Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-31
Farmers Meet.
OXFORD COUNTY MEN VOTE TO ORGANIZE
A FARM BUREAU.

More than q score OF representative
farmers from the principal towns OF
Oxford County met at the municipal
rooms in Norway Tuesday for the pur-
pose of discussing the formation of a
farm bureau. Il was the unanimous
vote that such should be organized.
The meeting was called to order by G..
A: Yeaton, the county agent, who OK.
planned the purpose of the gathering and
the need of q farm bureau In the county.
W. a.. Conant Of Buckf1eld was elected
temporary chairman, and W. N. Morse
of Waterford secretary and treasurer un-
til the final organization can be per-
fected.
w. B. Deering, president OF the State
Farm Bureau Federation, followed Mr..
Yeston describing what the state organ
ization had accomplished. This speaker
was followed by the secretary of the
state federation, A. L. Deering, who
discussed the object of the farm bureau
and its value to Oxford County farmers.
Every man present joined the organiza-
tion before leaving and was unanimous
in his belief that this county could have
one of the strongest bureaus in the state.
The secretary of the state federation,
A. L. Deering, described the growth of
the farm bureau movement as follows:
"The farm bureau was organized ap-
proximately ten years ago, since that
time every county In the 33 states OF
the north and west has organized. bu-
reaus. These bureaus have then gotten
together and organized state federations.
The state federations have recently or
ganized national federation represent
ing the 33 states and more than a mil
lion members. The object of the farm
bureau is to promote and protect sgri.
culture. It replaces no organization
nor does it do the work of those now of
benefit to the farmer. 1t could we'll be
compared to an active chamber of COM
merce, working for the interest of the
farmers of the county"
Oxford County and Its people should
be very much interested in such an
organization for Mr.. W. B. Deering re-
ferred to the fact that the state fedora
tion had recently secured the enact
ment of law which "makes available
81, 900 to any county farm bureau hav-
ing 200 or more members" Further
more Oxford County has the same prob
lens and can receive the same benefit
from the farm bureau as the other coun-
ties.
1t is not to the discredit of Oxford
County that they have not had a farm
bureau before; however, the fact re-
mains that every county In Maine is
served by such an organization az this.
There are to-day farm bureaus In all OF
the counties of Maine except this, hav-
ing a total of over 5000 farm bureau
members with active committees In over
200 towns of the state.
Judging from the interest which these
men displayed here at this meeting OK
ford County will not be long at the foot
of the list. Kennebec County now leads
with over 1900 members. There is q
paid mem mbership fee of two dollars
which is but q small contribution for
the benefits which members receive.
Mr.. Yeaton has already arranged
meetings for Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday In the following towns: Dixfeld,
Rumford Center, Canton, Sumner, He1
bron, Buckfeld, Norway, Waterford add
South Paris. Similar meetings will also
be arranged for in the remaining towns
during October for the purpose of plac-
ing before the people of each town the
value such an organization can be to
them.
The following were the leading men
present at the meeting Tuesday: W. NJ.
Morse, R. o. Deering, Leslie e. McIu-
tire, Harold S. Pike, Fred d. johnson,
E. K. Kilgore, Fl. h. Maxim, G. W..
Richardson, Stephen Abbott, A. Van
Den Kerckboven. E. e. Conant, W. g..
Conant, Sydney Brown, j. W. G. Walker.