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December 20. 1924 



The niinoU Agricultural Aasocuitioo Record 



1 



FARMERS' PROBLEMS 

 ARE ECONOMIC, NOT 

 POUTICAL: BRADFUTE 



Leaders See Need of Merchant 



Marine; Favor Export 



Corporation 



Immediately after the opening 

 invocation by Rev. John Acheson 

 of Princevllle, III., President O. 

 E. Bradfute roused the delegates 

 to the 6th annual American Farm 

 Bureau Federation meeting Into 

 action with an address in which 

 he sketched the principal prob- 

 lems before American agriculture 

 and the Farm Bureau today. 



"If I might be allowed to sum- 

 marize the objects of this orga- 

 nization in one word, that word 

 would be — service." This was 

 one of President Bradfute's open- 

 Ins statements. 



Problems are Economic 



"I do not doubt that most of 

 the farmers' problems are eco- 

 nomic rather than political and 

 we will make the greatest prog- 

 ress toward their solution by ap- 

 plying sound business principles 

 which have been used by other 

 industries," he said. 



"Agriculture has seen many 

 depressions and has always come 

 back. It win again come back 

 but the supreme question which 

 we are interested In now is — will 

 it reach and hold its proper 

 level?" 



"As we now enter 'upon our 

 work of three days' sessions, we 

 are depending on each director 

 to carry his full share of the 

 load," he concluded. "Let us 

 tackle all our problems in the 

 spirit of co-operation, with cool 

 heads and warm hearts — fully 

 realizing that unity means suc- 

 cess, while discord means de- 

 feat." 



Need Merchant Marine 



At the afternoon session Com- 

 missioner W. H. Hill of the 

 United States Shipping Board 

 talked on the development of 

 the American Merchant Marine. 

 He said among other things, "As 

 farmers we are interested in 

 America's extending her com- 

 merce to the uttermost parts of 

 the world. Ready markets are 

 what we need to make the prices 

 such that we will profit in the 

 production. Foreign countries 

 are our competitors in these mar- 

 kets. If we depend on foreign 

 shipG to carry our exports, our 

 products win not be the first to 

 resch tLo;.o markets. We should 

 •^.T'e ouf '•vn Merchant Marine 

 •\ -■:!-' _.k." 



Following Mr. Hill, C. W. 

 Hunt, farmer member of the 

 Federal Trade Commission, ap- 

 pointed to this commission as 

 the result of Farm Bureau re- 

 quest for farmer representation, 

 told the purpose of the commis- 

 sion and described its relation to 

 agriculture. 



The evening of the first day 

 of the convention was turned 

 over to the delegates as an open 

 forum. President Bradfute called 

 for nominations for chairman of 

 the meeting. Sam Thompson, our 

 I. A. A. head, was unanimously 

 chosen. 



Talk of Export Corporation 



Geo. N. Peek, president of the 

 American Council of Agriculture, 

 was scheduled for an "Equality 

 for Agriculture" address, the 

 only portion of the program ar- 

 ranged beforehand. After his 

 talk which centered around enact- 

 ing legislation similar to the 

 McNary-Haugen bill, the dele- 

 gates spent nearly three hours 

 in rapid fire discussion of the 

 general agricultural situation. 

 Most of the contributions were 

 along the line of legislation such 

 as the American Council of Ag- 

 riculture advocates, namely, cre- 

 ation of a farmers' export corpo- 

 ration, by act of congress, to 

 stabilize the markets of farm 

 commodities. 



Probably 90 per cent of the 

 delegates who voiced their opin- 

 ions are strongly in favor of such 

 an export corporation. The argu- 

 ments of those few who dis- 

 sented from such a policy failed 

 to alter the opinions of those 

 who were even only slightly in- 

 clined toward national legislation 

 similar to the McNary-Haugen 



Dill. 



At the morning session of the 

 second day, just before the dele- 

 gates separated into sectional 

 conferences for consideration of 

 (Continued on page 4, col. 4) 



Page 3 



A BIG BREAKFAST WITH ILLINOIS FOLKS 



One hundred and forty-seven people^ including 81 boys' and girls' club members of Illinois, got in on this break- 

 fast when the I. A. A. entertained the club folks at the Great Northern Hotel during their visit to the Interna- 

 tional Live Stock Show. Sam Thompson said the way they work and sing together shows that they are learning 

 the meaning of *'co-operation.'* 



RE-ELECT BRADFUTE AT 

 A. F. B. F. ANNUAL MEET 



{Continued from page 1) 

 President Bradfute. who had 

 served two terms, was placed in 

 nomination by E. B. Cornwall, 

 president of the Vermont Farm 

 Bureau Federation. In his nomi- 

 nation speech. Mr. Cornwalt drew 

 attention to President Coolldge's 

 selection of Mr. Bradfute on the 

 agricultural commission. M. L.. 

