The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-03-22
THE STATES OLDEST NEWSPAPER
Established 1879
TO BE VIEWED WITH SUSPICION

1t would be surprising if the new plan of A. c. Townley
not received with considerable suspicion by farmers
and others whom he appeals 1t would be surprising
new farmers EXAMINATIONS were not viewed with
pcio it's inception. In the light of past experiences per
haps would be well if every farmers organization
had to very strong dstrust with hard facts
There scores of farmers organizations before the
Society of Equity organized with it's purpose of pro-
noting cooperative marketing There of farm
es organizations before the Nonparisan League rose with
it's nan Of POLITICAL action There have been and are now
farmers organizations with purposes embracing the visions
Of almost student of farm producing conditions to
this time.
Senator Ladd in speech in Bismarck last fall discussed
the Nonartsan league the state marketing systems of Aus
ri and New Zealand and the cooperative marketing
tenn Of Denmark Any hearer convinced that of these
the Senator believed the cooperative system of Denmark had
proved the most successful. Mr. Townley proposes
national organization with plan for controlling prices
through the farmers themselves Is true it appears
system ardent urged North Dakota for the last six
years is recognized as a failure?
dscoses that of all plans advanced the cooperative system
has proved most successful There examples of conspc
sections of the tobacco and cotton producing regions of the
south The failures, for the most part, be traced to
the difficulties of the Equity marketing organizations On
the other hand has only where the leadership
was able and entirely unselfish.
Mr. ToWney, it appears takes the view that success of
a farmers organization will not through state
ship retail stores He reported to have said speech
in South Dakota. to farmers: You can't farm and
and make r That o snd $ M
crganizao already functong The statement directed
the subject of cooperative stores, apply equally to
the state milling business in which North Dakota is
engaging for the state with unframed hands is going into
competition with of the most highly developed businesses
of this modern age
The farmer is treadng unchared lanes when he enters
into the store business such the Brnton cooperative
stores Just does the average business and profess
siona find it difficult to make of farming
when of his energy devoted his business pro-
fesson in the city But is the business of the
facturer to sell his goods well to produce Them the
retailer to know how to buy well to SELL it is part Of
the farmers business to bend his eneavors toward solving
the problem of marketing his products. 1t ony be-
farming such vast and diversified business that
little attention has been paid the selling end little
progress made If the energies Of leaders of the farming
business devoted toward the Improvement of market
ing conditions and that leadership unsesh and able
voice would be raised in North Dakota against them
But if that leadership to seek only political power per-
sonal profit and if it is to be bent toward accomplishing
objects which do not to the heart of the problem, the
opposition will be keen and vigorous.
The present attitude of Mr. Townev and others
that the leadership of the farmers in North Dakota in the
past has chosen false paths and in such admission ustfes
the opposition them. Thus Mr. Townley need not be
surprised he finds difficult road in building his
organization with it's somewhat theoretical plan of operation
should he be disappointed if he finds many who believe
that he is interested in extracting the membership
fee than he is in fulfilling the glowing promises made