Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1920-03-10
FORWARD.
Farm Bureaus Object Unselfish.

The Farm Bureaus and their State
Federation is the most representative
and powerful organization ever de-
vised by farmers. 1t is repl sentative
because it reaches down to the actu-
al man OH the actual farm. This
great organization is to do the work
that needs to be done in and for ag-
riculture. 1t must never lose its
temper and it must never lose the
respect of its associated industries
and interests. Not opposition and
fighting. but conference and construc-
tive planning must characterize the
methods of these associations. The
object is the development of a great
national industry and mode of life,
not simply protecting the rights of
certain group of citizens and certain
~ not to gain an advantage over our
associates The public sometimes
scOlds because so much money is de-
voted to agriculture, but who is get
ting the principal benefit? Agricul-
ture after all, concerns the public as
much as it does the farmer.
AS for the year 1919 we would say
that this year will be known as the
year of strikes and discomfort among
the labOring class. 1t will also be
! remembered as the beginning of the
reconstruction period through which
all nations must pass that have been
i engaged in war However, we be-
lieye the situation will work itself
out, and conditions become normal if
/ law and order are maintained. The
farmer in all this mad rush of profit
eerlng, strikes and a demand for alb
normal wages has been the one great
stabilizing factor which has support
ed the tenets Of our government and
obeyed its laws. The farmers as a
class have always been law-abiding
citizens and as a class of law-abid-
ing people have never wished to take
undue advantage of the rest of the
people. All that the farmer have
asked is fair return on their labor
and investment, which UP to now
! they have not received 1t is the ne
cessity of every farmer to join the
Farm Bureau, and you may expect
great things will be accomplished
through our national organization in
the near future. First. we must in a
large measure, control the various av-
enues through which our farm pro-
ducts are marketed to the consumer.
This was the plan of the middle west
delegates at the National convention
at Chicago, November 12-13
! Unless the farmers own or control
the grain elevators of the country as
the Canadian farmers do, they will
continue to pay a heavy tribute to
the grain trust. Even now No. hard
northern Spring wheat has advanced
from $2.26 to $3.40 per bushel. This
is because the trust has control of
the bulk of wheat and is reaping a
profit of $1.14 per bushel on this farm
product. If this is not evidence
enough that the farmers must do
something for self preservation? The
average wheat yield is about IA bush
els per acre. The average cost to
produce and deliver to the elevator in
1919 was $2.12 per bushel Most far
mers received less than that amount
But the grain trust neither sows nor
reaps but gathers the profit on the
products earned by you and me in
! the sweat of our brow
The united grain growers of Can
ada is composed of $4,000 stockhold-
ers or members The par value of
stock is placed at $1,000 per share,
and each stakeholder has but one
vote, regardless of the amount of
stock he holds. There was consider
able hostility at first by the old line
grain trade and the grain exchange.
/ This, however, was soon overcome
through the influence Of the Canadian
government, by which the grain ex-
change opened it's membership to the
farmers organization. We shall eX-
perience the same opposition in this
country by the octopus which mas so
long been nursed by the farmers,
when we begin handling and market
| ing our own product. The United
Grain Growers of Canada was princi-
pally organized to handle the farm
ers' grain and being so successful in
this line, they now are supplying coal,
lumber, feed, and in fact nearly ev-
| erythlng the farmer needs at whole
sale. This company had a paid up
capital on March 81, 1919, of So, 363 900
The surplus accumulated from it's
business amounted to $1,898,000 MAX
ing total paid up capital and sur
! plus of $4,262,000. While it has paid
to its stockholders in dividends near
ly one million dollars. These are some
of the things that this farm organiza-
ton has done for the farmers of Can
ada.
Considering that Canada is sparse
ly settled as compared with our own
central western states, and having
done SO much for the Canadian farm
ers, we may we'll realize how much
this would mean were the same con-
ditions applied to our own country.
Illinois has taken the lead in the
way of starting the farm bureau with
strong financial support We hope
the other states will see the wisdom
OF this, as we need a large capital
stock if we wish to control the pro-
ducts of the farm from which many
millionaires have been made in the |
past decade. Second, we must ar
range for the successful marketing of
our livestock. Millions of dollars of
tribute have been paid to this trust
nv the 0P0Wnrc and foodorc Of 10