The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-11-12
PLANS OF. FARM bureau.
PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
AS SET FORTH
J. F. connor of Redwood Falls
Has Been Making Telling
Addresses

Following are the main points from
the addresses which have been. de-
hvered by J. F. Conner of Redwood
county, before Farm Bureau units in
Blue Earth county. His topic is:
1.-THE Farm Bureau, It's Growth and
Objects"
THE Farm Bureau today is making
an astonishing growth. a short time
ago it consisted of small membership
in nearly all counties Of the United
SLateS, each county organization en-
tirely separate from every Otner. To-
day thay are united into strong State
CARNATIONS and these in turn COM
blned into The American Farm Bur-
eau Federation. 1t has grown from
about two hundred THOUSAND to one
and one hall million members, three
million are expected by January 1st
and by next summer it will likely in
clude a majority OF all the farmers in
the United States.
What Is causing this remarkable
GROWTH The farmer has felt for
sometime that he is not getting fair
snare OF the rewards Of industry. He
has been investigating and believes
that he has discovered the cause. he
sees that every other business Is or
ganized. Every trade has it's labor un-
ION, and these are all united in The
Federation Of Labor Each line OF bus
mess has its separate organization,
and these sc all united forming the
Chamber OF Commerce. Farming is
TO-DAY the only occupation in which
each man undertakes to manage his
| business alone without uniting with
his fellow ior m,EIai lpfulness.
We do not claim that labor and
business are organized for the purpose
Of securing and unfair advantage OF
the farmer, but we do claim that they
are wsrhing for tlieir own interest,
not ouSs. Their interest and ours are
hot always identical. Why should we
expect them to defend our business
That is our job. They have troubles
OF their own. We have already wasted
100 much time in complaining, in
growing, in abusing the other fellow.
lhis gets us nowhere. We have at
last decided to organize. so as to de-
fend and promote our business Hav-
ing made this decision we are doing
it with a rush
I'VE are building the biggest organ
lzatfon in America, biggest in num-
bers, greatest in power; destined, we
SeHeVe, to perform the greatest SER
vice.
What wifi we do with this giant
Space will permit the discussion of
only few of our many aims. Our
first step, is to put on a campaign of
education. The American PEOPLE are
seriously mistaken concerning the
business Of farming. The belief is
Well nigh universal that the farmer
mas been making excessive profits.
h a fe n "
Is paying high price for the products
Of the farm. He does not realize how
small portion of this price reaches
the farmer. The fact, is, that the farm
er is today facing a crisis. Almost
every farm product is selling from
20 percent to 40 percent below the
cost OF production. To be sure, this
has not always been true, but even
during the war, the farmers profit
was much less than that secured by
any other business that made an
equal investment of labor, skill, and
capital. The farm bureau can and will
prove that these statements are true.
We must get these facts before
Will oppose our program, We can
hardly hope to succeed unless we con-
vince the public that we are asking
only for square deal.
The Farm Bureau expects to secure
needed legislation. 1t is not a POLITICAL
organization. 1t will throw it's in
fuence neither for nor against any
candidate or any party. 1t expects it's
members however, each in his own
way, to put his h.xin, his conscience
and his time intQ an honest effort to
secure the election of men best fitted
for public service. Remaining neutral
during the campaign, it is now pre-
pared to Present the farmers pro-
plans no doubt must be similar to
those so successfully used by organ
lied labor, and organized business. We
Will ascertain through our organiZa-
ton what the farmers really want. We
will send as our agents men who can
skl'lfully present our wishes to the
legislature. We will keep our records
straight as to the attitude of each
member of the legislature towards
the bills we urge for passage. We will
see that this record reaches each
member Of the Farm Bureau, We be-
lieve in this way the farmers of Min
nesota can secure any legislation they
need.
I'VE also expect to present our case
to congress. There aT> 90 farmers in
congress. Congressman know much
less about farming than they do about
any other occupation. The reason Is
plain. Organized labor and organized
business have spent thousands of dol
lars educating Congress. For many
years they have been sending their
brightest men to Washington to act
as teachers. We intend to follow their
example. We will send skillful teach
ers to Washington this Winter aud
will establish an Agricultural College
with Congressman as the students.
The instruction = of these teachers
will be backed up by from three to
four million of ORGANIZED farmers.
We believe we can thus secure neeu..I
laws and defend our business from
hostile legislation.
I'VE expect also to present the
farmers view point to those entrust
ed with the administration of the
laws. We decided last Spring that we
wanted the next President to know
something about farming. To this end
plank in the platform of each of the
we asked and secured a favora ble
great political parties. So successful
were we in giving Mr. Harding and
Mr.. Cox lessons in farming that each
delivered an agricultural address at
the Minnesota State Fair. These adj
dresses would have ban a credit to
the President of the American Farm
Bureau Federation.
I'VE hope to assist the president
elect in securing secretary of agri