Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1921-11-09
RURAL ACTIVITIES AND NEWS
OF INTEREST TO THE FARMER
FARMERS TO DETERMINE
GRAIN GROWERS POLICIES
Northwest Selling facilities Will Be
Satisfactory, Says C. H. Gustafson,
President, u. S. Grain Growers

I - .
President, U. S. Grain Growers
Farmers of Minnesota who became
! members of the g. S. Grain Growers,
Inc will determine the question of
permanent sales facilities as well as
other matters of policy relative to To-
cal problems, declared G. H. Gustafson,
president of the farmers; national CO.
operative grain marketing company at
meeting of grain growers held at
Crookston Monday evening 49,
Special significance was attached to
Mr. Gustafson's address in view of the
many difficulties that have been en-
countered in getting the Minnesota
drive under way. Mr.. Gustafson, Sec
rotary Frank NJ. Myers and Treasurer
VIM. G. Eckhardt are now in direct
charge of the Minnesota campaign. ), J.
S. Jones, organization director for the
state, is working entirely under their
direction
'The Z. s. Grain Growers Inc.,' ~
said Mr.. Gustafson, lis purely demo-
cratic. Our membership will hold local,
sectional and finally national conven-
ton, this last to meet in Chicago in
March, before another crop begins to
move. At that time, every producer
who signs one of our contracts will
have the right and the opportunity to
express his preference as to the chan
nels through which his grain shall
pass"
Pleading for cooperation as between
the membership of different co-opera-
tive organizations, Mr.. GustafsOn point
ed out that the greatest stumbling
block in the path Of cooperative devel-
opment is the unwillingness of different
farmer organizations to consider their
problems practically and adjust their
differences purely from the standpoint
of what is best for all farmers.
I'VE farmers have been disorganized
far too long and the time is now at
hand when we must combine our eff
forts, forget our local differences and
go along toSether,' Mr.. GuStafsOn said.
local county. district, or state have diff
fercnces or even All actual fight and
one of them comes out the victor,
about the only result that can be shown
in the long run is personal satisfaction
on the part of the leaders who come out
ahead.
"But what about the man on the
farm has he gained anything? Can
he show any more profits at the end
of the year? If only all of these little
parades can be combined into one, we
farmers can put on show that Will
be- we'll wOth the effort
With particular reference to the sit
uation in Minnesota, MI. GuStafsOn de-
clared that the us. Grain Growers. Inc.
would set up sales connection in the
Twin Cities that would be satisfactory
to the farmer membership Of the ma
tional grain marketing company. lit
would be preSunptuouS for me or amy
other officer of this farmers company
to dictate to the. farmers Of Minnesota
what they shall DO and what they
shall not do With reference to local
arrangements" MI. tiustafSon said.
''1'hiS is IA farlncr-oWneu and farmer
controlled company and every grain
grower who >becOmeS Il member will
assist in determining our policies and
the course which we will pursue.
One of the first principles adopted
by the Committee of Seventeen was
that the management of the local far
mcrs elevator and the perfecting OF
local arrangements in each community
for handling grain from that shipping
point would not be disturbed by the
national association. The same policy
must be applied with reference to dis
trict sales connections and especially
is this true where there is Il wide
difference Of opinion relative to ter
minal agencies.
'.'rhe only thing which we can do
is to proceed with our membership
drive and then allow the grain grow
ers themselves to solve their local
problems for each district. When the
farmers Of. Minnesota do make their
decision. T hope that they will not al
low anything to stand III the way and
prevent them from making the deci-
sion that will be best for all Mime
sofa farmers. ~
GHOST of all. farmers should not lose
sight of the fact that this movement
must go far beyond district sales a.
gencies or terminal elevator associa-
tions if it is to accomplish the pur-
poses which the Committee of, Seven
teen outlined as our national market
ing plan. We have farmers terminal
marketing associations at several
points which have been quite success
ful-at Cleveland, o., Hutchinson,
Kans., Kansas City, Mo, Omaha, Neb:
and at your own market, st. Paul.
They have been successful in de-:
gree but to obtain the results that all
farmers are demanding, we must go
much farther. VI i
- It was the idea of the Committee
Of Seventeen to use those agencies al
ready established as a foundation for
their ultimate development. and that
policy wilt be pursued so far as the
existing agencies are willing to work
and fit into the national marketing
program. We want to cooperate with
all existing farmers marketing agen-