Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-12-21
Farmers Union
Program Mapped
Two Thousand Hear Wal
lace, Wheeler Adopt Agri-
cultural Program.

Several hundred delegates last week
attended the annual Farmers Union
convention in st. Paul. The session
was mostly spent in mapping an agri-
cultural program destined to advance
the interest of Northwest farmers
during the coming year.
More than 1000 delegates, alter
mates and visitors from Minnesota,
North Dakota, Montana, South Dako-
ia, western Wisconsin and northern
Iowa attended week-long sessions,
heard reports of financial and legis-
lative progress of this powerful CO.
operative movement, and took part
in a reception for Henry A. Wallace,
secretary of agriculture, and U. S..
Senator Burton K Wheeler of Mon
tana.
The addresses of Secretary Wallace
and Senator Wheeler, at the largest
annual banquet in the history of the
Farmers Union, focused the atten-
ton of the entire nation on the CO.
operative program.
Discuss Program.
In their final joint session stock
holders of the three major regional
Farmers Union groups: The Farmers
Union Grain Terminal Association,
the Farmers Union Central Exchange
and Farmers Union Livestock Com
mission Company voted to approve
"the philosophy of Reciprocal Trade
Agreements as means of encourag-
ing better international relations and
as aiming toward world peace" but
qualified the approval with opposi-
ton to any tariff concessions which
would place foreign imports in COM
petition with efficiently produced
American farm commodities.
The same resolution opposed the
policy of leaving Reciprocal Trade
Agreements to the decision of a single
authority (the state Department. and
stated that the Farmers Union will
seek legislation to require their ap-
proval by the United States Senate.
Tariff legislation of the past which
''has sold American agriculture down
the river to the benefit of special
groups" was condemned.
Secretary Wallace was commended
for his vigilance and action in estab-
fishing the National Agricultural Adj
visory council to voluntarily serve in
assisting him in protecting agricul-
ture against the damaging effects
of the World war. M. w. Thatcher,
national legislative representative,
was directed to present to the presi-
dent and secretary of agriculture a
message of condemnation of the "vi-
cious and unwise policies of credit
extension and debt collection" of
the Farm Credit Administration and
of insistence that the Farm Credit
Administration be transferred to the
Department of Agriculture. A $25, 900
fund for carrying on the national
legislative program was approved.
Review Finances.
Financial reports revealed that in
the II months since its establishment,
the Farmers Union Grain Terminal
Association has handled 40,00O,OOO
bushels of grain, repaid 100000
loan from the Farm Credit Admin
stration and arrived at net worth
of 1923, 782.O3. Mr.. Thatcher is gen.
eral manager.
Business of the Farmers Union Gen.
trail Exchange for 1899 will approx
innate 5000, 000-an increase of about
100000 over 1888, E. A. Syftestad,
general manager, said.
Activities of the Farmers Union
Livestock Commission Company have
shown excellent improvement, and an
active year is anticipated for 1910,
Charles D. Egley, general manager,
reported.
All present directors of the three
groups were reelected and renamed
present officers.