The Topeka state journal., 1922-07-26
FARMER NEEDS AID
Freedom of the Soil Only a
Myth, Says Ralph Snyder.
Cooperation Is Biggest Need of
All Glasses Today, He States.

Frankfort, Kan, July 26.-The
farmer is often reminded of his in
dependence. He reads it, hears it
from the pulpit and from platform
lecturers and is daily reminded of it
until he has actually believed it. This
theory is all wrong.
The farmer is the most dependent
man on earth. This was the opinion
expressed in an address at the Frank
fort chautauqua here by Ralph Sny-
der of Oskaloosa, president of the
Kansas State Farm bureau. Conse-
quently the farmer today realizes that
the most practical avenue to success
is thru corporation. He cannot stand
alone and succeed; he must cooper
ate, not only with his fellow pro-
ducers, but with other men of other
occupations, Mr.. Snyder said.
The speaker pointed out that CO.
operation is a consequence of the de-
velopment of the human race which,
in the beginning, consisted only Of
individuals.
Didn't Need Cooperation.
1--WE began in this. world as indi-
viduals," said President Snyder. "At
first there was only one individual.
He was entirely independent of all
human influence. He had no one to
cooperate with-no one to quarrel
with. Then there were two. Then
there began to be trouble. Then more
people came, also more trouble. HUI
man selfishness, envy, jealously, be-
gan to develop. People got in each
others way, tramped on each other S
toes. They were trying to do the
things independently that they should
have done comparatively.
They afterwards learned that by
banding themselves together they
lies Then they had family feuds.
Then they formed tribes. Tribal wars
resulted. They formed nations and
the nations warred. AS a climax to
the whole program the world got into
a free for all
Easy-When 1t Started.
"Our economic world has had a
similar experience in this country.
Our forefathers began as producer,
manufacturer, distributor, consumer
all in one. They had plenty of room,
and the demands of society were
small. They tramped on nobody's
toes, and no one tramped on theirs.
'"They could raise their own food.
manufacture it and cook and eat it.:
kill their own game, skin it, tan the
their own wool, cotton or hemp and
make their own clothes. They were
independent. This habit of inde-
pendence became fixed one. 1t al
most became an intuition.
THE individual became boastful of
it, an independent American citizen.
Gradually, however, we have become
less independent This is especially
true in the more congested districts
where men and women are thrown
much together. In the cities man can
not get thru the day without the help
of his fellow men.
Farmer Is Dependent.
with the farmer it has been dif-
ferent. He has boasted of his inde-
pendence. Every one has reminded
him of it. He has believed in it. He
has been mistaken He is the most
dependent man on earth. He has
come to realize it and is organizing in
cooperative and sensible way. He
has caught the spirit OF cooperation
along with other men that has result
ed from the,war.
He is realizing in the more modern
farm organization that he nausp CO.
operate, not alone with his fellow
farmers, but with all other men. He
no longer stands aloof from men in
other industries He does not damn
the banker, the lawyer or the manu-
facturer. He seeks to cooperate with
Them confident that in the strength
of his organization he can hold his
own and more"