Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-05-24
STAND BY THE
FARM BUREAU
The Bureau is Now Approaching a
Critical Period in Its
History.
NEXT YEAR OR
so WILL TELL
1t is the Most Formidable, Most
Practical and Most Successful
Organization of Farmers
Ever Known.

The Farm Bureau is approaching
critical period in its history, says
the Traer Star Clipper. The next
year or so will tell whether it will
survive or perish. 1t is the most
formidable, most. practical and most
successful organization Of farmers
ever known in American history.
Its power, properly eXerted, will be
tremendous, from now on, if it con-
tinues to grow. The history Of farm
Organization has not been encourag-
ing. Few Of them have survived any
great length Of time. 1t has always
been said that farmers will not stick
together, and in a great measure this
is true. The farm bureau in its brief
existence has done much to benefit
and fortify the agricultural classes,
and is in position to accomplish
much greater work if the members
will stick. But there is a tendency
on the part of many to drop out.
Here in Tama county scores have
already quit. Just when the bureau
is getting in position to do them
the most good.
Some people never like to part with
a dollar unless they can get two in
return. Too many farmers object to
paying yearly dues of So. They say
they don't get anything for their
money. We know of no organization
of business men that is run on a fee
of IS per year. The Star Clipper has
for years paid yearly dues of $50 to
the Iowa Press Association and felt
that it more than got its moneys
worth. 1t costs railroad men around
500 per year to maintain the broth
erhood. People will blow in several
times IS on lodges and think nothing
of it.
If the farmers who are withholding
their support from the bureau would
attend the meeting and learn what
has been done and is proposed they
would form a different opinion. I'm
like many former farm organizations
the bureau is headed by sane and con-
sentative men. 1t is mot their policy
to tear down or fight anybody, but to
lift up the farmer. We. do not see
how a farmer who heard Mr.. Cum
ningham at Toledo Saturday can
withhold his support from the farm
bureau if he wants to improve his
condition. The trouble is that such
men are so prejudiced that they will
not attend the meetings. They will
make no attempt to inform them
selves regarding the plans and the
accomplishments. They get the idea
that someone is working a graft.
They feel they know more about
farming than the youthful county
agent. They wholly mistake the pur-
pose of the bureau. The. agent is
not employed to tell them how to
farm. He is their hired man. 1t
is he who keeps up enthusiasm in
the bureau, that keeps the wheels
going. 1t is he who brings in spec
ial.sts to demonstrate vaccination,
culling, spraying, pruning, who hunts
up seed grain, who brings men with
animals to sell to those who want
to buy; it is he who organized twelve
shipping asse Citations in this county;
who was in instrumental in testing
seventy herds of cattle; who had
aroused intense interest in the farm
ers' children in promoting beef clubs.
Many farmers have made several
Years fees in the culling of hens
alone, others in the handling of wool,
others in spraying.
But the greater benefits are ye. to
come. The shipping association is q
success. What is needed is better
marketing facilities and these the
bureau has in sight. They plan a
finance corporation that will be help
ful TO the farmer in carrying on his
business. The bureau had more to
do with the recent freight reduction
than any other agency. We have
mot mentioned women's activities
promoted by the bureau, which is in
itself no small consideration.
just why any Iowa farmers, who
now have the largest bureau Of any
i'm the nation, should throw cold wa
ter upon an organization that is in
position to do them so much good
lis a mystery to US.
WebsTer's WORK on Dictionary,