The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-07-06

the farmer feel tnaC ne IS gettlng
square deal. The more he knows
about the details of the operation
and the manage ment of his organiza-
ton, the greater will be his salts
faction. ! am not urging the idea
ment questions unfortunately, but
am saying that good management
of a cooperative will rec ognize in the
highest degree the point Of view of
the farmer.
Has Real Mission
1.-THE cooperative movement, in my
! opinion, has q real mission to per-
| form in the solution of the farmers
| problems. 1t can be an effective fac
| tor in helping farmers only if it is
conducted along the most efficient
| lines, and l can not too strongly urge
| upon farmers that they take a per-
| sonal and direct interest in the activ-
tiles of their own organizations.
Farmers in this section of the
country are particularly interested in
the violent fluctuations Of grain
prices during more recent months.
During the investigation carried on
by the Department Of Agriculture to
determine the causes Of these disas-
| trous price changes, l made certain
suggestions to representatives Of the
Chicago Board of Trade and called
measures to prevent similar situa-
ton in the future. As see it, the
grain exchanges Of this country per-
form useful functional least, we
have perfected no better system Of
marketing. But when the price of
wheat fluctuates IL or Is cents. in a
day it indicates to me that there is
something wrong. There is no agency
that can bringsabout more effectively
correction of this situation than
the grain exchanges themselves. They
must realize that they have to a
large extent lost the confidence Of
the people and can regain this only
by thoroughly putting their house
in order. If they fail voluntarily to
take appropriate action it is my pur-
pose to exercise to the fullest extent
such power as the existing law gives
me to require them to do SO.
Sympathetic Understa landing
II surmise there are many business
men present in this audience today.
l believe that we will more readily
find solutions for the problems of
agriculture If there are greater CO.
operation and mutual understanding
UcLWccn IdE"cIS duu DuSlucSS WcH.
The problems Of the farmer are
many and the business man will not
have a sympathetic undo rstanding of
them unless he studies those prob
lens. In my years of activity in
the west / have been impressed with
the fact that business men often have
wished to be of service in promoting
the development of agriculture in
their region, but that quite as often
as not they have been misinformed
and their misdirected efforts have p
resulted in more harm than good.
Business men can help, but their eff
forts must be constructive and based
upon sound knowledge Of, agricul-
ture.
"The farm is a business, but it is
more-it is q home. We are inter-
ested in better financial returns for
the farmer only as that means better
living. We want men and women to
stay on the farm, not merely because
they have been able to make liv-
ing there but because they have been
profoundly satisfied with farm life.
We must have good rural schools,
good rural churches, good roads,
wholesome recreation and pleasure if
farm life is to prove attractive in
the highest degree.
my efforts will be directed to help
bring about an efficient. stable and
profitable agriculture which will
provide a standard Of living in ac
cord with American ideals. To this
end I solicit your whole hearted CO.
operation. A firmly established, en-
lightened and prosperous landownins
population is not only a great nation
al asset but it is the safest balance
wheel in our civilization"