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Page 2 



The lUinois Agricuhund AModation Record 



.•.,,4 



AugtMt 30, 1924 



I 



4IliLiINOIS m 

 CULTURAL ASSOCIA'WBW 

 ""RECORir^V" 



I*ublishe<l every other Saturday by the IlllnoiB AgrlcuJ- 

 tilral Association. (08 South Dearborn Street. Chicago, 

 Illinois. Edited by Department of Information, H. C. 

 Butcher, Director. 



Entered as second ciaas matter Oct, 10, 1921, at the post 

 ofDce at Cblcaco, Illinois, under the act of March S, 1171.. 

 Acceptance for mailing at special rates of postac* pro- 

 vided for in Section 1103, Act of October i, 1117, author- 

 ixed Oct. 31, 1»21. 



The IndlTldual membership fee of the Illinois Arfflcul- 

 tural Association is Ave dollars a year. This fee includes 

 payment of fifty cents for subscription to the lUlnola As- 

 ricultural Aasoclation Record. 



OFFICERS 

 I Pnsldeqt, S. H. Thompson, Quincy. 



Vice-President, C. B. Watson, DeKalb. 

 Treasurer, R. A. Oowles, BIoomingt<Hi. 

 Secretary, Geo, A. Fox, Sycamore. 



B2CEOIJTI\'B COMMTTTEB 

 By Congressional Districts 



1th Jacob Olbrlch, Harvard 



2th ...> G. F. Tullock, Rockford 



13th C. E, Bamborough, Polo 



14th '. W. H. Moody, Port Byron 



15th H. E. Goeinbel, Hooppole 



16th A. R. Wright, Varna 



17th F. D, Barton, Cornell 



18th R. F. Karr, Iroquois 



1»th J. L. Whianand, Charleston 



ZOth Earl C. Smith, Detroit 



Z1st Samuel Sorrells, Raymond 



22nd Stanley Caatle, A'lton 



Z3rd J. E. LIngenfelter, Lawrencevllla 



24th Curt Andersen, .Xenia 



Z6th Vernon Leaalsy, Sparta 



Directors ot Departments 

 I. A. A. CMBce 

 General Office and Assistant to Secretary, J. H, Kelker; 

 Organization, G. E. Metzger; Information, H.C. Butehsr, 

 Tranaportation, L. J. Quaiey, Statistics, J. C. Watson; 

 Finance, R. A. Cowles; Fruit and Vegetable Marketing, 

 A, B. Leeper; Live Stock Marketing, Wm. E. Hedgcock; 

 Dairy Marketing, A. D. Lynch; Phosphate-Limestone, 

 J. R. Bent; In charge Poultry and Egg Marketing, F. A. 

 Gougler; special representative on Tuberculosis Eradi- 

 cation, M. H. Petersen; Legal Counsel, Donald Kirk- 

 patrlek; Cooperative Accounting, Geo, R. Wicker. 



Equalization ot Land Valuation* in 1924 



Vermilion, McLean and Ford counties stand in 

 one, two, three order at the top of the heap of Illi- 

 nois counties as having the highest assessed ralua- 

 tions per acre on farm lands. Logan county held 

 the top position until recently when a 15 per cent 

 reduction in its farm land valuations was granted 

 by its Board of Review after the Logan County 

 Farm Bureau had vigorously campaigned. for the 

 reduction. 



The relationship of vauations on city and coun- 

 try property has been determined and re-deter 

 mined in 16 counties so far this year by the I. A, A, 

 department of taxation and statistics. Four of 

 these have made reductions wholly or partly in ac- 

 cordance with protests made by the County Farm 

 Bureaus. 



Following is a summary in alphabetical order of 

 the present status in each of the 16 counties : 



Cass county had a reduction in 1923 of 

 somewhat more than 13 per cent. This 

 year it got a further reduction of 10 per 

 cent. This makes a little over 22 per cent 

 reduction in land valuations since 1922. 



In Champaign county, a reduction of 

 over 18 per cent was obtained in 1923, This 

 year the Champaign County Farm Bureau 

 asked for more complete equalization. The 

 Board of Review is giving a partial equal- 

 ization by increasing valuations on prop- 

 erty in the business district of the city of 

 Champaign, 



"This will help the situation," says Mr. 

 Watson, "but it will not fully remedy the 

 inequality. ' ' ^^_^_^ 



Clay county had a reduction in 1923 in 

 farm land valuations of a little less than 

 20 per cent, which was not sufficient to 

 remedy the wide inequality in that county. 



"The Clay County Farm Bureau asked 

 again for equalization, but the Board thus 

 far has refused to act further," states Mr. 

 Watson. 



Fifty-one land owners have filed formal 



complaints against the assessments of their 



_ property, with the possible purpose of test- 



' ing the right of the Board of Review to 



leave the present inequal ities uncorrected. 



