■ REPORT OF IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION 393 



secure the long-time credit which they need, at a reasonable rate 

 of interest. 

 2. Counselled with the officials of the Federal Reserve banks result- 

 ing in the continuation of credit to farmers even after the policy 

 of calling in all loans had been adopted. 



V. TAXATION 

 The I. F. B. F. 



1. Secured information from various sources at considerable expense 

 which was used before the State Executive Council for the pur- 

 pose of reducing land values to a 1919 taxation basis for the 1921 

 assessments. Professor Brindley of the Iowa State College makes 

 the statement: "The Farm Bureau Federation had the first rep- 

 resentatives of the land owners to appear before the State Execu- 

 tive Council. Never before have the farmers' interests in this line 

 been supervised before this body." 



2. Secured the equalization of valuations of the various classes of 

 livestock over the State. 



3. Directed the County Farm Bureaus' Taxation Committees in ap- 

 pearing before the County Assessors and Boards of Supervisors to 

 see that all local assessments were properly equalized. 



4. The attorney of the I. F. B. F. represented the farmers' interests 

 of Iowa in the hearings before the Federal Court in the injunction 

 suit brought by the railroads. 



VI. TRANSPORTATIOX 

 The principal activities in transportation matters have been: 



1. Secured passage of the spur track bill, which gives Board of Rail- 

 road Commissions power to require railroads to provide spur 

 tracks and grant sites where evidence is produced that the same 

 is needed. 



2. Secretary Cunningham appeared before the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission at Washington in hearing for lower grain rates. Mr. 

 Nourse also appeared. They read into the records the Cost of 

 Production figures. 



3. Presented the cases of local shipping associations and elevators 

 before the officials of railroads so that improvement in operating 

 service, repairing and enlarging stock yard equipment, etc., has 

 been brought about. 



4. Relieved the car shortage situation at times when local stations 

 were unable to secure relief by conferring especially with the 

 higher officials of the railroads when local agent was unable to 

 get results. 



5. Has appeared at all important hearings before the (State) Com- 

 merce Counsel looking toward better service and reduction and 

 readjustment of freight rates. 



6. Has helped to secure sites for elevators, warehouses, scales, etc., 

 when local organizations were unable to get results. 



