270 AGRICULTURAL DISCONTENT 



born of the suspicion and conservatism which others brought to the meet- 

 ing." Nevertheless, it was conceded that an organization was born and 

 that many of the imperfections about which the delegates from the western 

 Middle West complained would be removed by March. 



When the March meeting assembled, the delegates from the other 

 sections of the country had come closer to the views of the delegates 

 from the western Middle West. Sentiment for cooperative marketing 

 had gained considerable ground. Also, the convention agreed that each 

 state should pay into the national treasury fifty cents for each member 

 enrolled in a county farm bureau. Twenty-eight states ratified the con- 

 stitution that gave to the national organization $200,000, minus the ex- 

 penses contracted before March 3, with which to begin operations. Two 

 of the three most prominent officers elected were from the western Middle 

 West James R. Howard of Iowa, president, and John W. Cloverdale, 

 also of Iowa, secretary. Gray Silver of West Virginia became the Wash- 

 ington representative. 37 In effect, the farm bureaus from the western 

 Middle West scored impressive triumphs in matters of policy, finances, 

 and election of officers. 



The resolutions adopted in March were substantially the same as those 

 of November, with the exception that the demand for "cost of production" 

 had been replaced with the plea for a tariff to give to agriculture "equal 

 consideration with other industries." 3 



If there were any doubts about the influence of prominent commercial 

 and financial interests on the organization of the American Farm Bureau 

 Federation, there definitely were none when it came to the methods that 

 were employed by it, the salaries it paid, the publicity releases it issued, 

 and the legislative pressure it exerted. 



Early in 1920, a department of organization came into existence to help 

 the state farm bureaus launch membership drives. Special field men were 

 also employed to tend to particular organizing problems whenever they 

 presented themselves. 39 



37. American Farm Bureau Federation, Resolutions of November 14, 1919, and 

 March 4, 1920. 



38. B. H. Hibbard, Marketing Agricultural Products (New York, 1921), pp. 

 263-64. 



39. American Farm Bureau Federation, Report of the Executive Secretary to the 

 Third Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, November 21-23, J 9 2I > PP- 8, 13. 