In 1923, Clinton county had a reduction 

 of nearly seven per cent. Since this was 

 Clinton insufficient to equalize valuations, further 

 reductions were asked for this year by the 

 Clinton County Farm Bureau, but it has 

 been refused by the Board of Review. 



Very slight changes were made in valua- 

 tions in DuPage county valuations last 



Chont* 

 paign 



Clay 



year. In order to remedy the inequality 

 between real farm land and city property, 

 the DuPage County Farm Bureau gave its 

 land-owning members a statement of the 

 facts and an opportunity to file formal 

 •• complaints against the assessments on their 

 property. If more careful consideration 

 of the facts justify such action, DuPage 

 county also may have opportunity to find 

 out whether land taxes can be collected 

 an the wide ineq ualities e xisting, 



^ . Investigation in Edgar county disclosed 

 that real estate valuations of county and 

 city property are substantially fair and 

 EJgar that both are not far from the average of 

 the state, Edgar county had a reduction 

 last year of about 10 per cent in valuations 

 of farm lands. 



Investigation in Hancock county also 



disclosed fair uniformity in valuations in 



Mneoe* f^^^ g^j gj^y j,ggj estate, Hancock county 



had a reduction last year of about 14 per 



cent. 



In 1923, Kane county, farm lands were 

 reduced nearly seven per cent. This re- 

 ' duction was inadequate to produce uni- 



formity between city and country real es- 

 tate. As in DuPage county, the Kane 

 County Farm Bureau gave its members a 

 statement of facts and an opportunity to 

 Kant file formal complaints. This action had 

 some effect since the Board of Review has 

 announced that it is ordering a reduction 

 .practically equal to the amount made last 

 year. Even though substantial equality of 

 the two classes of property has not been 

 secured, the result in Kane county is a 

 notable victory f or the Fa rm Bureau. 



Lake county lands had a reduction last 

 j'-ear of nearly seven per cent. Because of 

 the large amount of lake shore, industrial 

 and resort property which is classified as 

 lands, it is extremely difficult to determine 

 whether assessments of farm lands and city 

 property are fair in Lake county. More 

 time has probably been spent in this county 

 by the department of taxation and statistics 

 'than in any other county in the state and 

 the question is s till unde r consideration. 



. Farm lands in Logan county had prac- 

 tically no reduction in 1923 thus leaving 

 this county as the highest assessed per acre 

 of any county in the state. Led by the 

 Logan County Farm Bureau, and with the 

 active assistance of the county treasurer, a 

 campaign to secure reduction was started. 

 The Farm Bureau filed petitions from a 

 large number of landowners in the county 

 protesting against valuations which forced 

 them to pay for state taxes an amount esti- 

 mated from $12,000 to $15,000 more than 

 their share each year. 



The Logan County Farm Bureau asked 

 •- for a 15 per cent reduction in valuations 

 which has been granted by the Board of 

 Review. ^ 



Marion county lands were reduced about 

 18 per cent in valuations in 1923, This 

 was insufficient to restore equality in that 

 county, especially with property in the city 

 of Centralia, The Marion County Farm 

 Bureau again asked for equalization and 

 the Board of Review now has the matter 

 under consideration, ; 



In 1923, Montgomery county land was 

 reduced in assessed valuations about 13 

 per cent, an amount which was insufficient 

 to equalize valuations of farm land and city 

 property. The Montgomery County Farm 

 Bureau took the matter up this year with 



,^ the Board of Review which has since grant- 

 ed a 10 per cent reduction in addition to 

 that made last year. 



Morgan county is one of the few counties 



of the state in which land valuations were 



increased last year. An investigation of 



the relative valuation of city and country 



UoTtan property has shown that there is not much 



, inequality between the two classes. Both 

 are assessed higher than the average of the 

 state. Both might well be reduced some- 

 what if the city of Jacksonville could get 



I sufficient tax inco me from lower valuations. 



In 1923, the assessors of Peoria county, 

 on the recommendation of the county treas- 

 urer, reduced valuations of farm lands an 

 1 average of 20 to 25 per cent. Investigation 

 by the Peoria County Farm Bureau showed 

 that this reduction was justified. This in- 

 formation was given to the Board of Re- 



Logan 



Mariom 



Mont- 

 gommry 



Fmoria 



Rock 



Safins 



Vmr- 



i view. Over the protest of the Farm Bu- 

 reau, the Board of Review increased the 

 assessors' figures more than 15 per cent, 

 leaving a net reduction of less than seven 

 per cent. 



