The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-09-22
GIVES LESSON IN
Cooperation
President ]. r. Howard, Chief Of Farm
Bureaus, Offers Ideas ON Goth
Century Subject

President ]. r. Howard, Chief of Farm
Bureaus, Offers Ideas ON Goth
Century Subject
A GREATER COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Urges Townspeople and Farmers to
Get Together
: Townspeople and farmers are not
two alien races, but brothers facing
the same problems, according to Jas.
r. Howard, president Of the American
Farm Bureau federation. "A spirit Of
cooperation between them is absolute
" necessary IL our nation is to reach
the promised land of normalcy. One
Of the great tasks Of our national
organization is to bring to the town
man . better understanding Of the
farmer and the farmers problems,
while we consider it equally our task
to interpret justly to the farmex the
town man and his problems.
The relation Of the farmer and the
banker serves well to illustrate our
point. Certainly their problem is par
allel. The banker conserves the fiscal
wealth Of his community, storing and
distributing it as need may arise and
occasion justify. It il his business to
use this fiscal wealth in such . way
as will create new accumulations Of
wealth and safeguard the interests Of
the community. It is the farmers
BUSINESS to conserve the soil wealth
of the community, distributing the
products as the needs Of society may
indicate, but always, if we are good
farmers, having in mind m accumu-
lation of fertility on which the drafts
Of future generations may be drawn.
All know that the farmer is the
principal producer Of the fiscal wealth
Of the nation. The banker ID inter-
ested in the fiscal wealth, and il the
farmer fails to produce, not only the
bankers business but all business suf-
fers. The farmers problem is cer-
tainly the townsman's problem. The
period Of stagnation from which we
are just emerging is but sad proof
Of this. ,ss :s;:5ss'3
For several decades cities and towns
have had various fprns Of organise
tions to work On economie and social
probfeans. they 8 hare ascompiished
much. Most Of this tine- the farmer
has been unorganffxseid. His own prob
lens have been neglected and he has
been in no position to aid the towns
man. That time has passed.
American agriculture is now organ
lied as agriculture never before In the
history Of the world was organized.
Problems peculiar to the agricultural
industry are being attacked; much has
been done in finding their solution.
And not only is the farmer in . po-
sition to aid himself, but he now cozaes
to the aid Of his town brother. In q
national way such programs as good
roads, reduction Of freight rates, tax
ation-all problems Of vital concern
to the town man-are receiving the
heartiest support from organized ag-
riculture. s
In the local units opportunity is af-
forded for the closest cooperation.
Schools, roads, the particular features
on which such q cooperative spirit
might be developed, are immaterial.
Only yesterday from down in Mis-
souri, came the story Of one example
Of town country cooperation: Thru
its agricultural committee the COM
mercial club Of Columbia, Mo-, is fur
nishing market news service to
farmers. The plan is to list free Of
charge any grain, livestock products,
farm machinery Of all kinds, and even
land or farms that the owner would
buy OF sell. The committee believes
that owing to the almost prohibitive
high freight rates existing today, that
it is to the advantage Of the producer
to sell or buy whenever there is an
opportunity near at home.
When the question is asked me, "In
what particular can country and town
best cooperate" the word School"
Immediately comes into my mind.
Country and town cooperating in
the establishment Of consolidated
schools find a common ground. Even
closer the tie can be drawn by making
the consolidated school real live
community center. .
My own home is on q farm out in
Iowa, five miles from the town Of Gle
ments. There we have that real COM
munity spirit. We have park q
community park built BY farmers and
townspeople and II is q real park.
Townspeople and farmers are not
two alien races. but br0thera facing