The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-02-16
PROGRAM IS NOT
CUT AND PLANNED
That Sterilization Confer
ence Is To Be Open To
All Suggestions

yustifable seltishness" is the key
note in the Northwest Agricultural
Price Sterilization conference, st.
Paul, February 81 and IS, accord
ing to } a statement explaining the
purpose issued by Colonel c. H.
March, chairman of the executive
committee. Mr.. March said the
single aim is to determine a plan
that can be unanimously followed
which offers relief from the present
deplorable condition in which farm
ers find themselves. No cut and
dried program will be submitted;
decisions to be reached will rest
with the delegations from the ten
northwest states which are to at
In all parts OF the ten states
which will be represented at the
are sound thinking men who have
been giving the present agricultural
situation their best thought. There
Is q general recognition of the fact
that the bread and butter, beef and
pork" producers OF America cannot
long continue in the present status.
For two years practically all other
lines OF business have been pro-
tected while the agricultural and de-
pendent industries have been al
lowed to shift for themselves.
The inevitable result has been
the present deplorable condition in
agriculture Any man who farms
land, who owns land. or who has
ers during the past two years,
knows that the disparity between
the buying power of the farmers
products and what he pays for his
business and home necessities con-
stttutes an absolute barrier to f.
nancial stability.
I'VE are not confronted with iso-
lated cases of privation here and
there, neither are we concerned
~ith difficult situations in this or
that community. Agriculture in the
entire northwest section of the coun-
try is now, and for two years past
has been operating on losing basis.
@As / said, this condition has
hearted business men-farmers,
bankers, merchants and others-to
seek some avenue out OF the d.
several small meetings have
been held, but, because of their IL
mited scope, results have not been
forthcoming. The Northw est Agri-
cultural Price Sterilization confer
erce has been called primarily to
oring together representative dele
cations from all states, in order to
determine along what line unified
action can be taken.
Those directing the organization
OF the conference are dedicated to
A. - e~1a v,rIfnu TT rornoAv RafiG-
factory In all respects, was avail
able, calling such a conference as
. we will hold at the end Of this
month. would be waste OF time
and energy. We. believe that the
meeting Will result ip definite ac-
lion along constructive lines. ] am
convinced that the varied scope OF
the conference and the representa-
i've delegations that will be present.
combined with the fact that all
fsctors and all phases OF public
sentiment will be given an oppor-
tunity for expression, will result in
I'VE are looking for constructive
ideas. The ideals behind this con
ference are absolutely what we may
call justifable selfishness.
mo one who has the interests OF
the welfare of the Northwest agri-
culture at heart can, with good
grace, refrain from supporting the
movement, and giving 1t the benefit
OF their experience and judgment. II
offers the first opportunity in the
present crises for unified action
: and we sincerely hope that petty
ieaIousies, individual aspirations
and personal selfshness will norap-
Lear as barriers to either the organ
isstion OF the conference, its work
or the carrying out Of policies that
Il may adopt"