The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-06-04
COOPERATION

Farmlng In the future will nc
longer he ~ matter of brute force. II
VIII be business for brains, organi.
zat.on, intelligence" Reads as if il
. were taken from an editorial written
Yesterday, or speech by some exten.
sion worker out in the field. The
quotation represents the vision of one
John Skinner, editor of the Ameri-
can Farmer, the first edition of
which appeared in Baltimore in Ap-
rll,. 1921, just 100 years ago. =
The thing OF chief interest now,
perhaps, is found in the fact tn at
the. editor, influenced doubtless by
the current discussion, around him,
began writing 100 years ago about
the subject which has never ceased
since his day to engage the attention
of thoughtful people everywhere. In
vestigatiOn shows that men have
been trying all these years to achieve
the perfect organization for agricul-
ture, and they still are trying
The minds CT farmers today are
turned, for the most part, toward CO.
operation as a means of reaching Sue
cess. Just how far they may go with
their efforts us disputed matter
Many business men, many of the
great consuming public. appear to
question the farmers right to pro-
tect themselves in tlts way, forget
ting that every branch of business
mas done precisely this thing.
''There are about $1,000 farmers
organizations i'm this country today"
said George Livingston, chief of the
Bureau of Markets, Urlted States De-
partment of Agriculture. "These Or
ganllzations have membership OF
approximately 100000. A move
ment SO widespread should benefit
both producers and consumers Once
the public believes cooperative mark
citing, for instance. will result in
better quality, standardization of
products and packing, the reduction
of waste. the public wills wish to do
its part to encourage such united eff
fort. Everything should be done to
discourage a seemingly growing be-
lief that such organizaN ons are for
the purpose OF controlling prices. The
public should be brought to UNDER
stand that farmers are organizing to
get for themselves and their families.
"a fair rewards for the labor they have
put into production, with the object
of having higher standards of liv-
ing, better homes, schools and
churches. Although he may not
kmow2it,, every man in towns or city
llaa;#a close, personal interest in the
success of American agriculture. 1t
is or should be, cycle. on results:
better farming, better prices, better
homes, better people,. because the
strength of the cities, as Ill thought
full persons know, lies in the strength
Of the country. 'by which l mean the
rural regions"
In his weekly conference with rep
resentatives of the press recently,
Secretary Wallace of the United
States Department of Agriculture,
said lin speaking of the meeting Of
the Committee CT Seventeen in Chi
cago: There seems to be fear that
the farmers will go to price-fixing,
but Il think this fear Is ,unfounded.
The Chicago gathering should give
reinsurance as to the farmers ability
to bring about monopoly. It should
DE remembered compulsory pooling OF
agricultural products was rejected,
and that the final vote gave a ma
jority for optional pooling. The con-
ference gave hopes ofvmuch improve
7aent, in grain marketing methods y