Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1922-03-30
HIRTH ATTACKS
THOSE WHO AID
FARM BUREAU

Relative merits of the Missouri
Farmers Association and the Mis-.
souri, Farm Bureau Federation were
discussed by representatives Of the
two organizations in me Boone Coun-
ty Circuit Court rooms in Columbia
Saturday afternoon before approx
imately 200 farmers.
William Hirth, editor of the Mis-
souri, Farmers and director of the Mis-
souri, Farmers Association, opened
the discussion. He bitterly attacked
the Farm Bureau Federation and up
held the merits of the Missouri Farm
ers' Association. Chester H, Gray,
former president and an active work
er of the Farm Bureau Federation,
defended his orgaization.
what right have men on the pay
roll of the state and federal govern
ment to support and help the Farm
Burial in preference to other organ
izations" said Hirth among other
things. ''If this continues in Mis-
souri,, when the next Legislature con-
venes these men are likely to find
themselves without jobs, The Mis-
souri, Farmers Association has never
failed to make its promise good and
this will be no exception"
Mr.. Hirth said that the cost of on
Grating the Farm Bureau Federation
far exceeded that of any other farm
organization. The Missouri Farmers
Association cost the farmers last
year $4,000 and the Mis-
souri, Farm Bureau Fedora
ton cost $365,000, he said. In Iowa,
he said the Farm Bureau Federation
cost $1,000,OOO and in Illinois 81 ,50O,-
900.
He said that the Missouri Farmers
Association finances and CONTROLS 125
elevators and that 80 others in the
process of being taken over. He said
that the organization would soon con-
troll the shipment Of grain from every
important point in the state.
Mr.. Hirth said that the taxation
question is one of the biggest, If not
the biggest, questions today.
"The Farm Bureau is undoubtedly
the greatest farm organization that
has ever been developed in America
or elsewhere Its greatness does Tak
depend upon one activity alone nor
upon theleadership Of any one group
Of men" said Gray. ats member
ship is composed of the most forward
thinking farmers in the nation and
its programs in the county bureaus
in the state federations, and in the
American Farm Bureau Federation,
are made entirely by the membership.
There is no dictation Of the affairs Of
the Farm Bureau by those who are
placed in the official positions.
"Among the activities that the farm
bureau is energetically pushing at this
time may be mentioned marketing,
| legislation economic production, re-
search, publicity of farm facts and
figures, better roads, better schools,
more com 3.ete recognition of the
farm wife's part in agriculture, and
| any other thing that the members
desire to have done. 1t is significant
that the farm bureau does not confine
itself to one piece of work but in-
cludes whatever the members want
done. This broadness of program Is
one of the prime causes that has in
duced the American farm families to
take membership in the more than
500 county farm bureaus until TO-
day the total membership rolls show
more than one and one-half millions
Of members. In marketing, the coun-
ty farm bureaus have been especially
active since 1916"
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