The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-11-10
FARM BUREAU MOVEMENT
is SPREADING.

II the farm bureau organizes on
a business basis as thoroly and rap
idly as it is being done in Bingham
county, Idaho, it would very soon
be possible for them to so regulate
the movement of crops that the mark
cts would not be overdone anywhere
and the slump in prices due to con-
gestion would be thing of the past.
There is not too much food in the
world; there is plenty of demand for
it and the prices would be very good
IL crop movement could be provided
for and controlled.
Carrying the idea to it's logical
conclusion and taking extreme cases
to demonstrate it, If every wheat
grower wanted to sell his whole crop
this week, it would bring a slump
in prices and stop the movement of
wheat, or if the sales of wheat con-
tinued, it would be at such prices that
the producer would part with his
wheat without getting the rroaer
amount of money for it. On the or
ganized plan as proposed by the farm
bureau, only percentage of the
wheat crop would be moved at any
particular time and this percentage
would be based upon the require
ments at that time or period. Enough
wheat could be moved to supply the
demands of the period without maxi
ing slump in prices. The result
would be that the farmer would part
with some of his crops and receive
fair amount of cash for it; perhaps
as much as he would receive on the
other plan and yet have a part Of
his crop left to deliver later on, for
which he would receive more money
That plan of handling the produce
, Of the country is not going to injure
anybody and it will save the wreck
age that we have been accustomed to.
There is no ground for objection to
it excepting from individuals who
might have to change their 0Ccura-
tions or change their manner of do
ing business. For instance the grain
dealers in the various towns from
which grain is shipped might have
to form business connections with the
new organization but would not nee
tessarily have to so out Of business
themselves. Their relations with the
uGH u SodillLdtlUuo anu IuSlI dCllNl-
ties and service might be much more
satisfactory to them as we'll as to the
general public and the farmers. AS
we have said before, the whole plan
is constructive and not destructive |
! The plan of the national farm bu- I
reau also contemplates a better sort
ing and grading of all products and |
shipping it in better condition, more !
nearly conforming to what the deal /
erS and the consumers want, leaving
out that which they do not want. |
Iader this systematic plan of distri-
button and staDilizing of prices there /
viii be better chance than ever for
getting the cost of production with |
a reasonable profit added 1t will take
out the gambling element that has
always controlled and still controls
the movement of crops The farm
bureau and the public need better
understanding and a better apDrecia-
ttCn of each other Creating this or
ganiZation at this time. fits right in /
with the plans now being pushed for
doing away with grain brokers and !
boards of trade that gamble on farm
produce.
The Bingham county farm bureau
has for some time been leading all |
counties in the state in its member !
ship and other activities. 1t proposes n
to keep right on leading with sound 4
business activities. It proposes to do U
for the Snake river spud what the II
Citrus Fruitgrowers ass )ciation of H
southern California has done for the
'Sunkist' orange. They improved the
quality, controlled production, graded
Grated, packed and shipped under
degree of intelligence that kept them
always prosperous. The Snake River
spud is coming into its own and needs
to be kept good as to seed, raised in
soil that is free from disease and
graded and shipped on intelligent
plans, planned in connection with the
needs of the consuming public and
means of transportation.
According to the national associa-
ton headquarters there are $500
farmers cooperative elevators in the
United States, representing an assess
ment of $10O,000,000. They are said
to handle annually one billion bush
els of grain. These elevators consti-
Eute the biggest organization of far
mers in the world. The national farm
bureau proposes to centralize the in
and from there centralize
The management for systematizing SO
that there shall be no plumbers in
the moving of crops and no conges-
ton of the markets from shipping
crops by guess.
The farmers of Bingham county
are financing thir home farm bureau.
Their utilization with the state and
national organizations will do the
rest and put them in touch with the
advantages to be gained by it. The
Inference between this move and III
some other work that has been done LIE
n the county is that in this case the LIE
'armers are financing something IL
which they will manage themselves lie
Ind in some other work they have
financed something which they were IE
supposed to manage but which in E
eality was managed by others. This E
s constructive. 1t does not rob Peter F
o pay Paul. 1t merely puts Peter E
nd Paul both in a position where lie
hey can render service and receive E
heir proper reward for it, lie
-f lie