The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-12-01

r
WV of Agriculture in
~ the employment OF
o county agent or agents; to develop a
definite program of work that will bring
to the county a better economic, social
and educational condition so as to make
farming more profitable and country life
more attractive!
THE mission of the Farm Bureau is to
give service. 1t is not an uprising OF out
ragged farmers nor was 1t organized to
accumulate strength enough to fight the
other fellow. The Farm Bureau grew from
desire on the part Of the farmers for bet
ter production 1t had its beginning in the
south where demonstration agents were
hired to try to teach the cotton farmers
how to fight bolI-weevil. This was in
1908, and when the first County Farm
Bureau was organized in the north ten
years ago there were three hundred county
farm demonstration agents working IN the
south. 1t is because the Farm Bureau is
builded from the ground up, with the
county organization as the basic unit, that
1t has been storm-proof.
The Biggest Job.
"Transcending all the other work OF the
Farm Bureau is the establishment OF
strong local units Of the organization in
every community of the land. Without
strong local units composed OF men and
women doing the everyday work OF the
farm, selling the products of their farm
labor, and buying things to make better
homes and better farms and better rural
life, the Farm Bureau is without that
which iusti6es its existence. Where We
are losing members, where people are dis
satisfied, where folks do not think that
they are getting value received for their
due, there you will find local unit that
is not functioning properly. Something
is wrong, and it is up to the members
themselves to analyze the situation and
find out what it is. You will remember
how the Lord commanded Gideon, saying:
NOV, therefore, go to, proclaim in
the ears of the people, saying, whosoever
is fearful and afraid, let him return, and
depart early from Mount Gilead.
"It seems to me that we may very well
say to the Farm Bureau host today:
Whosoever is fearful and afraid,
let him return and depart early from
Mount Cilead.'
For Strong Hearts.
"Eor we have a great work yet to do,
and it is no work for the sick at heart, the
weak and the fearful. What, then, is our
work and our future?
IF / had my way, would make an
ideal county farm bureau. / would ex-
pand it on a statewide basis and call
that the state farm bureau. Then
would expand that on a nationwide basis
and call that the American Farm Bureau
Federation. But the movement is too
young for that yet. 1t will take more
than ten years of education and organiza-
ton to reach this ideal. The Farm Bureau
believes that the safeguarding and promo
tion of agricultural interests are vital to the
public welfare, and that these interests
can best be protected by the united action
of all, regardless of factional or political
differences. 1t depends for its strength
upon the kind of support given it by the
local communities, county and state or
CARNATIONS and the cooperation which it
receives from the various agencies inter
ested in the welfare of agriculture.
Our First Effort.
THE Farm Bureau is mutual self
help organization for the farmer. Our
first task 10 one of organization and coop
Grafton. Our first effort to be of real
service tb.the farmer is to secure for him
a measure of economic justice.
For instance, every man who moves
onto thefarm to take up that work as a
life occupation decides upon that calling
with the idea of making living for him
selfand his family, to provide the necessary
means of comfortable living as we'll as
educational features for his children
Hence, anything that can be done to in
crease the net income of that farm will
start the owner on the road to purchasing
the necessities of life. 1t is an everlasting
cycle-when the farmer quits buying,
everybody has to quit.
Our whole cooperative marketing
program 10 based on a sound, thorough
analysis of business conditions. Our legis-
lative program is builded from the thoughts
of the sane, safe, agricultural interests Of
the country. Our organization is builded
with the same thought in mind, and il
these conditions can be righted it will
mean not only more products on the farm,
but better equipment, better homes, bet
ter schools and better churches, and above
all, better class of citizenship when the
farmers of our forty-eight states once
learn that Together We Win is the watch
word to follow"