The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-09-21
ARE FARMERS GOING TO BE
CUTTERS

so much to quit producing as to quit
trying to better his condition in any
organized way. We have met with a
good many disappointments but we
have tackled big job, and we have
expected too much in the way of re-
suits in too short a time. We have
expected too much from those we
have chosen as leaders without giving
them proper support.
1t might be of interest to some of
our farm bureau members to know
some of the reasons advanced by their
neighbors for being "quitters." The
most frequent one advanced is short
age of money. It's true we are short
of money, but that is the best reason
in the world why we should carry
on" This is not a charitable propo-
sition, neither is it luxury; it is a
necessity under existing conditions.
We must, in some way, better our
selves or go out of business.
The question isis the farm bu-
reau worth the money? Let US see.
What have we done that has meant
a money saving to US? Would we
have been any worse off than we are
if we had had no farm bureau?
In the first place a careful check
up of state and government reports
furnishes evidence that farm bureau
counties in comparison with non-farm
bureau counties show an increased
production per acre in every case, in
some counties amounting to as high
as 10000 bushels of wheat per year,
without any extra help and with
practically no extra expense. One
case showed an increase of thirty
bushels per acre Of potatoes; in every
case a decrease of mortality among
hogs on account of cholera, running
as high as 700 per cent, as compared
to no decrease in counties without
farm bureaus.
If that is not enough evidence for
the county farm bureau program let
US consider the poultry activities, in
sect control, plant disease control, /
boys and girls club work and so many
other activities of the county agent
and the county organization.
Is our state and national work
worth the money? Is it worth any
thing to Us as farmers to have our in
terests looked after in transportation /
as tax payers, a scitizens in legisla-
as tax payers, as citizens in a legisla-
after in that way? Let us see.
We helped to hold down freight
rates when the Interstate Commerce
Commission granted, under the Esch-
Cummins Law, a rate equivalent to
51a per cent dividend to railroads.
That was high enough, but had it not
been for our organization, it would
have been higher.
We assisted in securing reductions, /
the past year, in freight rates, first in /
hay and grain, and then in all farm |
commodities.
We have secured many adjustments
of differences with railroads. through
our national transportation depart
ment.
We have assisted in securing the
enactment of more favorable agricul-
tural legislation in the past two years
that never was enacted before-co-
operative marketing laws, both state
and national; warehouse act, state
and national; stock yards control act,
state and national; future trading
act. We have assisted in defeating
the Nolan bill, the daylight saving law
and are backing up the truth-in-fabric
bill and the Muscle Shoals PROPOSE
ton
We have assisted in accomplishing
these things. We do not claim the
whole credit. But we do claim that
without the state and American farm
bureau declarations these things could
not have come to pass.
We cannot accomplish such things
as individuals. Things are not done
that way any more.
Others are not going to do things
for US. We have depended on that
too often and too often have had
things done to US. Other people are
just as selfish as we are.
We are hard upl Sure we are. 1t
is very small per cent of our farm
ers that have not lost more money
during the past two years than they
made in the preceding three. Is that
any reason why we should lay down /
on our backs with our heels up in the |
air like whipped ours? 1t is the best |
reason in the world why we should !
stand up like good American men and
light our own battles. We cannot do