one in the county received and many
have not contributed one cent to our
expenses. By the time this is in
print there will have been formed
a State Federation of Farm Bureaus
and the last of this week will be
formed a National Federation of the
State Federations. 3
This will be the most powerful
farmers organization that was ever
thought Of, and it will be in work
ing order before 1920. 1t will have
membership of nearly a million
farmers representing the greatest
number of people and greatest wealth
ever gathered in one organization.
The program is to promote any
thing that will be of benefit to agri-
culture in.any line.
To see that in the readjustment
now going on that the producer is
not made to bear the whole loss. To
give organized labor to understand
that they cannot continue to tip
their wages and mark down their
hours and also diminish the price we
receive for our products. To look in
to capitals way Of doing business and
where they are at fault to tell them
what they will have to do to be right,
or not have our support.
To look into all legislation that
!
see if it is right and if it isn't to have
it made right.
Locally our program for next year
is for a continuance of the club
work. To help in anyway possible
in cooperation enterprises. To change
from urging greater production to an
economical production. This is to be
in line with other lines Of business
that are reducing production. To
help in any thing that we are asked
to do to make farm life and farm
profits better. .-
The Farm Bureau as originally or
ganized was on a starvation basis so
far as money was concerned. 1t was
voted at our last meeting that we
raise our annual dues to five dollars
so that we can have money to do
things with. And in view of what is
proposed to do, this is not much.
The Federation of Iowa proposes to
have fund of $4,000 to carry. on
their work with. Illinois is collect
ing a state membership fee of SIS plus
county fee, and DeKalb county has
| 2400 members at this rate and many
other counties have over 80 per cent
of their farmers as members. And
those states are getting what :. they
want and ask for. 8 r.
The question for us to answer; is,
will we take part in this game OF
will we let it go and then wonder
why the farmers interests area not
cared for by Congress and the State
Legislatures. The men who ARE
promoting these federations fE are
actual farmers and men who know
business in big way, men who haG
they chosen could have held some oi
the most responsible places in the
financial and business world.
rr r. w. Keeler.