The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-29
SAYS BUSINESS
METHODS ARE
FARMING NEED
+. Benz. Farmer and Agricul'
tural Agent, Speaks to
ROtarians of Bismarck
Today
LESS LEGISLATION N
Zoo Much of That Now,
Speaker, Says in Discuss
ing Methods to Aid In
dustry

Farming needs less legislation
less credit and more elbow greas
and business organization, +
Benz. farmer of the state o.
Washington and with the agricul
tural department Of the Northern
Pacific, told the Bismarck Rotari
ans at their weekly luncheon toda!
at which number of Burleigl
county farmers were guests O.
honor.
Straight from. the shoulder fact.
were given, words were not mine
ed and a spade was called a spade
II appear before you Rotarian:
today" he said, Gin dual capacity
First as a representative Of tn,
Northern Pacific, the pioneer roat
Of the great Northwest which frs
linked up the middle west with tn
great centers of the east. We hope
again when times are opportun'
to place large number Of people
in this state and develop the great
est empire possible.
Biggest Business
"But in larger sense ! an
here today as a Representative
farmer proud of his occupation ant
l will discuss in the brief time
allotted the "Needs Of Agriculture
in America"
"There are four reasons why
farming is the biggest business il
America today because:
"First:-It is the basic business
"Second:-It is a problem2tica
,, business.
"Third:-It is the largest bust
ness.
"Fourth.-It is the Best Busi
ness.
"There are many who will not
agree with me, but ! believe sta
tistics and experience will bach
me up in these contentious. Fig
ures subdtantiate me regardless
of the fact that today the average
farm and farmers seems to be
down in the dumps. The average
farm is deathly sick today. 1t is
not a new disease, however but
due to economic complications
caused by false psychology toward
the farming business. In the first
part the free homestead entry law
has worked hardship upon az.
riculture. The American farmer
would have been better off today
if he had never received a Tree acl (
from Uncle Sam. If he had been
forced to pay for every acre he
got, it would have forced upor
him better business methods and
secured for him better consider
alton in the markets of the world
Because his was a free gift
general attitude toward the farm
er has been en- false basis. He is
the only producer upon whose pro-
duct the buyer fixes the price
This has resulted in a starving
agriculture and history tells us
that if this 'conditidn Continues
we may expect starving nation
Seek Balance of Power
"Tl( ough capitalizing farmer
discomfort incident to this situa.
ton, the radicals seek to capture
the balance Of power. God help
America if they accomplish their
purpose for once they do all that
we hold dear in American life
and institutions will be swept
away.
"The five needs of agriculture
today are: Education, Organiza'
ton, Representation, legislation
and elimination. The farmer should
be the best educated man in the
business world. He needs to be q
scientist, organizer and executive
combined. for while he is subject
to all the economic laws any bus
mess man is he has the elements to
contend with and the intricate
laws of nature.
"Organization is necessary but
from the bottom up and inside
out not from the top down ad
outside in. A. C. Townley tried to
organize the farmers by aeroplane.
He organized them from the top
down so that before he was
through they felt the hot place
under their feet. It is necessary
that the organization be done by
farmers not agitators or dema.
gogues or educators who do not
know the practical side. It would
be as we'll to tar and feather all
the educators who come merely to
foist class consciousness and class
hatreds upon the farming class
Thev oct the farmer nowhere