Similar investigation this year by the de- 

 partment of taxation and statistics of the 

 I, A. A. has confirmed the figures secured 

 last year and has shown that city property, 

 chiefly in tie city of Peoria, is assessed 11 

 per cent lower than the average of farm 

 'ands. This information was given to the 

 Board of Review in a hearing at which the 

 Farm Bureau asked again for an equaliza- 

 tion. The Board of Review is rel.ving in 

 part upon the county treasurer, who now 

 says that he recommended a 25 per cent re- 

 duction not believing it justified. Thus far 

 the Board of Review refuses to act. All the 

 members of the Board of Review are from 

 the city of Peoria. The farmers of Peoria 

 county are not represented on the Board of 

 Review, ' 



In 1923, the valuations of farm lands in 

 Rock Island county were reduced less than 

 three per cent. Because of the fact that 

 property in the city of Rock Island was 

 as.sessed on a much higher level of valua- 

 tions than was true of the city of Moline, 

 the valuations of farm lands as a whole 

 were not much out of line with the valua- 

 tions of city property as a whole. Late in 

 1923, however, the Board of Review made 

 a heavy reduction in valuations of Rock 

 Island city property. Investigation this 

 year shows that farm lands are now as- 

 sessed at somewhat higher valuations than 

 is true of the average city property. 



The difference, however, does not seem 

 sufficient to warrant action at this time. 



In 1923, the valuations of farm land in 

 Saline county as a whole were slightly in- 

 creased. Investigation this year disclosed 

 the fact that valuations of city and coun- 

 try property were relatively fair, except 

 that the city of Harrisburg is assessed on 

 a much lower basis than either farm lands 

 or other city and village property. Upon 

 a statement of these facts, the Saline Coun- 

 ty Farm Bureau asked for equalization and 

 the Board of Review has the matter under 

 consideraition. 



Farm land valuations in Vermilion coun- 

 ty were reduced less than five per cent in 

 1923. This result came about largely be- 

 cause of the illegal interference of the 

 county treasurer with the assessors in the 

 performance of their duties. The Board of 

 Review refused to correct the inequalities 

 which were then disclosed between city and 

 country properties. Similar investigation 

 made this year confirmed the figures se- 

 cured last year. The Vermilion County 

 Farm Bureau again presented these facts to 

 ' the Board of Review and again asked for 

 equalizaition. 



The recent reduction of 15 per cent in 

 Logan county has left Vermilion county 

 farm lands assessed at the highest average 

 per acre of any county in Illinois. The 

 Board of Review still has the matter under 

 consideration. 



THE LIARS' CORNER 



TRAVEL IS BROADEMNG. WE HEAR 



Dc^ar Bdltori— A few ynru ago while travellni: 

 thronKh the state o( Kansaa, 1 ■aw an Intereatlns' 

 deiuonatration of corn hnaklngr. The hosker waa a 

 mtrong, mancnlar fellow and. as the sarlnRT voea. 

 quite a local relebrltr. I happened by the farm 

 where he was worklns earlT- one morning, and so 

 got a flae view of his method of procedure. 



The husker wore a snit of asbestos clothe*, which 

 vras quite a noveltr to me. PoUowIbk him closelr 

 was a one-horse wagron driven by a man aad bOT-, 

 and cuntainlnK food und n ketc of ti*e water for 

 use as the work prOKressed. .\round the husker*s 

 body was a revolvlne belt contalnluK the husking 

 pins. These pins, owlnff to their rapid use. soon 

 became so hot that the husker had to drop them 

 from time to time and take another from his belt. 

 The boy- would pick them up. Immerse them in the 

 Ice water and return them to the revolving belt. 

 It took about one dozen pins to do the work. Two 

 or three wagons followed the husker to take care 

 of the corn as It came with llsbtnlUK-llke rapidity 

 from his hands. 



I didn't tarry long In the vicinity, because I saw 

 a number of men, members of the Corn buskers' 

 Union, and the nicly Iftoks on their faces led me to 

 believe that trouble was brewlnfc for the com 

 hnsklnir prodixy. However. I learned before leav- 

 ing thnt N.OOO bushels of corn whh nn nveraice day's 

 work, but with a favorable wind this man-machine 

 would some days have lO.OOO bushels to his credit. 

 Great dlfflcalty was experienced In icettlnir teams 

 enoufch to take care of the corn as It came from 

 the nimble llnicers of the husker. 



I haven't been In the state of Kansas since. 

 However, ivhen I was about half way across the 

 state of Iowa, a man dropped saddeniy from a 

 dark passlnir cloud. Much astoalshed, 1 asked him 

 where he came from, and he replied thnt be blew 

 over in a cyclone from Kansas. "Well,** 1 ex- 

 clalnicd, "the Lord must have been with you." "If 

 he was he vras BOlnfc some," the fellonr retorted. 

 and as he spoke I recORrnlsed him as the marvel- 

 ous corn hmsker. I drove on^fled, as It were, for 

 the prairies of irbod old Illlnols.-~Tom Johnston 

 Morrlsonvllle, llllnoU. 



It is 

 was a 

 culture, 

 ings ha 

 uatloDs 

 have 

 ly. Tax 

 ticular 

 As a r 

 day l8 

 cent 81 

 farms o 

 ratio ol 

 almost 

 1923. 



Valua 

 propert; 



