The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1920-12-01
]. +. COnnOr
Tells of Plans
SETS FORTH PURPOSE OF OR
GANIZATION AS BASIS OF
FARM BUREAU WORK.

the MankatO Free Press OF November
S, gives the main points used by J. F.
Connor of Redwood Falls in his work
with the Farm Bureau units in Blue
Earth County where he has been work
ing recently. Mr.. Connor's topic is
'"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
States, each county organization en-
3S,rely separate from every other. To-
T. day they are united into strong State
organizations and these in turn COM
bined into the American Farm Bu-
reau Federation. 1t has grown from
about two hundred thousand to one
and one-half 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.
sWhat is causing this remarkable
growth? The farmer has felt for
sometime that he is not getting fair
share 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 it's separate organization,
and these are all united forming the
Chamber of Commerce. Farming IS
TODAY the only occupation in which
each man undertakes to manage his
I, I'M
his fellow for mutual helpfullness.
eve do not claim that labor and
business are organized for the purpose
of securing an unfair advantage, OF
4he farmer, but we do claim that they
are working for their own interest
lot ours. Their interest and ours are
Tot 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
FOO nouch time in complaining, IN
orowIing. in abusing the other felloW,
This Gets US nowhere. We have at
last decided to organize so as to de-
fend and promote our business. HaV-
inp made this decision we are DONG
owe are building the biggest organ
ization in America, biggest IN num-
hers. greatest in power; destined, we
believe. to perform the greatest SER
vice. =, 49,: .:,,+2
Space will permit the discussion OF
0nlv few of our many aims. Our
first step, is to put on campaign OF
education. The American people are
Seriously mistaken concerning the
business of farming. The belief is
we'll nigh universal that the farmer
has been making excessive profits.
tshat he is a profiteer. The consumer
rs having high price for the products
of the farm. He does not realize how
small a 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 per cent to 40 per cent below the
cost of production. TO be sure, TINS
has not always been true, but even
during the war, the farmers profit
was much less than that secured by
anv other business that made an
enIlal investment of labor, skill, and
capital. The farm bureau can and Will
prove that these statements are true.
eve must get these facts before
the American people, otherwise, they
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 political
organization. 1t will throw its IN
fluence neither for nor against any
candidate or any party. 1t expects its
members however, each in his own
way, to put in, his conscience
and his time into 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-
gram to the coming legislature. Our
Aolans no doubt must be similar to
Those so successfully used by organ
lied labor and organized business. We
will ascertain through our organiza-
tion what the farmers really want. We
will send as our agents men who can
skillfully 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.
eve also expect to present our case
to congress. There are no 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 teacher. We intend to follow their
example. We will send skillful teach
ers to Washington this Winter and
sNwill establish an Agricultural College
with Congressman as the students.
yThe instruction of these teachers
will be backed up by from three to
four million of organized farmers.
We believe we can thus secure needed