Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-04-14
Marketing.
Plans Are
Endorsed
Nebraska Farmers Union to
Join Grain Growers in
Disposing of State
Crops.
Gustafson Resigns Helm

Support of the grain marketing
plan of the United States Grain
Growers, Inc, by the members OF
the Farmers Union of Nebraska
was indicated by the action of the
stockholders meeting of the Ma
tional Cooperative company yester-
day. Suppressing all fears that the
Farmers Union might lose its sep
arate identity, they voted in favor
of merging their organization with
the sales agency formed by the Com
mittee of II. if satisfactory arrange
ments can be made.
The National Cooperative COM
pany was formed two years
ago. represented the plans of Farm
er Union members for a terminal
grain system in Nebraska. 1t has
sold few cars of grain direct, but
has been most active in linking up
the cooperative country elevators,
installing uniform auditing and book
keeping systems and writing insur-
ance. By unanimous vote the stock
holders, meeting in the Castle hotel,
decided to allow this organization
to lie dormant for 80 days, while
a merger into the Nebraska terminal
of the nationwide grain marketing
system is arranged. All promotion
and other expense will be cut off
and when the plan is put through
such capital stock as has been paid
in will be retired.
Gustafson Resigns.
c. H. Gustafson of Lincoln, who
resigned as head of the Nebraska
Farmers Union, being succeeded by
c. ]. Osborne, was reelected head
of the National Cooperative COM
pany, and L. l.. Shoemaker of Un-
ion, secretary. w. f. Dale. Lincoln;
w. B. Perkins, Mullen, and c. H:
Murray, Friend, were elected di-
rectors. all without opposition.
When the business affairs were
out Of the way, the session turned
into an experience meeting. Mr..
Gustafson started it with an intimate
talk on the seriousness of the situa-
ton of agriculture and ]. 0. Shroyer,
vice president of the Farmers Union,
backed him up with the statement
that prices of everything will have
to be put on a level with prices of
farm products before good times can
arrive for any class.
It's serious men," said Mr.. Gustaf-
son. "One Nebraska farmer got a
bid On lot of hay, but was wise
enough to inquire about what It
would cose him to ship it. He found,
If !, he 4 sold Y, ,le prosssas would not
Can't Pay Freight.
az Texas onion grower sent a
carload Of onions to Lincoln and had
to wire $l70 to pay the cost Of ship.
ment. The carload sold for SlOO and
the. freight came to $40.
Out in Montana rancher shipped
some sheep TO the St. Paul market
and received in return a bill for about
so cents head to bring the pro-
ceeds up to enough to cover freight.
He wrote back that he had no money,
but plenty more sheep.
Hogs have been the only thing
tlsat the farmer could get his money
out Of, and now that is gone. One
Of the delegates here fed his hogs
200 bushels of corn and then had
to sell them for less than he could
have got before he gave them the
corn. There is not team OF horses
in all Nebraska strong enough to pull
green hides enough to buy set OF
harness for them. We farmers have
got to do some thinking and figur-
ing. snd the real problem now is
scientific marketing"
Who Will Farm?
who is going to do the farming
after next year?" c. H. Murray in
quired. "My banker tells me that il
he collected the notes due him, &c
per cent. Of the farmers would be put
out OF business. I can't ask my boys
to farm after their dad has made a
failure Of ii. The papers tell of more
Canadian wheat coming into this
country, and it's the same with wool
We can't continue to farm unless
things right themselves, and If ag.
riculture goes down, everything else
will go with it."
Another farmer told OF buying 9
hat a year ago for four bushels oi
corn, and explained that although il
had a hole in it he was still wearing
it because he was asked the sequiva-
lent of 80 bushels for new one. Mr.
Shroyer held up pair OF glasses
which he said he bought at war prices
for 50 and was now asked $ll.SO. Ht
stated that the company manufactur'
ing the frames would not allow then
to be sold for less than $6 and it wa.
pointed out that if the farmers coult
control the marketing Of their crop!
in the same way they would prosper
Ray of Hope.
The only ray of hope was contrib.
uted BY c. ]. Osborne, newly-electee
head OF the Farmers union, but thu
sentiment of the meeting was ex'
pressed by Mr.. Gustafson, who said
"The question is whether tht
American farmer is to be reduced te
the level of the Australian bush
whacker and the Mexican peon. ART
we to maintain the American stand
ard a living or get along with less
We can cut down on the kind o.
clothes we, wear, do without any o
the pleasures of life, and limit oul
ehildren's education. and. unless re
Lief is found for agriculture, this will
have to be done. ~.
c. !. Osborne declared agains
radicalism in his fist speech. Asid'
from being a firm believer in SAT-
and sane progressive methods. Mr.
Osborne is the champion optinlist.
Mr.. Osborne, aside from knowini