Pace 4 



The Olinois Agricnltural Assooalioii Record 



Dec. S. 1923 



Many Counties Secure Tax Cuts -' 



During 1923 Through Self -Help 



While John C. Watson of the 

 I. A. A. Ttix Investigation de- 

 . partmeM. has been busy in 

 aboiit 50 rtHnois counties getting 

 facts and figures to find out if 

 .fanaers ware paying more than 

 their just share of taxes and 

 presienting these findings in 

 hearings before Boards of Re- 

 view, many county farm bu- 

 reaus have, of their own aecord, 

 made an investigation of local 

 taxes this year and secured sub- 

 stantial reductions , in farm 

 taxes, where justified. 



From Macon county comes 

 word that last spring the oounty 

 farm bureau tax committee recom- 

 mended a general cut ot 25 per 

 cent in farm valuations. Farm 

 Adviser E. H. Walworth states 

 that the Board of Review fol- 

 lowed this out for the most part 

 and that land valuations were 

 pretty well equalized throughout 

 the county. 



A memt>er of the Board of Re- 

 view was chairman of the farm- 

 ers' tax committee in Macon 

 county. 



Gnmdy Gets Reduction 

 The farm bureau tax committee 

 was on the job in Grundy county 

 and was able to secure a general 

 reduction of 12 H per cent in 

 land valuations. There was no 

 change In town property valua- 

 Uon. 



Two meml>ers of the farm bu- 

 reau executive committee were 

 on the Board of Review in that 

 county. 



Cnt in Jersey 

 The farm bureau cooperated 

 with the supervisor of assess- 

 ments and the Board of Review 

 in Jersey county, according to 

 Farm Adviser R. L. Eyman. A 

 blanket cut of 10 per cent In land 

 valuations was made in compari- 

 son with 1922. 



Much work was done by the 

 farm bureau to get a uniform 

 valuation on properties for all 

 townships in the county. This 

 was the first year that the super- 

 visor of assessments has given 

 out instructions to his assessors, 

 states Mr. Ejrman. 



Livingston cuts 10 per cent 

 In Livingston county, Farm 

 Adviser H. O. Allison appeared 

 before the Board of Review and 

 was instrumental in securing a 

 cut in valuations of 10 per cent 

 in farm lands, compared with the 

 1919 basis. There was no re- 

 duction in city pi-operty valua- 

 tions. 



In Cnmberland 

 Chas. B. Price, farm adviser 

 in Cumberland county, writes 

 that the president of the farm 

 bureau and other farmers met 

 with assessors last spring and 

 made recommendations. 



The result is expressed in a 

 statement whicU shows that farm 

 lands have been reduced approxi-- 

 mately 29.S per cent in assessed 

 valuations, compared with 1922, 

 There was a very slight reduc- 

 tion in town and city lots. 

 15 per cent in Coles 

 The Coles County Farm Bu- 

 reau recommended a cut in land 

 valuations to the supervisor of 

 assessments. A general reduc- 

 tion of 15 per cent on farm lands 

 with little or no change in city 

 property assessed valuations was 

 secured, states ^arm Adviser Mel- 

 vln Thomas. 



In Pike County 

 The Pike County Farm Bureau 

 was denied the right to appear 



before the board of assessors by 

 the county treasurer, writes Otis 

 Kercher, farm adviser. However 

 the farm bureau made known its 

 wishes for a reduction in valua- 

 tions en farm lands before the 

 board through one of the assess- 

 ors.^ 



A committee of farm bureau 

 members in each township offered 

 its services to local assessors in 

 equalizing valuations. About 50 

 per cent of the assessors accepted 

 the services of these committees. 

 After these equalizations were 

 made, the 1. A. A. checked over 

 the figures from the county and 

 found that town lots and farm 

 lands were assessed on the same 

 basis. 



Reduce in Warren 

 In Warren county, average as- 

 sessed valuations on land were 

 reduced 15.6 per cent while town 

 and city lots were decreased only 

 2.9 per cent this year. 



