The Washington herald., 1922-01-22

came the practise in many communi-
ernment's part in the county agent
system with aid from the state Cow
ernments, from local chambers OF
commerce. and the like.
stable Organization.
In its later stages Of a national
organisation the local farm bu-
reaus are supported by voluntary
dues paid by the farmers. The
functions OF the farm bureau came
to include everything that could be
regarded as helpful to the farmer
in an economic sense. In various
parts OF the county the local farm
bureaus manage grain elevators and
direct cooperation in both the 'busi-
ness of selling their products and
buying their fertilizer, machinery
and other supplies.
1t will be observed that this type
Of organization. with its roots rest
ing ultimately on the Federal gov
ernment's county agent system. and
with continuing interest in the
farmers daily business. distin-
guishes the American Farm Bureau
Federation from the political move
ments Of the past which had their
origin and reason for existence
merely in hysterical political dis
content with temporary conditions.
Another feature that gives the
American Farm Bureau Federation
promise of success and permanence
is the quality of its leadership. It
looks upon itself as primarily a
business Institution, and IL practices
business methods. Some months
ago II was stated. more or less on
cially. that the salaries paid to its
two agents at Washington were
$4,000 and $4,000 respectively. !
have since been told that these
amounts have been raised These
Washington leaders. as well as the
more prominent leaders elsewhere
In the country, are experienced
farmers. OF course. But they are
also experienced business men.
They are very different from the
type of political opportunistf q.
Missionaries, or even fanatics who
years ago started political move
tue
in the nature of hystericaI outbursts
against oppressive temporary con-
ditions.
Understand Farm Bustne.s.
1t follows from the character OF
this leadership that the measures
they have sought to have passed by
Congress are more Ineligible and
practicable than the universal pana-
ceas sought by ',Sockless Jerry
Simpson and others of his kind. The
leaders of the American Farm Bu-
reau Federation understand farm
ing and understand business. and
they know the difference between
what is practicable and what is
| economically impossible.
1t is true that at least one OF the
measures which they sought to
press through Congress at a recent
session went TO extremes. That was
the effort to have the United States
! government engage directly in the
business Of buying farm products
| and selling them abroad. In the
end. however, that measure was
modified in the Senate to merely
advancing government money to aid
farmers in carrying their products
and saving them from throwing
their goods on a panicky market.
In this shape, in which the meas
ure finally passed Congress. 1t was
sufficiently practicable to engage
the support of wide types of bust
ness men. and its actual operation
Is now In the hands of a New York
banker. Eugene Meyer, jr.
For the future the principal ef-
fort now being made is to pass a
| statute which will legalize and
| otherwise encourage cooperative
marketing OF products by the farm
ers. This movement has the hearty
Endorsement and encouragement of
another entirely practical New York
banker. B. NJ. Baruch.
Another of the efforts now being
made by the farm bloc is to pro-
vide credit, under government aus
| pices, TO enable the farmers to bor-
row money on their live stock and
| other products at reasonable rates
| of interest. In this movement the
farmers have the support and CO.
/ operation of as good a business
man as Secretary Hoover, of the
! Department of Commerce.
Want Farmer Appointed.
The third effort now being made
| by the farm bloc is to have a
| farmer on the Federal Reserve
| Board. In this. as in some other
past efforts. the farmers at first
went to extremes. But in this case,
as in the past. they have shown a
| 80 10
is likely that this amendment will
not single out agriculture alone
but will merely recite that agri-
culture and other industries should
be represented. And it is now an.
nounced that in the spirit of this
compromise President Harding will
actually appoint a farmer with suf-
ficient business experience to quail
ify him otherwise to the Federal
Reserve Board.
This sympathetic support from
business and public men who are
not farmers, and whose only in.
terest is the general public good
is at once certificate of the
wholesome sanity of the Leadership
of the American Farm Bureau Fed
GRAFTON and great help to their
projects in Congress. 1t is quite
tue that these projects run counter
to the political THEORY that all
legislation should be general In
character. and that II is as impro.
per to single out farming as a spe-
cial interest for government aid a.
it is to single out manufacturing
or banking, or any other line oi
industry. Once when ex-senator
iIailey was campaigning in Texa.
he was asked IL he would support a