Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-02-12
Following the Organization Meeting
of the Iowa Farm Bureau Feder-
alton.
Des Moines, Iowa
Ian 30. 1919

nolicies of the Iowa Farm bureau
Federation seems necessary, and in
fairness to all concerned is mace
alike to both organizations and the
County Farm Bureaus of Iowa.
The idea of state organization or
Farm Bureaus has been in the mines
of many leaders of Farm bureau
work ever since the inception OF the
County Work movement. The feellhs
has been that the work OF the Farm
Bureau in individual counties coulo
he correlated, strengthened anu III
DrOyed by such an association any
That certain economic lines or Worh
could not be profitably conducted ny
anv one individual county bureau.
This idea has grown Simultaneous!
in the minds of mum Der OF men III
various parts of the state win no
nter-acuuaintance or COMMUNICATE
thus indicating that the conceptiol,
was of broad origin. me acCua'
movement started through the lssu-
ing of a letter to the Farm bureau
nresidents of the state by Mr.. franz
Iustice of the Polk County Bureau
This was followed by resolutions III
some of the counties favorlng such
movement. A preliminary commltIee
met at Des Moines consisting OF MI
Jrstice and Adam Middleton, pFesi-
dent of the Wright County Farm
bureau and the writer who is presl-
dent Of the Marshall County Farm
Rureaus at which a decision was
made ia issue a call to the presidents
&c all the County Bureaus in iowa
For . meeting for the purpose OF Ell
r.; m nix
No notice was given to the press
oF Tho state. proceeding this meeting
NOT that we were unwilling thab
tho nressf should have the informa-
tinn but because we as farmers we
overlooked, the courtesleS 10 tH
nress Invitations. however, were eA-
tended just prior to the meellhe, "
the agricultural press OF the st"'o'
including the Iowa Homestead Ihese
agricultural papers we're generailS
represented at the meeting. NO III
vitations were issued to the Greater
Iowa Association or to any oIhei
similar organization.
It was the privilege or the Writer
TO he honored with the chalrmanshlp
of the organization meeting Which
was attended by accredited repre-.
sentatiyes of the Farm bureaus ~, %
seyenty-two counties OF iowa ne
raoular COURSE Of organization was
pursued, consisting OF the discus
sions, appointment OF committees
adoption of constitution, etc. during
the meeting the Secretary informed
the chairman that a representative
of the Greater Iowa Association was
present and desired 10 ADDRESS the
meeting. Likewise, Representatives
of two or three organizations otnel
than Farm Bureaus, requested the
privilege to speak. The chairman ue-
clined to recognize any speaker other
than Farm Bureau men, or repre-
sentatives of the agricultural press.
This denial was not because he
would not have been glad to hear
these gentlemen, but because tne
work of the day was too heavy 10
admit any outside issues TO be pre-
scented.
BEFORE a number of the men VINO
were representatives at this meeting
could reach their homes, press re-
norts had been received at the nome
towns of these men from Greater
Iowa Association, telling of the or
ganization of this Federation anu
claiming credit for the same, saying
tbat II had been fostered by the
Greater Iowa Association and took
m lines of work already pursued py
the Greater Iowa Association, ana IN
timating if not stating, future al
fiIiation, Any statement, however
that the men who arranged the OF
qanization of the Bureau Federa-
tion or who had any part In the
Narshalltown meeting had recelVed
anv suggestions about the Federa-
ton of Farm Bureaus from the
Greater Iowa Association, is apso-
lutely false. ~,
The editorial referred to from the
Iowa Homestead is evidently the OUT
growth Of this false impression sent
throughout the state by the Greater
Iowa Association. We consider us
publication the result of the I'M
friendly spirit between the Home
stead and the Greater Iowa Assocla-
tion which has resulted in harm 10
both newspapers and association
alike We consider its publication
nv the Homestead without moro
understanding of the facts or CON
suItation with any member or the
executive committee of the iowa
Farm Bureau Federation to De un-
fair and an injustice not only 10 the
state Federation, but to the entire
county agent work of Iowa and mis-
leading to the general public.
The executive board which was
chosen to perfect the organizatlon
of the State Federation or Farm
bureaus and to control its policies'
absolutely refuses to be in any prl-
yate or public controversy. we re-
fuse to tear down, attack or seek 10
destroy any beneficial Agricultural
organization. Our proposition Is
rather to cooperate with all Organ.
zation working toward permanent
agricultural good, fostering petter
aericultural education, and an IN
creased production, improved mar
kets. transportation and dlstrlpu-
ton. a better rental system, mann
tainance of soil fertility and the ae-
velopment of Iowa citizenship. we
are ready to cooperate along these
lines not only with agricultural as,
sociations, but with the agricultural
nress and commercial organizations.
ant we refuse to go outside these
lines of activities or to ADOPT any