Decorah public opinion., 1922-12-06
STAND BY COUNTY.
FARM BUREAUS
The Breeders Gazette Gives Some
Sound Reasons Why the Bureau
Should be Supported.
URGES ALL TO
STAND By BUREAU
Localized Antipathy to Bureau Work
Grown "a, Part of Some Farmers
to Reduce Personal and
Public Expense.

Public Expense.
We have heard expressed in recent
months considerable opposition on
the part of some farmers to continu-
ing in their counties the employment
of agricultural agents or farm ,ad-
visers. In some cases this attitude
is based on the assumption that the
agents have not been worth the sal
aries paid to them. We used the
assumption" because we doubt whe-
ther, except possibly in compara-
tivey small number of instances, II
| is a demonSitrable or popularity ac-
cepted fact that the agents have
not abundantly justified the expense
which their work has entailed upon
the public. For the most part, how
ever, localized antipathy to county
farm bureau work has grown out OF
desire on the part of farmers to
reduce personal and public expenses.
Some counties, of course, have had
an unfortunate initial experience
with their farm bureau men. who
were either not wisely chosen or
were not given fair support or fair
chance.
The Gazette advocated and sup
ported the movement and legislation
which created the county farm bur
eau, and steadfastly has commend
ed and exploited the work of county
agents whose activities lay with
in its field, and appealed to US as
sound. We do not contend or con-
cede that all county farm bureaus
are flawless in their methods. We
have not always concurred in some
of. the proposals made by county
agents for the salvation of agr1cul-
ture. We have seen public express
sions of what we regarded as un-
sound judgment on the part of a
few in this service.
On the whole, however, county
agents have not only been sound in
their occupational judgments, buc
incalculably helpful in many practi-
cal ways to their communities, and
TO the states and the nation. The
real value of eheir services can never
be justly measured in dollars. It
should not be necessary for them 70
prove their value on a financial basis
dIOlG. IL q NOAItlN dSCi4N 10 OOAASSSN
to spend much of his time keeping
records, making reports and stats
tically demonstrating that ne IS j
profitable investment to his constitu-
ents, he is apt to neglect far more
business.
If the county agent atteRdd;sSh fg to
take ttie best practices OF the most
CHI -f,s1 60 ~ trsl,1 ar "a
not so fortunate, apply scientific
agricultural information to actual
farm practices, and establish in his
county a profitable system of farm
practice-he will not have many day,
light hours 70 devote to anything
else. The man who spends most of
his time among farmers on their own
farms Is likely to achieve the best
net results. Many agents have pro-
baby done some things which later
and broader experience and maturer
Judgment compelled them ito drop.
A few may still be slightly off the
main road TO the fundamental OBJ
jects of the bureaus.
Everywhere, however, the decided
trend among the 1888 agents IN
3,055 counties in the United States
is toward a few specific lines of
practical work of the most useful
character. Most Of the men have
found themselves, and are perform
ing a service that is worth infinitely
more than it is costing. Even so,
the possibilities of the county farm,
bureau as an aid 70 local and ma
tional agriculture are inadequateiy
appreciated, where they are appre-
ciated at alt.
The underlying idea is sound. The
bureau may be temporarily discred-
tied, in some cases, by poor selec-
tions of men to work out and apply
the idea, but the sound view will
always focus on the idea, the har-
ness of which can obviously in num-
erous cases be improved Better
county agents than the average are
in training for this profession, the
misfits are being eliminated anG
farmers with some experience to |
guide them are better prepared than
they have been in the past to select
and support better men.
Improvement and increased use
'uIneSs all along the line are newt
able, and as the local bureau settles
iown to its real job, leaders in the
state and national organizations
which are based on it will see more
clearly what it is that they can rea-
'onably expect to accomplish.
The Gazette, therefore urges it's
readers to stand by the local bur-
eaus. They will continue 20 justify
themselves wherever they are given
a fair chance, and that measure OF
active, united and sustained coop
@which they have right to
expect from those whom they serve.