The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-17
The Farm and the Farmer
BY William r. Sanborn

Inc monument marks the site Of the
nome of w. c. Hankinson, now dead
VINO in 1875 wrote the first hog pedi
gree which established the Poland
CHINA strain. Miss Irene Hankinson.
granddaughter, unveiled the monu-
ment"
The Township Farm Bureau
A recent number of Wallace's Farm
er, of Des Moines, Iowa; under the
caption: THE Township Farm Blu
reau," prints a suggestive article
which we think worth reprinting. The
editor tells us where and how things
start and his story is true to nature,
as many of our readers can attest.
The editorial follows:
This is where things start: Two
smoking lanterns; a dim schoolhouse- y
men in overalls sitting at the cIiSs-
dren's desk; line of them leaning
against the wall in the rear Of the
room; a secretary at the teachers
desk in front, taking a corncob pipe
out OF his mouth to read the list of
members; president who knows lit
tie about parliamentary law, but a
great deal about getting things done.
1t is not an impressive scene, II you
look at exteriors. Yet it may be the
starting point of an idea, of a pro
gram that may reach thru the county,
and the state to the councils of the
nation.
| Local organizations like the town
ship Farm Bureau or like the locals
of other farm organizations show the
real strength behind any farm pro-
gram. In the county or in the state
there is always more or less suspicion
of a cut and dried line of action laid
out by officers, who may be express
ing their own personal desires rather
than the wishes of the membership
In the local the dirt farmer is the
whole show. There are discussed his
problems of production, his market
ing difficulties; and out of the expe-
rience of the members, ways are sug-
gested by which conditions can be
improved"
The Paid Officials
In the large units a paid official
of some sort calls the meeting, attends
to the machinery of organization. and
in some places seems in a large meas
ure to dictate the policies which are
followed. There is sometimes doub,
as to whether the organization exists
= for the sake of the officers or the Of
ficers for the sake of the organiza-
ton.
THE local unit presents no such
problem. The men who meet there
) meet because there are local jobs that
! they know they can do better togethe +
! than separately. Their work is based,
on essentials, because 1t is only es-
sential things that can bring out
group of handwriting men after 4
long days work to meeting which
: holds out. no attraction except the
hope of getting needed job done.
THE township Farm Bureau is n
perpetual proof that farm organiza.
| ton leaders in state and nation will
not go far wrong, if they are able to
, keep in close touch with the needs
/ and the desires of the farmers In the
. local units"
} Mainstay of Farm Bureau
: 1--WE have our moments of disillus-
, ion incompetence Of leaders of nation
: al and state farm organizations, and
) feel that much of the labor of farm
i organizations is bound to end In fu-
tility. If we feel this, it simply
: shows that we have overestimated the
) Importance of a few men who are
/ most in the public eve. In the long
/ uu IL 10 hui tue WlSuOIl OF Inc Jolly
' of the present set of leaders that will
l count. 1t is the maintenance Of
l thousands of local groups close to the
sod; groups that will continue to
/ work on farm problems and so labor
D ing will eventually produce program
5 of powder and vision and set Of lead
1 ers that can carry it thru"
y VIII Cut Wheat Monday
S Garfield Jackson and John eleven
!. ger, of Center township, announce
v that harvest operations will begin on
!, their farms on Monday, June 10 Con-
e siderable wheat will be cut in Center
ri township next week, said Porter Pike
J. on Saturday. 1.-THE above are the first
!. two men we have heard of who have
4 set that early safe for harvesting, if
i weather permits said Mr.. Pike.
Recent dry and hot days have hur-
ried the ripening process in many
n grain fields; also has made the corn
g Jump" where it has had sufficient
S rain.