The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1930-02-05
"A. J. Olson Opens Meeting of
Minnesota Farm Bureau With
Hopeful Look Into Future.

Although the year 1929 brought
the American farmer a little to be
thankful for, and left him in worse
financial condition than he was
year ago, he may count substantial
gains that eventually should improve
his condition, declared A. j. Olson,
president of the Minnesota Farm
Bureau Federation in delivering his
annual address at the University
auditorium, Tuesday morning. Mr..
Olson's address featured the eleventh
annual convention of the Gopher
bureau, (which opened for four-day
session at the Lowry hotel, st. Paul,
Monday morning Tuesdays sessions
were held at University Farm, as an
event of the annual Farmers and
Home Makers week.
Farmers today are worse off fin
ancially than they were one, two or
five years ago. They have had one
more year of losing deal for agri-
culture. They are, however, of better
moral. They have accomplished some
things" the Bureau leader asserted.
"These accomplishments are but
plans, in the early stages of develop
ment. 1t is not too much to say,
however, that our progress has been
phenomenal for no nationwide move
ment has advanced so rapidly as has
the movement for agriculture quail
ty.
"The Minnesota Farm Bureau Fed
GRAFTON, which is leading the fight for
improving the farmers condition,
has been in existence but eleven
years. We have concentrated on the
present program for less than eight
years. Up to 1920 agriculture was
on the incline. Prices were fairly
satisfactory; land values were in
creasing from two to ten dollars per
year and the farmers upon taking in
ventory of themselves found that
they were worth much more money
each year. At least they were enabl-
ed to borrow more money and there
by the mortgage on the farm could
be and was increased from year to
year.
"The war ended. Deflation for
agriculture was ordered and before
the farmers realized what had hap
pened, organized industry got busy
and Congress enacted the Fordney-
McCumber Tariff Act. This so COM
pletely unbalanced agricultural con-
dition that the organized forces of
the farmer set out to seek a new deal
for their people This fight resulted
in the calling of a special session of
Congress which enacted the market
ing act. This act, first of all, estab-
lished policy for agriculture. This
statement of policy says that agri
culture shall be placed on an econom-
ic parity with the industries. This
act provides for the Federal Farm
Board, which is charged with the re-
sponsibility of carrying out the pro-
visions of the act. The act also pro-
vides the funds with which to do the
work." Mr.. Olson explained.
The Bureau president said that the
Farm bureau has constantly stressed
cooperation as the key to agricul-
tural prosperity. The government
has at last recognized this program
and has made cooperative marketing
the nationall approved system for
distribution of farm products and the
nation is now, committed to the task
if its successful operation through the
federal marketing act. 1T is now the
duty of the farmers, themselves, to
do their part by selling their produce
only through recognized co-opera-
tives, in order that the marketing act
may be successful to its greatest de-
gree" the bureau chief asserted.
Mr.. Olson stressed the need for
tariff revision, in order to give agri
culture the same benefits industry
and commerce enjoyed in the past.
1t is through the farmers growing
realization that he must cooperate if
he is to prosper, and through the
strong cooperative organizations he