The Holt County sentinel., 1920-02-20
American Farm Bureau Federation.


the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation.
The American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton was called into being rs a result
of the far-seeing farmers of the coun-
try recognizing that their business had
never been on parity with the most
of other lines Of commercial activity.
The work of the County Farm Bureau
which has been operating for several
years banded together solid, con-
sentative type OF farmers, who want
ed to rectify what was wrong with
their business by better methods of
farming. The results Of the work of
County Farm Bureaus have been all
that could be expected iIut when II
comes to getting the economic, legis-
lative and marketing conditions that
are detrimental to the farmers bust
ness changed, the County Farm Bu-
reau found Itself too small to cope
with the situation.
The American faimcr has found
himself for years cuniending single
handed against the well organized
forces Of capital and labor, IN some
cases, and ia others found he could
not render labor and capitai the as
sIstance he should ON account OF hay-
ing no organization that was natIon-
wide IN scope, and nationwide M its
activities as well. These are not times
of single-handedness for the farmer
VI any Otnvi business man. OrganIza-
ton Is the slogan, and without urga-
nizatlon there IL not mach accomplish
ed.
This fact being recognized by the
farm bureau members IN several
states led 10 the grouping together Of
the County Farm Bureaus into state
declarations. Missouri has the distinc.
ton Of being the first state to form "A
state federation OF farm bureaus.
Later developments led about thirty
states TO take similar acton, These
state organizations are Iunctioning all
the time In the various states, and
J they did tremendous service during
, the war and are still doing In the
/ period through which we are passing.
Dut II was recognized finally that the
state organization wac too small Tor
the most efficient action IN farmer
Legislation, rural bcttcimcnt, in econ.
omic REIMBURSEMENT and IN correcting
the losses that are incurred IN the
present system of marketing,
The farmer VI the farm bureau type
saw that his business had not the tc.
liable data and ngurcs that were nee.
cssary to make convincing appeal to
the general public, oI To legislative
committees. loo often II was found
TO BE- the case that the farmers con
tended lOr thing, but cot III not pro-
duc. any conclusive evidence that the
thng coatcnd.d Tor was worthy ui
CONSIDERATION, simply because they N
tnc,T UTgan,.dlIon niad" no ciioIt u
COucct facts and figures that could
s.ppUrt thyir cam,
The A. +. H. T.. has fOr one portion
Of it, business to put farming on a
business basis ~ lar "a aS,crialnlng
the cost VI production, the wastes IN
marketing, anu the dlstribut ION losses
tnat are said IL occur under the pres.
en- system. The Farm Bureau ~ IT.
county, statc and hatiUnai OfgaulLa
ton T. Wen prepared 10 undertake this
work, and 10 make II useful, through
the strength ~ the American Farm
bureau Federation.
The American rarm Bureau Fedora
ton Is not u radical organization
rather II H. inclined toward conscrva'
tisih, The lew farmers who ~ loud
voice contend that everything has I,
he Strengthened out IN short order vi
the farmers will strike, ~ will lessen
production greatly, ~ will 40 som,
terrible thing to the public, are notice
able ia AL harm bureau ACTIVITIES by
their absence. The a. r. H. r. is moi
supported by the radical type of farm
crs. Ii Is II great big constructiv,
tanner organization supported by III,
state declarations of Iaim bureaus
which IN turn are supported by III,
more than one thousand farm bureaus
in the United States. The American
Farm Bureau Federation Is controlled
financed and directed exclusively by
farmers. No man can be- an office
IN the federation unless he is AZ
actual, bona-fidc farmer.
This Is the organization which farm
cis nave been cooking foi during tn
past twenty-five years. II Is able I,
stand in the high places OF the gov
eminent and speak for the American
tanner with as much authority "
other organizations speak for thei
d