The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-06-27

County Farm Bureau and AZ
clubs was held at st. Johns Uni
versity last week on June 10. Ar
all-day program was carried out al
the Collegeville institution begin.
ming with a team pulling contest
in the forenoon at nine o'clock
For the MONDAY lunch the county
Farm Bureau contributed free cot.
fee, cream and sugar for all folks
coming to the picnic. The All
youngsters carried out a complete
sports program in the forenoon and
afternoon including several kitten
ball games.
The main speaker for the after
noon platform program was l.. s.
Kelehan, Of Des Moines. Mr.. Kele-
han was formerly county agent
in Minnesota and later was in the
employ of the Minnesota Farm
Bureau. Mr. Kelehan in opening
his talk paid tribute to the county
Farm Bureau in having made the
progress in Stearns county that 1t
had so far. He brought out the
fact that the position of agriculture
from the standpoint Of it's share
of the national income had deceas-
ed for a number of years. Like
wise the percentage Of people on
farms in the U. S. decreased. In
1900, according to Kelehan, 63 per-
ent of the people were engaged in
agriculture and received IS percent
of the U. s. income. BY 1900 this
percentage had dropped to SO per-
cent and the percentage Of the ma
tional income was down to 20 per-
cent. In 1920 only 26 percent of
the people were on farms and their
share Of the percent Of the national
income went to farmers.
Mr.. Kelehan also brought out
that in 1920 farm production was
geared to European needs and at
ter that European countries pro-
duced a large supply Of their own
commodities and made their pur-
chases from the countries in the
Southern hemisphere where the
wage scale and the standard Of liv-
ing was considerably lower then in
the U. s. At the same time the
United States became a creditor
nation whereas before the war this
country was a debtor nation, ow-
ing large quantities Of money to
foreign countries. This situation.
according to Mr.. Kelehan, brought
out the need for farm organiza-
ton. Manufacturers complained
that they were able to produce
plenty of everything but there was
no one to buy their material. Labor
complained of having plenty of
men to do the work but could find
no work for everyone to do. Farm
ers complained that they had no
trouble in producing plenty Of COM
modities but were not able to buy
back the things they wanted from
the income they received from their
products. Mr.. Kelehan mentioned
that in the year 1881 when we had
the smallest corn crop in history
the price for corn continued to
drop. At the present time three
million farmers are cooperating in
the national farm program to build
something for their future in agri-
culture. Ordinarily the 10 percent
surplus production determines the
price for all the commodities that
are produced because as soon as
a small percentage of the products
must be sold in the world market
this price determines the price for
all of that commodity in this coun-
try.
The speaker complimented the
Farm Bureau as a county, state
and national organization in carry
ing out a program for improved
health on farms and also for de-
veloping youth organization that
will build something for the well
fare Of the nation.
Mrs. Grover Lackey, of Maine
Prairie township, winner of the
farm women's speaking contest. de-
livered her talk on the subject of
consumer-producer relationship.
Mrs Lackey will present this talk
during the Minnesota State Fair
in competition with county winners
from the various counties in Min
nesota. The winner Of the state
contest will compete at the annual
meeting Of the American Farm
Bureau Federation in Baltimore
next December with winners from
other states.
AS a whole the Farm Bureau pic
MO was very successful. More
than 1000 people attended and al
most all Of them came early in the
morning and remained the entire
day. The Farm Bureau board and
the county agent are grateful to
all the folks who assisted in put
ting on this years picnic.
Some of the participants and
winners Of the various races of
the sport program are as follows:
Husband Calling Contest. Mrs.
George Abelin, Clearwater; 2. Miss
Martha Minette, Sank Centre; 3.
Mrs. Ira Bluhm, Paynesville.
Sack Race, Boys Is and Under
1. Leander Stock, st. Cloud; 2. Nor
man Bork, Paynesville; 3. Billy
Ablen, Holdingford.
Clothes Hanging Contest. Mrs.
c. L. Arnold, Watkins; 2. Mary
and Teresa Kaschmitter; 3. Kath-
leen Rooney and Anna Jansen.
Hog Calling Contest. George
Prom, Freeport; 2. A. d. Snyder,
Paynesville; 8. Jacob Gilk, Albany.
Wheelbarrow Race, Boys Is and
Under-1. Rambert Simon and Yer
non Barthel; g. Andrew Molitor and
David Kunkel; 3. Francis Gobel
and Billy Ablen.
100 Yard Dash, Boys Is and I'm
der-1. Norman Bork, Paynesville;
@ Andrau Molitor Cold Snrinq.