The producers news., 1922-10-27
Bonehead Matkins
Contributed by an admirer)

are in the least need.
Everybody knows Mr.. Jud Matkins
grating, narrow methods. At one
time he was instructed by the rest Of
the Board to direct the farm bureau
work just as though the Commission
ers had any authority to do so. They
assumed this power because they could
control county appropriations for the
work. The Farm Bureau is author
lied through the laws to direct the
work of the County Agent.
WATKINS TRIED TO DONATE
DRUG COMPANY $500
Whenever the county agent present
ed a bid on ingredients for gopher
poison bait and recommended that it |
be accepted on condition that the bid
der furnish the 400 ounces of sacchar-
inc at 81 per ounce instead of 81 as
quoted therein, Jud Matkins moved
that the bid be accepted as read, rath-
er than as County Agent recommend
ed. The Farm Bureau Office under
stood this to mean as recommended. |
The motion carried. BY Monday the
next week two other bids were in. The
county agent then asked bidder No. l
If he would furnish the saccharine at
So per ounce. He protested stating
that Jud Matkins had informed him
that the bid was accepted by the
board as it read. The County Agent
replied that the commissioners follow
ed his recommendations, in regard to
every detail This controversy brought
about Intentionally by Mr.. Matkins
endeavoring to hand this local drug
company $500, eliminated in recon-
sideration of the gopher ingredient
bids and included two more. If Jud
could have pulled this deal, he would
hae donated pharmacist No. 1, $4,000
of county taxpayers money. The
County Agent and Farm Bureau pre-
vented this loss and indiscreet expen-
diture.
WATKINS INTERFERES WITH
POPLAR FARMERS INSTITUTE
The Farm Bureau had made up a
program for three-day farmers in
stitute and short course at Poplar.
The programs and advertising were
out. Two days before it started, the
Hon. Matkins came to the Farm Bu-
reau Office like madman, pounded
the table and definitely demanded that
the County Agent stay at PlentyWood
and mix gopher poison in mid-winter
instead of carrying out his part of
the program The County Agent COM
piled with this bulldogs unauthorita-
tive demands, although the Poplar
farmers had him down for several adj
dresses. Ask the Poplar Commercial
Club and farmers the results.
WATKINS DISREGARDS PEOPLES
WISHES
Furthermore, when the Farm Bu-
reau was doing exceptionally good
work for the farmers and all the peo-
pie of the county, through personal
spite and revenge, Hon. Matkins
brought about the termination of the
Farm Bureau work during the drouth
and defiation when it has been needed /.
most.
He .interfered with the progress of
the farmers work by delaying bills
and accounts, especially in connection
with farm bureau work and it's gopher
project. He peddled ignorant, false
about the bait with the
intent to hurt the work. He stated
that old bait was no good, that it de-
perforated, and that it cost too much.
He tried to make it failure.
Against his opposition and that of a
few othe1s Of his calibre, the Farm
Bureau succeeded unusually we'll 1t
put out more bait at less cost to the
farmers than any county IN the state.
PERMITS OATS GRAFT
The County Agent had also been
instructed to secure bids on oats for
gopher bait AS a result cont act
was signed between the Farmers EIe- Il
0io1,4 4T,o 4ryi |
Agent in the presence of the Commis-
sioners after their approval: If first
carload was acceptable then two more
We're to be ordered. Before this first
car came in, Hon. Matkns and Jack
Duggan bought two carloads at 25c +!
per bushel higle1, price. He had
hoped that these two cars would be
sufficient and that the farmers ele-
vator which agreed to handle and
sell the oats right, would fail to dis
pose Of their car. Jud permitted Jack
Duggan to deliver foul, inferior,
Teedy oats to the county and sell the
eounty2s good oats to his trade. AS
soon as this decoy was discovered, the
Farm Bureau began to use from the
farmers car lot which was far better
pats for 25c per busl1el less. Jud and
lis board failed to get a complete ac-
of all the oats bought from
Duggan. Duggan never signed any
weight statements The whole affair
vas an attempt to swindle the coun-
" and to discredit the work.
sfATKINs COMPELLED FARMERS
TO BUY HIGH PRICED SEED
GRAIN
It is a well known fact that Jud
slong with his cohorts is the man
hat would not permit farmers to
ouy their seed grain from other farm
rs by. taking it to the Supreme court,
,ecause he wanted and did hand
onething to his set. Other counties
III over the state had allowed direct
among farmers up to this &
ime. This extravagant Matkin and
is fellow eonspirators stopped it all. 4
Hence the high priced seed grain for
arnaerS 1t WAS not always the hest | 6