FUTURE OF THE FARM BUREAU MOVEMENT 255 



out an educational program, to give service to individual 

 farmers and to other farmers' organizations and move- 

 ments, or, is it to be regarded as an organization built up 

 and fostered for its own sake and for the honor and emol- 

 ument of its organizers? Will the simple building of a 

 great representative national organization of farmers in 

 itself suffice to meet the problems at hand? 



Few men, of course, deliberately advise the selfish course. 

 Most men speak for unselfish service. Yet actions often 

 speak louder and carry much more weight than words. 

 And right here some serious mistakes have been made by 

 over-zealous and thoughtless farm bureau officers and 

 members. 



Locally and nationally farm bureau federations have 

 sometimes seemed to be trying to take over the work of 

 other farmer groups of much longer standing and to speak 

 for them. Naturally, this does not meet with favor on the 

 part of these organizations. In common with many other 

 less promising movements they have sometimes set them- 

 selves up or seemed to do so as representing exclusively 

 all farmers and all interests. This is, of course, resented 

 by other farm organizations. As a result there is a con- 

 siderable feeling in some sections of the country and in 

 certain farmers' organizations, particularly among their 

 officers, that the farm bureau movement is trying to swal- 

 low up or to set itself above all others. Part of this feeling 

 is due to natural jealousy of a new and active organization 

 which is doing things which they have been unable to do 

 themselves, and of inefficient individual leaders who see 

 their jobs slipping away from them. A good part of it is 

 probably justified by the circumstances which give rise to it. 

 It is unfortunate because it limits the usefulness of all 

 concerned. 



How much better and more advantageous to every one 



