The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1921-02-03
THE WARD COUNTY BUREAU
Is 1t What We Want 1t to BE?

Most organizations are judged by
the actions and sayings of their lead
ers, and this should apply very partic-
ularly to the Farm Bureau, national,
state and county. The membership
are urged from person without and
within the organization to lay aside
any petty grievances and unite on
some common ground that is of vital
interest to all, and above all to keep
out of politics.
During the closing hours of the
Farm Bureau meeting this week a
resolution was offered, the object Of
which was to get our legislators from
our county to back up our attorney
general in his fight against the dis
criminatory freight rates for our state,
and also for the North Dakota grain
grading law now pending.
The president Of our Bureau refused
to recognize the resolution. He called
upon the state president for his opin-
ion, and he agreed with our county
president.
Mr.. Burdick. stated, however, that
he had nothing to say on the matter of
the cases pending, but he would not
like to see our farmers lose anything
they wanted just because of lack Of
funds to defend them.
Now / feel that we must take it for
granted that there is not a fair think
ing man in the Farm Bureau who does
not want to see the unjust railroad
rates within our state done away with,
sure and for always; that we believe
we are entitled to as equitable rates
as our neighboring states or any state
in the Union. 1t is but justice; it is
but right for us as free aid sovereign
people to ask it-yes, to demand it.
With the case concerning the grain
grading law the people are similarly
interested. This law, according to the
expert figures Of Dr. Ladd, has been
saving to the farmers of the state
thousands of dollars. Either of these
cases, if successfully won for the state,
would reimburse to the people of the
state in a few days as much money
as our attorney general asks to en-
able him to properly handle the cases.
Our national organization has its
legislative committee on the job all
the time. The Farm Bureau organ
ization provides for such a committee
and takes as it's privilege to give its
sanction or disapproval of any legisla-
ton pending or contemplated and Mr..
Burdick and Mr.. Howard tell US much
has been accomplished. But if the
Farm Bureau in North Dakota or in
Ward county want some vital project
put across, we are told that is politics
and we must keep our hands off.
Now / believe that the question at
stake, as far as the Farm Bureau is
concerned, is not political, it is eco
nomic, and with that in mind the res
olution was offered in good faith for
the best interests of the Bureau. We
want these cases defended for the
best interests f'.the state, the Farm
Bureau included. There is one way to
have them defended, through the Of
flee of our attorney general. He
pleads lack of funds. There is one
way for him to secure the funds, thru
the legislature. We have no legisla-
tive committee at Bismarck. What is
more logical than to make the honor
able legislators from our own county
that committee and ask Messrs. Bond,
Mouck, Johnson, Burns, Carlson and
Burkhart by resolution to use their
best efforts to put across the things
we may want?
If this is politics, how is the Farm
Bureau ever going to get anywhere
with its program? We must not go
into politics. But if we are not per-
mitted to knock on the door and let
politics know what we want and what
we believe is our right, can but say,
ooh, Consistency, thou art a jewel"
Am fright or am I wrong?
ROSCOE W.. BEIGHLE.