Show Farm Bureau Elects New County Officers Officers' At a ver very well attended banquet at Ephraim Saturday night members members members mem mem- bers of the Sanpete County Farm Bureau named Maybert R. R Strate of Spring City as president and Allen Frandsen of Gunnison as vice th tho t V They n oJ are to choose a secretary Alden K Barton of Manti l who has headed the county Farm Bureau Bureau Bureau Bur Bur- Bur Bur- eau and is now president of the Utah State Farm Fann Bureau and also a newly appointed I Commissioner of Agriculture was master of ceremonies ceremonies ceremonies cere cere- monies and introduced Reuel E. E Christensen of Ephraim as toast- toast master Mr Barton also called attention to the mimeographed ballot ballot bal bat lot form on which appeared the names of Mr Strate and of Ralph Cook for Cor president and Kenneth Whitlock of Mayfield and Mr Frandsen for vice president He explained explained explained ex ex- ex- ex that Mr Cook had found it necessary to withdraw after be being being being be- be ing chosen as a candidate by the nominating committee A group of BYU students entertained entertained enter enter- with vocal solos a piano solo sou pantomime oi UL a young performing his first operation and he had a few parts left over a couple of dance numbers two readings readings readings read read- ings and a vocal duet One reading was by Miss Lucille Rowe of Manti Man Man- ti a Y student Mr Barton as president of the State Farm Fann Bureau was the main speaker of the evening He listed several accomplishments of the Farm Bureau and of movements which it sponsors including the Blue Cross hospital plan automobile insurance etc He said the Farm Fann Bureau is very much opposed to continued cuts in grazing permits and favors range improvement of both public and private grazing land through extensive building of drift fences more water water water wa wa- wa- wa ter holes and watering places so the range will feed more moie livestock not less Urges Farmers to Work Vork Together He also urged farmers to work together and to vote together in securing for 01 elective and appointive Continued on Page 4 Farm Bureau Elects New County Officers Continued from page 1 offices men who understand the farmers farmers' farmers farmers' farmers farmers' far far- mers' mers problems and will work constructively constructively constructively con con- for operated farmer-operated and farmer-approved farmer p pro programs r a g r 1 a am in s. s He spoke of the Union a rival rival rival ri- ri val organization backing the Bran- Bran l ran an plan and other radical legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation and said they are seeking to get control of the farmers of the state In the nation they have havea a member membership hip of a n q quarter ter mill million iI as compared to 1 million for the Farm Fann Bureau he reported The Farm Bureau has a membership goal of 2 million for 1950 and Utah's quota is with Sanpete expected to have at least mem mem- bers hers Farmers Blamed Unjustly Mr Barton said farmers are be being being belag be- be ing lag blamed unjustly for high prices for agricultural products when they reach the consumer market pointing pointing pointing point point- ing out that the farmer gets only some 49 per cent of the consumers food dollar the balance going to transportation wholesaling retailing retailing retailing retail retail- ing packing etc He also gave figures figures figures fig fig- ures showing how farmer income is not up like industrial and other non farm wages and income The average farm income for 1948 was whereas the average income of non-farm non workers was 1380 he said In 1935 the farmers farmer's income was only about third one-third that of the non-farm non worker while in 1939 it had risen to 53 per cent Further explaining the difference in what the farmer gets and what the consumer pays Mr Barton pointed out that wheat prices are down but bread prices are up Hogs beef wheat etc are arc all allway allway allway way down from war peaks but not so wit with industrial wages and non-farm non prices Like l Wage Law LawHe LawHe Law Law- He also said that the minimum 1 n ii t. t pi In J v C J ji jr un wage law yet some of the chief criticism of the farm support plan comes from sponsors of the minimum wage law He branded the Brannan plan as unwise Uneconomic uneconomic uneconomic un un- economic and un-American un but said we haven't heard the last of that plan Mr Ml Barton said if the Brannan plan were applied to the automobile automobile automo automo- bile industry the car manufacturers would produce to capacity let prices prices prices ces seek their own owr level in a glutted glutted glutted glut glut- ted market and then th the thi government government govern govern- ment pay the companies what they were losing on the cars the pay to come of course from taxes He wondered how Walter Valter Reuther would like that especially if the companies hired all applying men and reduced wages in accordance with the labor supply He said too much speaking for agriculture is being done by go government government gov gov- v- v 1 agencies labor distributors tors etc and not enough by farm farm- ers themselves When agriculture and labor prosper the nation prospers prospers prospers pros pros- pers he said and urged farmers to accept civic responsibilities to be members of farm organizations which are run by farmers and are representative of all branches of the agric agricultural industry Such leadership leadership leadership lead lead- will not be found in a govI governmental governmental gov gov- I bureau he said Mr Barton then urged farmers to maintain able leadership so that farm organizations can make sound farm policies for the nation He charged that the present Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture is lobbying against the best interests of the farmers and is doing it on government government government govern govern- ment time and with government funds Other Speakers Other speakers at the banquet we were e Leonard Johnson administrative tive head of the Farm Bureau in insurance insurance insurance in- in program for the southern counties M. M R. R Strate and Allen Frandsen A resolution favoring exemption nf nc tr tn inc r-nnA r V. V 1 I.- I. ro vu taxes caused a lot of discussion with State Senator Ray P. P Lund taking a leading part It was stated stated stated stat stat- ed that such a bill is opposed mostly mostly mostly most most- ly by two groups group one group which said it would be difficult to en enforce enforce enforce en- en force and the other saying it would cause too much loss of revenue Taxing coal and electricity for highway purposes would be as fair fail as taxing tractor gas it was ws said The resolution was finally passed unanimously but it was to exempt non highway gas rather than just tractor gas from the highway taxes Want Vant Ladies' Ladies Help It was stated that the Farm Bureau needs the support of a strong ladies auxiliary in Sanpete as is the case of several counties in the state A move to organize such an auxiliary will be started soon also a membership drive rive will soon be underway it was stated Speaks of Canneries Reuel E. E Christensen spoke of the closing of the canneries in Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San- San pete and asked just what is tc to take the place of the quarter million mil mu- lion dollar payroll the canneries have been providing He said contact contact con con- COllI I tact had been made with the Hunts Hunt's I Foods firm and that the problem is one which must be solved in the county He said also that specific recommendations have hav been made These arc announced in another news item Hem in this paper |