The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-02-11
With the Grain Growers at
Fargo
By III. HOWARD BICCAR

lItIe WtIe IedSOIS, dllu Soou oiS
too, why the thousands of farmers in
attendance from North Dakota, Mime
sofa and South Dakota might have
been discouraged over their farming
results of 1920. They had worked
early and late to produce a splendid
crop and they had seen the prices for
their farm products battered down be-
low the actual cost of production. Yet
there were few pessimists or grumb-
lers in the assemblages that thronged
Fargo, though all realized that the
conditions which confronted them de-
manded careful thought and careful
planning. They came to Fargo with
that forward look which plans for the
future, eager to hear of methods which
might make agriculture Il more profit
able profession.
The presiding officer of the conven-
ton was Dir. J. II. Worst. president
of the ri-State Grain Growers. In
his presidential address, DR.. Worst
pointed out that some method must be
devised that would make farming more
profitable. He stated hat within the
last decade the increase ia population
of cities and towns has exceeded the
growth of rural population by 25R
and stated that unless the movement
from farm to city is checked by a re
versal of economic conditions, the bal
ance between rural and urban popula-
ton will become a serious problem.
at is" he said, "already a serious
problem-a problem that challenges
the wisdom and craftsmanship of the
best minds of this generation" In
DR.. Worst's opinion, the movement
from the farms to the city is caused
by lack of capital, uncertainty of prices
for farm products, no rural credit sys-
tenn that meets the demands, inferior
ity of country schools as compared
with city schools, and other causes.
He believed that families desiring
farms should be financed by the State
or by the State and Federal Govern
ment jointly. and that to do this would
not be an innovation but in line with
the policy of the Government in aid
ing highway Improvement and in aid
ing corporations engaged in manufac-
turing enterprises. In closing DR..
Worst said:
"Two facts of tremendous import
confront the American republic at this
time. First, agriculture will not-be-
cause it cannot-produce at a loss. II
must be made a profitable industry.
Second, the urban population must
keep its hands off agriculture
since agriculture does not med
die with purely urban affairs, but
there is no good reason why the two
cannot cooperate on fair terms. His
tory contains the record of no nation
that agriculture ever injured or retard-
ed, but the path Of time is strewn with
the wrecks of nations resulting from
urban intrigue, moral decay and its
vampire attitude toward agriculture.
When business men, farmers and la
borers cooperate, using the square
deal in all ways; when they learn to
figure it out instead of fighting it out,
the problem will be solved. When they
fight for each other instead of against
each other and the community spirit
becomes dominant as good sense die
tates, town and country will no longer
be divided, but with utmost harmony.
will cooperate for their mutual pros
perity."
Poultry Talk.
Ed. L. Hayes, poultry editor Of the
Dakota Farmer and vice-president of
the American Poultry Association,
gave an address on poultry and held
a poultry culling demonstration on the
afternoon of the 18th. Mr.. Hayes
stated that the poultry industry was
nc longer a minor one in the Dakotas,
that it was growing by leaps and
bounds and that 1920 was the best
paying year for poultry and egg pro,
duction since 1915. "There are many
farmers in the Dakotas," said Mr..
Hayes, "who receive from 100000 to
Si,200.O0 yearly from their poultry. |
krOW of one farmer in South Dakota
WAC truught a load Of oats to town
with a crate Of eggs on top Of the oats,
He received $500 for the oats and
the crate of eggs brought $19.40." He
called attention to the turkey industry
by stating that $500, 100000 worth of
turkeys had been marketed from the
Dakotas this year. Using live birds tc
demonstrate, Mr.. Hayes called atten-
ton to the physical characteristics of q
good egg producing hen, and stressed
the point that it was essential to cul1
out the 60 to 70 per cent loafers founc
in the average farm flock.
Work of the Equity Exchange.
Mr.. Hayes was followed by j. M. An
derson. president of the Equity Co.
operative Exchange. The members OF
this organization held meetings from
time to time during the week. Mr.
Anderson stated that this was the 10th
annual meeting of the Exchange. He
said that it was the first corporation
in the United States and Canada or
ganized to handle grain successfully
without being members of the boar(
of trade. "The Exchanges during the
past year has shown much progress
said Mr.. Anderson. We have HANDLED
500 more livestock the past year thai
any farmers cooperative concern
We are the first organization to go OF
record as being opposed to specializing