The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-06-22
HUNDREDS ATTEND
PICNIC AT COVE
Farm Bureau Picnic Draws a Large
Number of People From All
Sections of County.
TWO BANDS FURNISH MUSIC
Addresses Delivered by Representa-.
tives of State Federation and
Agricultural College.

OS~SNAN~~>S
people assembled on the shores Of
Mile Laos lake at Cove to attend the
farm bureau picnic. During the morn
ing the Scenic highway from Prince
ton to the lake was dotted with cars,
all bound for Cove. By noon practical
ly all the visitors had arrived except
the members of the Milaca delegation,
most Of whom appeared after dinner.
The Princeton boys band, accom-
panied by their director, Professor
Cason of Minneapolis, arrived at the
picnic ground early in the day. Dur
ing the forenoon the band played sew
eral selections. At noon the picnick-
ers assembled in neighborhood groups
under the trees and prepared to do
full justice to the lunch baskets that
had been so carefully packed by all
the good housewives. There is one
thing the people in the small villages
and the rural districts always have
and that is plenty Of good food. If
anyone at Cove was hungry Saturday
it was his own fault. Tempting dishes
were there in abundance and there
was no lack of hospitality. The Cove
women sustained their reputation as
cordial hostesses and served hot cof-
! fee at one of the booths.
The Milaca delegation that arrived
about 1870 brought their band with
them. During the afternoon the two
bands rendered several selections.
Louis Normandin, president of the
Mile Laos County Farm Bureau asso-
citation, introduced the speakers of the
afternoon. The first address was de-
livered by F. L. French, secretary Of
the State Farm Bureau federation.
Mr. French first spoke Of the gen
eral conditions prevailing in the agri-
cultural communities. The farm prod
ucts were the first to drop and the
farmers had therefore felt the fnan-
cial depression, through which the
whole country has just passed, most
acutely. The farmers like every other
group of workmen find their strength
in numbers and if they are going to
obtain hearing in the legislature, in
congress or with any large business
: concern, they must bargain as a large
organization and not as individuals
, The Farm Bureau federation has beer
able to accomplish much because il
has enough members to be recognized
as powerful organization. Although
| it has been in existence only two years
it has 1,250,OO0 members in the United
States.
The three major projects on which
the federation plans to concentrate
= most of it's energy are marketing
= problems, transportation and legisla
l ton. Mr.. French stated that in tn
70 United States statistics show that onl.
80 to 40 per cent of the consumers dol
- lar reaches the farmer, the producer
l. In Denmark, SO per cent the consume
, pays for agricultural products come
, back to the farmer. The big market
ing problems in this country is to elm
:. mate some of the middlemen so tn
:, farmer will get SO or 60 per cent O
the final price of his product.
u The farmers have accomplishe
much with their cooperative cream
4 cries, elevators and local shipping as
. sociations, but these do not follow tn
products to the terminal markets an
this must be done if the farmers ar
to have a voice in setting the prices
e The speaker referred to the Central &C
n operative Commission association
!. South St. Paul 1t is estimated thu
If this company has saved the livestoc
men of the northwest $4,000, and
~ has been operating less than yea:
" The Minnesota Farm Buretau feders
= ton has helped materially in organii
g ing this cooperative association
g South St. Paul. The state federatio
has also been active in pushing tn
Cooperative Creameries associatio
=, which it is estimated effects a savin
~ of $1,--75 every week for it's member
~ It would then seem that the farmer
should have derived enough benef
III from the federation to more than con
pensate them for the expense {
70 maintaining it.
Freight rates are of much impol
lance to the farmers When the il
terstate commerce commission me
r. the only organization that had rel
" resentatives there in the interests
Y, the farmers was the Farm Bureau fet
N Grafton. A reduction in freight rate
id was secured that will net a saving
~ $50 to every farmer in the state.
In closing Mr.. French stated tn;
~ the committee that was appointed
n. represent the interests of the farm b
p, reau in the 1921 legislature did a
IN complish much. This committee cou
at go before the members of the legisl
lature with specific requests and cou
push definite program vigorousl
lis He urged each member of this far
w bureau organization to be awake
of his responsibilities and opportunities
u F. r. Balmer, the state county age
leader, was the second speaker.