TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 573 



the Middle West. Its influence is felt in the councils of the nation, its 

 officers are called in consultation on the most important questions affect- 

 ing your interests, and its future will be largely what you make it, so 

 let me admonish you to get a large vision of the work of your associa- 

 tion for the future, and lay your plans and build to that end. 



The Chairman : We at this time will have the report of the 

 secretary. 



THE COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN. 



Mr. Wallace : Before I make my report as secretary, I wish 

 to add a word about what oi:r president has said as to the pro- 

 ducers' Committee of Fifteen. The president in his report told 

 you how that happened to be formed, and he told you of his final 

 action in turning over the work to the Farm Bureau Federation, 

 but he didn't tell you just why that was done. The reason for 

 that action was that we found it impractical to finance the Com- 

 mittee of Fifteen. At different meetings different plans were 

 suggested, and it was perfectly evident that if the committee 

 was to amount to very much, a very considerable sum of money 

 should be raised. Some thought it might be possible to raise 

 that fund through levying a fee of 10 cents a car on all cars re- 

 ceived at stock markets. A committee was formed to look into 

 it, but the committee didn't look into it. Others thought that 

 the Farm Bureau Federation would contribute to it, and then 

 it was thought that if the Farm Bureau was asked to contribute 

 to it, perhaps it ought to have inore to say than was contem- 

 plated at that time. The committee is still in evistence, but at 

 the December meeting a motion was adopted that the National 

 Federation of Farm Bureaus should be asked to take up the 

 duties which it was supposed belonged to this Committee of 

 Fifteen. That matter will be presented to the executive com- 

 mittee of the Federation when it meets on the 3d of March at 

 Chicago. Now, is there a field for work of that particular sort? 

 That's the question to be determined. I agree with Mr. Sykes 

 that there is, but it is something that is going to take a long 

 time to work out properly. I am perfectly frank to say to you 

 that simply meeting with the packers, for instance, whenever 

 there is a drop in prices, or when prices are unsatisfactory, and 

 simply talking it over with them, doesn't get anywhere at all. 

 Here is the reason for that: We get together with the packers 



