The Mena weekly star., 1919-06-12

...... .
 They have the get-together spirit at Columbus, Kas. The farm bureau of Cherokee County recently gave 2 banquet to the chamber of commerce of Columbus, and as members of tho organization talked and dined togeth. CT it was not hard to see that the chamber of commerce had abandoned the out-of-date idea of boosting only the business interests of the town and it was just as evident that the members of the farm bureau had out grown the traditional suspicion with which farmers often regard the busi. ness men in town. The farmers and business men of that place now under stand each other, and all are pulling together for better things for their entire county.
 And they are getting better things too, and that without much delay One of the last things they started after was concrete roads across the county from north to south and from east to west, and it took just two days to get enough petitions signed up to put the road thru and to get federal aid to help defray the expenses of building it. Cherokee was the first county to get such petitions thru.
 Columbus lies right in the heart of a large farming district surrounded by mines. The mines are some dis tance from Columbus and the cham Der of commerce has realized that the main business in their trade terri tory is agriculture, and they are do- ing all they can to develop that rather espousing the usual chimerical schemes for developing asmining in- dustry where none really exists, or can exist.
 Farmers Guests of Business Men.
 A little more than a year ago the chamber of commerce invited the farmers of the county to Columbus for a banquet and a general get ac- uuainted meeting. The farmers read ily responded to the idea of such a meeting, and after it was over went home with more favorable ideas of their town neighbors.
 They also had a chance to see what the chamber of commerce was doing and learn some of the advantages to be derived from organization. If or ganization was a good thing for the business men, some of them reasoned, why wouldn't it be good for the farm CTS, too?
 As a result the farmers were not long without organization. By Au- gust, 1918, they had farm bureau or ganized and had K. J. Willis on the job as county agent. As soon as they had their organization completed they joined with the chamber of com merce and the two organizations be- gan co-ordinating their efforts. They didn't find this hard job, for they had become pretty well acquainted since their first meeting, and had been working together, for the chamber of commerce had helped the farmers put the farm bureau thru.
 So the banquet of the chamber of commerce was only return of 'tne compliment paid first by that organi- zation to the farmers.
 Then, too, this was a good time to nut on a banquet that would bring the two organizations together. The farmers of the county have ss,Vvo acres of the finest wheat they ever grew that is going to need harvest ing soon, and they know there are not enough men on the farms of Chero, kee County to handle it. They VII need help. and they knew the chamber of commerce was the best organza- tion they could enlist to help them m their drive for labor, for the prosper ity of the town just as much as the rural districts depends on that wheat crop.
 Merchants Will Help in Harvest.
 So the chamber of commerce ana the farm bureau will recruit harves, labor. And it is no half-neareeo way the chamber of commerce IS tah- ing hold of the job either. Not oniy are they going to do all they can to re cruit laborers, but they are gong .o close up shop and go out themselves .c <, help save the million dollars wortn of wheat. -
 The two organizations feel they are just started on their program oi co-oneration. but they have alreaiy accomplished much. In March tnsy started the plan of holding public sale the first Wednesday of each month A regular auctioneer is em- ployed. and anyone with any article to to- sell may put it on the block by paving a commission based on the price p it brings. This sale is open to anyone in the county, and is patron ized by both farmers and the ci'S dwellers. ,,,
 They also have started a program 4o reshape the agriculture of the counT