Farm Adviser A. A. Olsen, 

 states that the farm bureau does 

 not claim any credit for this re- 

 duction but thinks that perhaps 

 the work that the I. A. A. has 

 been doing in other counties did 

 influence the Warren county 

 Board of Review. 



Equalize in GslUUn 

 Farmers in Gallatin county 

 brought pressure to bear upon 

 the Board of Review which re- 

 sulted in equalization of assess- 

 ment between townships in the 

 county, states Farm Adviser 

 Simpson. 



There was little difference 

 found between the assessed val- 

 uations of farm lands and town 

 property, he says. 



In Jo Daviess 

 Two members of the farm bu- 

 reau executive committee upon 

 the Board of Review in Jo Daviess 

 county have taken care that no 

 unjust discrimination has been 

 made against farm property, 

 writes Farm Adviser Banter. In- 

 vestigation by the farm bureau 

 has disclosed that valuations are 

 equitable there. 



Decrease in Henry 

 Comparison of land valuation 

 in Henry county with that in 

 surrounding counties helped a 

 great deal in securing reduction 

 in land valuations of 4.6 per 

 cent, according to J. W. Whise- 

 nand, farm adviser. 



At the same time, city lots 

 were increased very slightly, .03 

 per cent. Farm anima^ were de- 

 creased in this county; horses, 

 19.3 per cent; cattle, 6.2 per 

 cent; hogs, 8.8 per cent. Per- 

 sonal property was decreased 12.7 

 per cent. 



Wliite rednces lands 

 In White county, assessed val- 

 uations on lands have been de- 

 creased S.3 per cent for 1923 

 while town lots have been in- 

 creased 1.6 per cent, states Farm 

 Adviser Creighton. 



In commenting on the reduc- 

 tion, Mr. Creighton says that it 

 cannot be directly attributed to 

 farm bureau work, but that in- 

 directly, the I. A. A. tax work 

 was responsible. 



Decrease in Woodford 

 Last January the Woodford 

 County Farm Bureau appointed 

 a tax committee which gathered 

 facts concerning farm land val- 

 uations. This committee and the 

 farm adviser met with the Board 

 of Assessors when it received in- 

 structions. The bureau also se- 

 cured the appointment of a farm- 



er on the Board of Review. 



To this activity on the part of 

 the farm bureau is attributed 

 the decrease of 29 per cent in 

 land valuations and the increase 

 of 9 per cent in town and city 

 lots, the comparison being made 

 on the 1922 basis. 



In Mason County 



Farm Adviser Isaacs writes 

 that in Mason county, the farm 

 bureau had a tax committee 

 which met with the assessors and 

 also with the Board of Review. 

 The result was that a reduction 

 of a little over 10 per cent was 

 made on farm land valuations. 



At the same time, town and 

 city lots were increased in val- 

 uation. In the city of Havana, 

 the increase was 7.4 per cent. 

 20 per cent in Henderson 



In Henderson county. Farm 

 Adviser Bane reports that the 

 farm bureau executive committee 

 met with the assessors early last 

 spring and secured an agreement 

 whereby the assessed valuation 

 of farm lands would be reduced 

 20 per cent and the valuation on 

 town and city lots not changed. 



A check-up by the L A. A. late 

 In the summer indicated that this 

 agreement was carried out very 

 effectively. The reduction left the 

 assessment of town property on a 

 basis of 46.3 per cent of Its actual 

 sates value and reduced farm lands 

 to 51.5 per cent, which the farm 

 bureau decided was not sufficient 

 difference to make further chanae 

 this year. 



AdaMs cats 15 per cent 



Adamr county farm lands are as- 

 sessed at 15 per cent below 1919 

 valuations, due to farm bureau ac- 

 tivity. Quincy property was left on 

 the old basis. 



In Bond county the bureau was 

 on the Job and farm lands were 

 reduced approximately 9 per cent 

 In valuation with no change In 

 town property. 



