REPORT OF IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION 407 



relying, self-sustaining manhood and womanhood is of primary im- 

 portance. 



We are in government a democracy, and a democracy is a government 

 of individuals. Submerge individualism under any form or name and your 

 democracy is gone. 



The stress of the times is terrific. The issues are momentous. They 

 are being decided now on your own farms and in your own lives. I have 

 the fullest faith in the future, because I have faith in you. 



SPEECH OF PRESIDENT C. W. HUNT AT THE THIRD ANNUAL CON- 

 VENTION OF THE IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION. 

 JANUARY 10-11, DES MOINES, IOWA 



No nation can ever reach permanent greatness unless based on the 

 well-being of the men and women who live out on the farm. We have 

 been told that our farmers are more prosperous than farmers of any other 

 nation. Whether this be true or not, it is generally accepted as true. 



While it is true that our farmers today, or up till the outbreak of the 

 world war, appeared to be better off than their fathers, after all the farm 

 prosperity was more fancied than real. 



Look up the history of the average farmer who started for himself forty 

 years back and you will find his life w^as one of unremitted toil day in 

 and day out. His accumulations of wealth are small compared with other 

 lines of business, and are the result of persistent saving on the part of 

 every member of the family. He has had no time for a summer outing at 

 the lakes or winter sojourn in California or Florida. In the majority of 

 cases he could not afford more than an eighth grade education for his 

 children, and we find this man nearing the sunset of life broken in health, 

 shoulders stooped, wrinkles of care on his face, and every evidence of the 

 burden of incessant toil in his make-up as he retires to some town to await 

 the final summons when he is at last called upon to shuffle off his mortal 

 coil. After a few short years of retired life this man dies. The world 

 says he has been a thrifty citizen, leaving a large estate to his heirs, who 

 have gone to the city where they can enjoy society, good schools, fine 

 clothes, and summer outings. 



You say this picture is overdrawn, that farmers can now have automo- 

 biles, good roads, consolidated schools, community centers, fine homes 

 with all the modern conveniences, water, electric lights, cement walks, 

 improved machinery in the house and on the farm. 



The last quarter of a century our government, both state and national, 

 has given much attention to agricultural matters, but solely along the 

 lines of increased production, and succeeded in many instances in doubling 

 the former acreage yield. 



This was all very well for a beginning, but efforts in the future should 

 be spent for better business and better living conditions on the farm. 

 The farmer must get a larger return in money, comfort and social ad- 

 vantages from crops grown. 



The problem of farm life is and should be a national problem, for on 

 the character of country population depends the permanent greatness of 

 any state. 



