The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-08-11
leroy L. Todd, Secretary

Among the many functions of the
Farm Bureau thru which it seeks to
lend itself to the assistance of the
farmers is that of aiding them in the
marketing of their produce. In this
county and state, and in fact in these
western states, where the Farm Bur-
eau has only been organized to the
extent that it has assumed real work
ing proportions within the last year,
we too often cannot see that it is
making progress or getting the de-
sired results. But we must realize
that it requires time to build up an
efficient working force and to ac-
complish results thru comparatively
new organization.
If we were to read the history of
the building up process of the Farm
Bureau in the eastern and central por-
tons of the United States we would
find that in those localities too, those
in charge of the work of the Farm
Bureau, who were striving to their
utmost to build up the organization
and make it an effective working force,
had just the same problems with
which to deal as must be contended
with here. They, too, had officers of
local community organizations who
failed in the performance of their
duties, lack of enthusiasm and interest
among members and attendance at
Farm Bureau meetings. But gradu-
ally they overcame these obstacles and
forged ahead and are getting results
for their members. As a consequence
the Farm Bureau all thru the eastern
and central portions Of the United
States is we'll established organic
alton functioning in the interest of its
members.
In support of our contention, we
quote from an Illinois paper which
states that the big monied interests of
the East are starting attacks on county
farm bureaus. Therefore we must con-
clude that those farm bureaus are ac-
complishing results for their members
detrimental to the interests of the at
lacking parties. Excerpts from the
article above mentioned are as fol-
lows: "In a report from the I'LL
nois Agricultural Association, the Car
roll county farm bureau has received
notice that the Chicago Board of Trade
and other big grain interests, backed
by minimum of quarter of mil
lion dollars as propaganda fund, are
about to launch an attack on County
Farm Bureaus of Illinois"
The Illinois Agricultural Association
makes public the following letter
written by w. G. Guthbertson, sec.
of the Illinois Grain Dealers Associ-
alton to elevators in Illinois: Pres.
F. G. Horner, vice. pres. B. L. Christy,
director, E. M. Wayne and myself at
tended the meeting Of all branches of
the grain trade in Cincinnati, Ohio,
June 81, where it was decided to ac-
lively combat the activities of the US.
Grain Growers, Inc, and County Farm
Advisors. $3.50, 100000 was decided up
on as the minimum to be raised and
an executive committee was named to
formulate plans for the combat. Ev-
cry member Of this association is urged
to make list of all the farmers at
his station or stations and forward to
me. 1t is proposed to send this list
to the publicity agent of the Chicago
Board of Trade, in order that every
farmer may receive some very i'm
portant literature"
at is easy to guess what this SIM
portant literature will be-" writes
Howard Leonard, President of Illinois
Association. "It will tell
the farmer that he should not dare to
market his own grain, that he should
shut his eyes and put his grain mar
keting in the hands of the Board of
Trade. 1t will tell him how pure and
spotless the Board of Trade is and
what friend of the farmer it has al
ways been. 1t will say that the Illi-
nois farmer is radical and a Town
leyite' because he asks the right to
market his own crops"
A farm journal recently stated that
the Board of Trade spent $500, 10000
on such propaganda to fool the people
this spring. The statement has never
been challenged, so it appears to have
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