DeWKt CoBBty 



A reduction of from $90 per acre 

 on prairie land to $60 with poorer 

 land In proportion was secured In 

 De Witt county, with no change In 

 town and city assessments. 



Both town and city property have 

 been reduced 15 per cent In Effing- 

 ham county this year. 



Redae« In McLcaa 



The average reduction secured In 

 McLean county on land valuation 

 is 9% per cent, compared with 

 1919. and town and city lots re- 

 main unchanged. 



In Marshall county, land assess- 

 ments are 10 per cent lower than 

 those of 1919. 



Mercer d«c* well 



The Mercer County Farm Bureau 

 was on the job last year to reduce 

 county taxes and secured 17% per 

 cent decrease in valuations which 

 means a saving of about $80,000 In 

 taxes both last year and this year. 



Sangamon county assessors cut 

 land assessments 26 per cent this 

 year and the Board of Review took 

 off 10 per cent more, making 32H 

 per cent in all. The farm bureau 

 was active in this reduction. 



Bis Cmt t> WlKBCbago 



After facts and figures were pre- 

 sented by the Winnebago County 

 Farm Bureau, assessors cut land 

 valuations 40 per cent which was 

 approved by the Board of Review. 

 This Is one of the largest cuts se- 

 cured in the state. 



Farm property In Will county 

 was reduced 10 per cent in valua- 

 tion while values of town and city 

 lots were left standing. The farm 

 bureau had a hand In securing this 

 reduction. 



I. A. A. !■ WmiaaiMB 



Williamson county was one of 

 those not previously reported In 

 the Record where the I. A. A. 

 helped to get the facts and figures 

 and the farm bureau held a hear- 

 ing before the Board of Review. 

 The result ^vaa a reduction of 18 

 per cent In farm land valuations 

 and an Increase of 3.4 per cent in 

 city property. 



Tm otber covatic* 



With some activity on the part 

 of the farm bureau, the: assessed 

 valuations of farm lands were de- 

 creased by 10 per cent lit Iroauolg 

 county, states Farm Adviser Wise. 



The Pulton County Farm Bureau 

 was on the job. and while finding 

 that assessed valuations of farm 

 and city property were practically 

 "r. ' P"*"' " helped to secure con- 

 siderable adjustment between the 

 different farm lands In taking care 

 or the equalisation of property 

 valnes between the townships. 



Halnh B Arnett. Farm Adviser 

 of Tazewell connty, writes that In 

 response to a rennest from the 

 farm bureau, the Board of Super- 

 visors asked the assessors to make 

 a 10 per cent reduction In farm 

 land valuatlop. He ears, "Tt Is my 

 opinion that there would have been 

 no redtictlon this year had pot the 

 farm bureau heep on the job." 



Town and city lots were also de- 

 creased 10 per cent In Tazewell 

 county. 



For Radio Fans! 



On November 26, the Amer- 

 ican Farm Bare* a ntarted 

 broadcaatlng: proirraina '' t rom 

 Station WRC. WaHhinston. 

 D. C. witb a fifteen -mtaote 

 talk b7 Eklw7 B. Reld, asslat- 

 •nt WaabtnKtea rcprcaenta- 

 tlve of tbe farm bnrean. Pro- 

 Krams will be broadcasted 

 from thU atatlon re^alarlT 

 each Monday nlsht- at S 

 o'clock, Washington time, un- 

 der farm bureau auspice*. 



Aa the Record vrent to 

 preaa, the only fntnre pro- 

 lirrama available from the A. 

 F. B. F. for Ita radio aorvlce 

 tk\ KVW, Chicaico. at RiOl 

 'Pneaday nlKhta, were an fol- 

 lownt Dec. 4. **The Farm 

 Problem an International 

 Problem," by C. T. Oofton, 

 State Speaker, llllnofn Fnrm- 

 ena' Inatltute. followed by Ar- 

 thur Pose, ECdItor, Orange 

 Judd Farmer, n^ho will have 

 the anbject. ***The Farmer, 

 Bnllder;** and on Dec. ' 11. 

