520 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



the future, we must study and plan to meet new conditions which 

 are being forced upon us. If we hope to continue an important 

 factor in the make-up of the agricultural world and secure to our- 

 selves that measure of justice and a fair share of prosperity which 

 our industry demands, we must cultivate and encourage a friendly 

 co-operation of all kindred associations, to the end that our in- 

 fluence may be widespread and result in the greatest good to all. 



The necessity and importance of organization among all classes 

 of meat producers becomes more evident and urgent each year. 

 Organization in one branch of a business means uncertainty and 

 possibly ruin to the unorganized portion and demoralization to all. 

 As our business is conducted today we find both ends against the 

 middle, and chaos rules the whole. The elements of uncertainty 

 are such as surround no other business of equal importance in 

 existence, and the very presence of this uncertainty has induced 

 many men to give up live stock farming and confine their operations 

 to a strictly agricultural basis. 



Unlike many large industrial enterprises we can. never hope to 

 eliminate competition, but in order to compete we must organize for 

 competition, and thus be able to enjoy a greater measure of security 

 and protection to our business, thereby subserving best our indi- 

 vidual interests. 



Industrial misunderstandings often occur by reason of the 

 fact that men engaged in one line of business do not comprehend 

 that degree of corelation and interdependence which should exist 

 among all. An intelligent conception, of the duties and privileges 

 of each and positive knowledge of the conditions and necessities of 

 the various related occupations will do much to arouse that spirit 

 of co-operation which seemingly is an, unknown quantity today, 

 that spirit which pulls together the forces which will develop the 

 greatest good to all, rather than the few, is yet to be put into 

 practice in the conduct of our affairs. 



The one lamentable feature in, connection with the business 

 of the farmer and the cattle feeder is that he is powerless to dictate 

 at either end of the market; when he buys he must pay the other 

 fellow's price and when he sells he usually submits to the same 

 treatment. 



Our business alone has not reached a crisis ; the fact is, civiliza- 

 tion the world over seems to be due for a readjustment. Thirty or 

 forty years ago sixty-five per cent of our population lived in the 

 rural districts and labored and produced the things necessary to the 



