The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1921-01-13
SEEK TO ENROLL EACH
FARMER IN BUREAU
County Organization Will Conduct
Membership Drive Soon; Purposes
Outlined

A campaign to enroll every Lyn-
den farmer in the work of the Farm
Bureau will be undertaken during the
next few weeks. Memberships will
be taken for one year, with an annual
fee of five dollars, which will support
the work of the local bureau, the Am
Crican Farm Bureau Federation, and
the Washington State Farm Bureau.
Just what the membership cam
paign will attempt to do. is outlined
as follows by the Executive Commit
tee of the County Farm Bureau. of
which w. H. Jackman and B. C. Van
der Griend Of Lynden are members:
A really big movement has come
to Whatcom County. Every farmer
and farm woman should be proud
that Whatcom County has taken the
step in starting an intensive member
ship campaign to secure members in
the great farm bureau organization.
Attention has been directed for some
time to the middle states. to the far
east, and even to the south, where
the farmers have seen the necessity
for banding themselves into a giant
national organization which can work
fundamentally toward ascertaining
what is wrong with the farmers prob
lens of production. with his prob
lens of distribution and marketing,
with his troubles relative to legis-
lation, and all those other vexing
questions that have worried farm
people for years.
Now it has been decided by the Ex-
ecutive Committee Of the Whatcom
County Farm Bureau that no longer
shall the farmers of Washington look
to the farmers of other parts of our
country for the solutions of our prob
lens. and for the application Of those
solutions when found. Their prob
lens are our problems and we are
going to place the farm bureau on
such a basis as regards membership
and financial resources that we can
bear our part in the great effort that
must be made in behalf Of the farm
er population.
That time has passed, when great
things could be done with little to
do them with. Every thinking farmer
now realizes that he must put some
money into an organization IL 1t real
ly is to do much for him. and furth-
ermore, If the greatest good Is to re-
suit. the organization must be strong
in members, as otherwise the voice
of the farmer will be pitifully weak
voice when speaking on legislative
matters, instead of the resonant and
determined tone that characterizes
statements of the American Farm
Buerau Federation. In many counties
of the country, the farmers are pay
ing fifteen dollars per year as mem
bership fees. The money is admins
tered by the County Executive Com
mittee and is expended for all such
work as has in the past been carried
on by the county farm bureau, and
in addition provides for state activ-
tiles in legislation. farmer represen-
tation when commissioners are sit
ting, statewide efforts in the collec-
tion of cost OF production figures and
other tasks which are too great TOT
q county bureau to undertake.
At the present time, there are ques-
tions before the farmer that are no
doubt of as great import as has ever
been presented to him. These prob
lens are decidedly too large to settle
by individual action. and are also
too large to be considered by coun-
ty farm bureau.
The farm people are facing great
issues; issues that are greater even
than a states boundaries, and spread
ont into national Importance. In not
a few instances, questions OF inter-
national interest face the American
farmer. Why, then, should ne not
ioin his strength to that OF the other
farmers of the country and speak as
occasion requires in united way?
Such matters as railroad rates.
child welfare legislation, the snip
ment into this country OF foreign
products, the great marketing ques-
tion which can never be settled until
II is settled comparatively by COM
modify organizations which must
have at the state and national capt.
ais a great organization greater tnan
.nv and as great as all to represent
them in united way; the production
question, which is more than merely
growing things, and inciudins 'he
nroper knowledge OF wnat o'he'
farmers are doing, not only IN .he
stote. but in the nation; the mother
and child question, which is as DIE
40 the nation and is in fact, the mos'
Fundamental problem of all; the &c
onomic handicaps such as inaoeaua'e x
credit facilities, inability to retain
a