 «*]VewB on the Fifth Annual 

 Meetlnic.** by S. !«. StrlvInK*. 

 New York, cz-meniber of the 

 A. F. B. F. Executive Com- 

 mittee. 



A F. B. F* Research 



BROOM CORN MEN 

 "READYTOGO"ON 

 CO-OP MARKETING 



The new corn crop, together 

 with the carry-over of old corn 

 will furnish a busbelage approxi- 

 mately one per cent greater than 

 last year but less in feeding 

 value, according to a recent re- 

 port of the Department of Re- 

 search, American Farm Bureau 

 Federation. The quality of the 

 new crop is 79.4 per cent com- 

 pared with 85 per cent in. 1922. 



The number of hogs, cattle and 

 sheep to be fed is greater than 

 last year but the present tend- 

 ency is to use corn more frugally 

 and larger crops of oats, barley, 

 grain sorghums and. the use of 

 more low-grade wheat will take 

 care of part of the increase in 

 feeding requirements. 



Sell More Com 



Due to the unfavorable feeding 

 ratio between prices of hogs and 

 corn, the present tendency is to 

 curtail hog production and to 

 sell mere corn. Furthermore, 

 corn prices may have some stim- 

 ulating effect on acreage next 

 spring. The outcome is likely to 

 be lower prices for corn and a 

 higher hog market ultimately but 

 it will take some time to bring 

 this readjustment about. 



Based on present indications, 

 corn prices until well along in 

 1924 should remain as high or 

 higher than in the corresponding 

 months of last year. It is not 

 likely, however, that the ex- 

 tremely high prices which pre- 

 vailed in October this year will 

 be duplicated. 



Receipts Small 



Receipts of corn at primary 

 markets have been small during 

 the last six months. Reserves at 

 terminal points accumulated dur- 

 ing the winter were practically 

 used up by midsummer so that 

 arrivals have commanded good 



New Feature in Agreement; Will 



Organize Under Five-Year 



Contract With Pooling 



A meeting of broom corn grow- 

 ers at Mattoon on tbe night of 

 November 21, donated $200 to 

 pay for printing contracts and 

 marketing agreements for their 

 proposed coot>erative marketing 

 organization. ' At a second meet- 

 ing, November 28, plans for a 

 membership ca^npaign were made. 



An unusual feature of the mar- 

 keting agreement, which outlines 

 in detail how the association 

 shall be organized, is a clause 

 calling for three outside men on 

 the board of directors. The 

 agreement calls for 12 members 

 on the board, qne of which is to 

 be nominated by the Bankers' 

 Association of the district, one to 

 be nominated by the Dean of the 

 College of Agriculture and one 

 by tbe President of the Illinois 

 Agricultural Association. 



Represent Public 



The primary purpose of these 

 three men on the board, accord- 

 ing to the agreement, is to repre- 

 sent the interests of the public. 

 The membership fee will be |10, 

 and the association will market 

 broom corn only and for mem- 

 bers of the association only. 



Must Sign Half Crop 

 The agreement stipulates that 

 an acreage equal to one-half of 

 the 1923 crop in the counties of 

 Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Jas- 

 per, Mogltrie, Shelby, Clark and 

 Edgar n^st be signed up by con- 

 tract btfore May first. It also 

 provides that legal organization 

 must be made before July 1. 



The contract binds growers to 

 sell their broom corn through the 

 association for five years and 

 provides for pooling. Both the 

 agreement and contract have the 

 full approval of the I. A. A. 



Adams Co. Wants 

 Live Stock Loan 

 Equal To Grain 



In view of the movement on 

 foot for Government, appropria- 

 tions to extend loans to foreign 

 nations for the purchase of grain, 

 the Xdkms County Farm Bureau 

 has asked that similar considera- 

 tion be given to live stock prod- 

 ucts. 



prices. The market has declined 

 to some extent as the new crop 

 reached a better condition for 

 shipment und a further moderate 

 decline may take place during 

 the heavy winter movement. 



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