Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-11
AGRICUL TURAL AGENTS, HOME
DEMONSTRATION AGENTS, CLUB
LEADERS MOLD Ding CONFERENCE
Francis E. Lester Reviews Some of the Ac-
complishments of the American Farm Blu
reau Federation and Defends the Work Of
the Bloc in Congress; Others Speak.
lsPECIAL pIsPATCH To MoRNING IouRNATN

Las Cruces, N. NJ, Jan. TO-
Francis Z. Lester of Mesilla Park,
president Of the State Farm Blu
reau Federation: H. H. Brook of
Las Cruces, president and manag-
err of the Elephant Butte Irriga-
ton District, and DR.. Fl. t. Kent,
president Of the New Mexico Col
lege of Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts, were the principal speakers
at the annual conference of county
agricultural agents, home demon
stration agents and club leaders of
New TIeXico at State College the
morning of January 8. Prof. c..
Il, Monroe, director of the College
Extension Service, presided.
In welcoming the delegates
which represented various coun-
ties Of New Mexico, DR.. Kent urged
them to cooperate with the staff
Of the Agricultural Experiment
Station, not only in carrying the
results of the work to the farmers
of the state, but also to report all
farm problems which should be
investigated at the experiment
station.
Mr.. Lester. leading to the ac-
complishments Of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, sail
among other things:
Farmers Recognized.
For the first time in the his
tory of the nation, we are now in
an era when the economic prob
lens o the farmer are being fully
recognized by both the department
of agriculture and by congress. 1t
has only been within the past four
years that we have had this recog-
milton. The secretary of agricul-
ture and a large group of members
of congress fully realize now that
the business of agriculture is not
alone to produce, but that farmers
must have a part in the manage
ment of selling their products
AT last, we are recognizing
what has always been true, that
the questions of national prosper
ity and the prosperity of farmers
are inseparably dependent Unless
the 40 per cent of population en-
gagged in agriculture and the bigs
gest employers of labor are enjoy
ing prosperity-that is. they are
able to buy good, made by our
manufacturers-we can not expect
to have prosperous condition IN
this country"
Prices Farmers Must Pay.
On the basis Of 1913 prices as
100 per cent, he said, the price the
farme- is receiving for his pro-
ducts today is ia per cent, while
prices he must pay for clothing arc
100 per cent; for building ma
terials, which the farmer must
have, 1877 per cent for house fur
nishings, 21S per cent; for skilled
labor, 240 per cent.
I'm the face Of this economic
situation" he added, "the farmer
has been compelled to sacrifice of
his capital Within the last two
years the livestock of the nation
has decreased 10 per cent. hoes
alone having decreased 7,250,0
head. This is simply an illustra-
ton of what farmers are COM
PEELED to do to meet the economic
situation confronting them"
Mr.. Lester defended the work of
the agricultural bloc in congress,
saying that it is the first time in
the history of the nation that the
farmers voice has ever been taken
seriously at Washington.
II have absolutely no sympathy
with the cry of class legislation :"
he continued. There is no at
tempt at class legislation on the
part of the agricultural bloc, nor
in the American Farm Bureau
Federation, which is so largely re-
sponsible for the activities of the
bloc, asking for class legislation.
1t is a national economic situation
and relief for agriculture is the
foundation of the difficulty. The
agricultural bloc realizes this and
they realize also that national
prosperity can be restored only as
agricultural prospe. ity returns
Furthermore, they realize that I'M
less relief for agriculture Is Sc
cured, the nation faces even gray
er economic conditions"
Work of Federation.
Discussing the work of the Amer
lean Farm Bureau federation, Mr..
Lester mentioned the following as
its accomplishments:
~. It has built the largest farm
ers' organize ton in the history of
the world, with one million farmers
organized in 1,507 county farm bu-
reaus and forty-six state farm bu-
reau declarations.
20. It has vitalized cooperative
marketing; originated the commod-
ity marketing conference; organized
grain marketing committees, live
stock marketing committees, dairy
ing marketing committees, fruit
growers marketing committees and
wool marketing committees, which
latter alone handles 10000, 600
pounds of wool a year.