The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1920-12-02
START WAR ON
PRICE DECLINE
Brains of Country Invited to Join
in Helping Work Out New
Marketing Methods.
MANY FARMERS REPRESENTED

010EA0S1Uk mStuO08'
MANY FARMERS REPRESENTED
Farm Bureaus of Nation Convene 1T
Indianapolis Next Week
The most important agricultural
convention ever called in this country
will be attended Dec. 6-7-8 at Indian
apolis, Ind, by men foremost in agri-
cultural activities, for the purpose Of
solving some Of the pressing problems
affecting the welfare of American
::tillers Of the soil.
Agriculture is "going to the ma"
with present systems Of distribution.
The recent decline Of farm commod-
ity prices has brought about most
serious situation, both industrial and
agricultural, which the American
Farm Bureau federation will attempt
to correct. The convention was call
ed by President ]. r. Howard, whose
photo, together with. that Of other
promenent men mentioned in this ar
ticle, is shown on an inside page Of
this weeks issue.
The brains Of the entire country
have been invited, including such fun
damental doers and thinkers as Her
bert Hoover, Senator Arthur Capper
Of Kansas, w. P. G. Harding, Secre-
tary Of Agriculture Meredith, Clifford
Thorne, VIM. Redfield, J. Ogden Ar
mour, Eugene Davenport, George e.
Roberts, Secretary D. F. Houston and
others.
The problems to be considered are
the decline in the price Of wheat to
$3.50 bushel or some IS cents below
the cost Of productions the decline Of
corn to 60 cents q bushel when the
farmers say they would lose money If
they received $1.00 a bushel; the de-
cline Of cotton, which is now around
Is cents pound, when it costs at
least Is cents pound to produce.
Recently President Howard called
on farmers to curtail their crop pro-
duction till prices should become more
or less stable on the basis Of supply
and demand.
Recent declines in the price Of farm
products averaged rs per cent. Many
+; commodities declined more than that.
It will be- clearing house Of farm
troubles and for the first time will
the American Farm Bureau federation
show its full power as a functioning
national organization.
Millions Of bushels Of wheat remain
unsold throughout the north and west.
In Iowa farmers are talking Of burn
ing corn instead Of coal this winter
unless they receive more than 50 to
60 cents a bushel for their crop.
Throughout the south the cotton
growers are in bad shape. The prob
lem of exporting cotton and; other
farm products to countries in central
Europe whose credit has been practi-
cally wiped out by the war, will be
considered. If Germany and Austria
could be financed to the extent Of buy
ing the low grade American cotton
crop the south would recover quickly.
In the same way, If world market
could be found for other American
farm commodities, the entire nation
would benefit.
Among the other problems which
the convention will undertake to solve
are the tariff, transportation, labor
activities, wage reductions, co-operat-
i've marketing, collective bargaining,
land tenancy, credits and financing Of
farmers. ss sa.. .rs.,. 81,
The American Farm Bureau fedora
tion will represent more than 1,3OO,-
900 farmer members from all over the
United States. It is the foremost
farmers cooperative movement in the
world and every farmer is interested
in what will happen at this conven-
tion.
The following article by the county
agent will be Of interest, coming as
It does when all eyes are focused on
marketing conditions:
"Some time ago representatives
from the different county farm bu-
reaus met at Fargo to consider the
advisability Of federating the county
organizations into a state organiza-
tion with the idea Of joining the ma
tional farm bureau. It will be re-
membered that H. X. Haldeman Of
Glover attended this meeting. He re-
ports that it was the unanimous opin-
ion Of the thirty delegates present
that . state farm bureau would be
highly desirable at the present time.
Last week conference Of the var
ious county agents Of the state was
called and plans were worked out to
put on county campaign and enroll
at least ninety per cent Of all the
farmers. A meeting Of the executive
committee Of the Dickey County
Farm bureau IL called by the presi-
dent, W. w. Denning, to work ont the
details of the campaign which Is to
be put on before the holidays. We
want every farmer to investigate the
plans and purposes Of the farm bu-