PROCEEDINGS STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION 117 



state ownership of industries, as preached in North Dakota. The latter, 

 he was sure, would prove impractical, chiefly because it would be im- 

 mediately embroiled in politics. 



He reviewed the birth and progress of co-operative effort in Minnesota, 

 from the days of five cent butter to the present, when Minnesota cream- 

 ery butter takes first rank in the world of business and sells for attrac- 

 tive prices accordingly. 



Citing the advantages of co-operative marketing in the live stock field 

 he declared that no less than 65 per cent of all the live stock marketed 

 in Minnesota this year will reach the ultimate consumer through means 

 of the co-operative live stock commission companies recently established 

 in that state. 



After making the flat statement that "government operation is not as 

 efficient as private enterprise," the governor touched upon some of the 

 more pressing problems of the hour, strikes, transportation, etc. Be- 

 cause they are so far away from the producing coal fields he declared 

 that the late coal strike had done more than any other single influence 

 this year to tie up industry in Minnesota and the states farther west, 

 with the situation still further aggravated by the railroad strike coming 

 on the heels of it. He insisted that the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 has the power to take over the rolling stock of the railroads, and that if 

 it would do that and turn its immediate attention to the problem of 

 coal distribution it could confer an immeasurable blessing upon the 

 American people and their various lines of business. 



He closed with an earnest tribute to "the best of all governments upon 

 earth," and declared that the "United States has given more happiness to 

 more people than all the other governments in existence." 



The morning session opened with a half-hour concert by the Page 

 County Farmers' Band, an aggregation of capable young farmer-musi- 

 cians under the leadership of the veteran bandmaster, Major Landers. 



President C. W. Hunt, of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, spoke 

 briefly, and in an optimistic strain. He declared that the handwriting 

 on the wall indicates a very general improvement, if not a complete 

 solution, of some of the questions that have been vexing the agricultural 

 world for so many years, questions of marketing, finance and legislation. 

 And he reminded his audience of the measures introduced and passed 

 in congress and many of the state legislatures, all designed for and 

 leading to an early improvement of conditions surrounding the business 

 ct tilling the soil. 



At the request of President Hunt, E. H. Cunningham, secretary of the 

 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, took the platform and talked a few 

 minutes. His remarks had to do chiefly with his recently accepted work 

 in reorganizing the U. S. Grain Growers, Inc. He expressed himself as 

 hopeful of ultimate success, at the same time warning his hearers against 

 being over-optimistic as to immediate results. 



The five live stock commission companies established at various ter- 

 minal points by the National Live Stock Producers' Association are all 

 "functioning 100 per cent efficient," said Mr. Cunningham, and it is 

 hoped that similar agencies can be put into operation at other points 

 in the near future. 



