The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-03-24
(By E. M. Gillig)

The recent vote at the township
elections on the County Agent pro-
position has created considerable
comment. And rightly so that it has.
1t was committed to the public ballot
without warning either to the voters
or to the County Farm Bureau, the
defendant, as it happens to be in this
case. We should not wonder in the
least that the results on this question
tended as they did, against the coun-
ty agent work. Without a fair con-
sideration nothing usually gains very
much favor or Roadway. And in any
event the defendant, which we shall
arbitrarily designate the Farm Bu-
reau, always should have chance to
plan constructive campaign before
he is voted on, as any politician will
admit.
Usually before any proposition is
put to the voters, regardless of what
the circumstances are, all parties in
terested, indulge in a very active pro-
gram to set out the facts of the case
on both sides Of their question, so as,
first, to give the proposition which is
voted on fair chance to show it's
merits as well as demerits, and Sc
co,nd, which is very important, the
voter should have due time, in the
light of all knowledge and evidence
on the subject, to decide the question
for himself before he enters within
the four walls of the voting booth.
This article is written to set be-
fore the public a few of, the things to
be considered in regard to the Coun-
ty Farm Bureau and it's agent. The
County Farm Bureau is co-opera-
tive organization consisting of live
farmers in the county. These far
mers are interested in everything
that is to the general, as well as in
dividual interest of their members.
This gives their organization a wide
scope of work, and is even nation
wide. The Farm Bureau is interest
ed in better cattle and the best of
live stock in every class; they are
in the proper feeding and
the most economical production of
this live stock; in fact, they are in
terested in everything for better
farm products and maximum and &C.
onomical production. They must also
be interested in the marketing of all
their farm products.
The farmers of the County Bureau
are interested in all of this, but are
very busy at home doing the things
that are necessary at home to bring
this about. But staying at home
never gets one very far. At least as
far as his relations with the rest of
the world are concerned, especially
when the rest of them are so well or
ganized and unionized.
So it is highly imperative that
these local bureaus, in order to carry
out their program of work and the
purpose for which they are organic
ed, must have an agent, who will
represent them and sponsor their
cause. Such is our County Agent.
The County Agent is the represen-
alive of the County Farm Bureau in
all matters that are Of interest to the
farmers either directly or Indirectly.
He is hired directly by the officers of
the Farm Bureau and carries out the
years program of work as outlined
by the directors.
Only one part of the Agents work
is to make personal visits to the far
mers, periodically, and help them in
the work on their farm.
1t will be easily seen that it is ut
terly impossible for the Agent of any
county to spend very much time, per-
iodically, at the home of every far
mer in the county. He can do only
small amount of this and in the
choice of the places he visits, he must
be largely guided by calls and in
vitations from such farmers Those
are the places he shall visit first be-
cause the ones who call him are the
most interested ones and with those
most can be accomplished for they