Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-12-13
Finding Profitable Market Is
Greatest Problem Confronting
Farmer Says Cooperative Union


' Dec. ll.-Finding
Aes ior MS products such a
will at least return the bare COS
sof production is the most seriou
Aoroblem confronting the America,
farmer and immediate action mus
De taken to relieve the situation 4
adequate production of essentia
food products is to be maintained
according to resolutions endorses
Thursday morning at the 10th an
@nual convention of the Farmers
. educational & Cooperative Union
of Oregon in session in Dallas this
week.
The greater part of the time since
the sessions opened Tuesday morn
ing has been devoted to active dis
~cussions and a thorough analysis of
the markets for grains and other
Farm products. To guarantee a rea
sonable return for the 1921 crop
the convention has approved a plan
Tor nye'year contract to be entered
INTO between the growers and the
Tri-State Terminal company. It is
provided that the grower may with
y Il
The resolution met some objection
from the floor on the ground that
a contract of this nature with a
stock company would not stand at
Jaw. The prevailing sentiment was
Wen expressed by Senator Walter
Plerce OF La Grande who said, 'II
Ahls contract is not legal, we will
see that 1t is made legal"
Ine Capper bill regulating boards
OF trade; the appointment Of a
Farmer on the state highway com
mission; opposition to the building
OF scenic and sky line" highways
until the essential roads are COM
pieted and allowing the market |
road bill to stand without alteration
featured the resolutions on roads. |
The principle that the farmer is |
entitled to cost of production in ad-
'dition to a reasonable profit has re-
ceived unanimous support. The full
membership and that of the other
farm organizations is urged to Co
operate in every way with the agri-
cultural colleges extension agents,
banks and other agencies in compil
|
1t being fully appreciated that a
reasonable profit can not be expect
ed until the production cost is
known. The dairy farmers of the
Portland milk shipping district
were recommended for the manner,
IN which they are keeping records I
of costs to the end that a proper
basis for price may be used.
Complete harmony has prevailed
throughout the sessions with the {
one exception of an attempt from
the floor to introduce a resolution
-condemning the further issue of /
highway bonds. With the bonds al
ready authorized and many CON
tracts let, it was agreed that the
present is too late for any such
action.
DR. Hector Mcpherson head of
the markets department of the o.
A. c., Tuesday evening hade an ex-
haustive analysis of the work of
the many cooperative marketing as
sociations of California and pre-
dicted that this form of marketingi
would undergo great expansion in
the next few years Their com
mon features of a term contract,
single commodity, membership of
only, the pooling system
and the determination to buy the
best talent available for manage
ment were pointed out.
Success of community locals de-
Dends almost entirely upon the
and active participa-
ion of the farm women, according
o w. c. Lansdon of Salina, Kan,
Who is representing the national
init of the order. The possibilities
or neighborhood service hardly
,ave been scratched Nv, So 10 eiS
to this time, was con
ended in an inspiring address YES
erday afternoon.
A feature of the program of
Wednesday was the explanation nv
. J Hurd, assistant county agent
eader %, A. c.. of the exact rela.
Ion between the farm bureau and
ne Old farm organizations. 1t was
ointed out that the farm bureau
organized around and to carry
III program OF definite work in
ach locality and that the progress
the bureau and that of the older
ocietles was largely independent
- l. Lewis OF the oregon Grow
r cooperative association deliv-
.eu tne principal address Wednes