 Noon, president of the Michigan 

 Farm Bureau Federation, sec- 

 onded Mr. Bradfute's nomina- 

 tion. 



Only One Opposes Bradfute 



Geo. C. Jewett of Spokane, 

 Washington, formerly t>fesident 

 of the American Wheat Growers' 

 Association, but now a member 

 of the Federal Farm Loan Board, 

 was nominated for the presi- 

 dency by Ralph Snyder, president 

 of the Kansas Farm Bureau Fed- 

 eration. Mr. Snyder stated that 

 "we have come to a parting of 

 the ways" and suggested that it 

 would be worthy of the voting 

 delegates to put in a president 

 who had not been mixed up in 

 the many controversies. The final 

 vote stood: Bradfute 35, Jewett 

 11 and three blanks. 



**Oar Sam" Refuses 



Sam H. Thompson, president 

 of the I. A. A., was nominated 

 for the vice-presidency by Edw. 

 A. O'Neal, president of the Ala- 

 bama Farm Bureau Federation. 

 Mr. Thompson immediately arose 

 and withdrew his name. J. F. 

 Reed, the past vice-president, had 

 been nominated. Mr. O'Neal, the 

 nominator of "Our Sam," was 

 then nominated by W. T. Harris, 

 the voting delegate from Ken- 

 tucky. Mr. O'Neal has been a 

 member of the executive commit- 

 tee of the American Farm Bu- 

 reau and was one of the few 

 southern farm bureau leaders 

 who helped at Washington dur- 

 ing the McNary-Haugen fight last 

 spring. He was elected. 



President Thompson retained 

 his seat as a director for the 

 midwest group. Chas. E. Hearst, 

 president of the Iowa Farm Bu- 

 reau Federation, was also re- 

 elected. J. F. Reed, of Minne- 

 sota, the retiring vice-president, 

 was put in and M. L. Noon, pres- 

 ident of Michigan Farm Bureau 

 Federation, became the fourth 

 director, pending the ratification 

 of the amendment which allows 

 an extra director for each 100,- 

 000 paid-up membership. 



No Secretary Hired Yet 



The new board of directors 

 went into executive session the 

 day after the convention closed 

 with the purpose of fixing the 

 budgets for the various depart- 

 ments and hiring a secretary to 

 take the place of J. W. Cover- 

 dale, who resigned during the 

 summer to become treasurer of 

 the Grain Marketing Company. 

 A. R. Simpson, who had been 

 director of finance, was made ; 

 treasurer. Mr. Coverdale had 

 been secretary and treasurer. It 

 is expected that action will be 

 taken by the board when it 

 meets Jan. 29, 1925. 



Below is printed the substance 

 of resolutions presented by a 

 committee on resolutions and 

 later adopted by the voting dele- 

 gates. These resolutions are im- 

 portant because they are the guid- 

 ing hand which is to direct the 

 actions of the A. F. B. F. officials 

 and board of directors through 

 the coming year. 

 Co-operative Marketing 



1. A. F, B. F. pledges continued 

 support to all co-operative market- 

 ing enterprises. 



2. A. F. B. F. pledges to support 

 co-operative marketing:, to aid in es- 

 tablishing: a national wool co-oper- 

 ative ag:ency and endorses President 

 (^oolidge's principle of orderly pro- 

 'luction and orderly marketing. 



Department of Agriculture 



1. Authorizes A. F. B. F. president 

 to call a conference to make not 

 more than thrt-e recommendations to 

 President Coolidge for the appoint- 

 ment of Secretary of .\griculture. 



2. Approval of government crop 

 reports. 



Legislation and Taxation 



Taxation : Keafllmiation of 

 principles on which A. F. B. F. 

 (a\ work has been base<l. namely: 



1. Income as a basis of ability to 

 support federal government. 



2. Rate should be progressive — 

 larger the ini-ome the higher the 

 rate. 



3. A portion, not to exceed 25 per 

 cent, of tax budget should be raised 

 by consumption taxes. 



Other taxation policies: 



1. Endorsement of President's 

 economy program. 



2. Favor abolition of federal es- 

 tate tax. 



3. Opposed to shifting tax burden 

 from income to consumption tax. 



4. Deductions and exemptions 

 should he first offset against tax 

 free income. 



5. Money derived from stock div- 

 idend sales should be taxed as if 

 dividends had been paid in cash. 



6. Approval of gift tax. 



7. Recommend that Congress plug 

 holes in the income tax law. 



8. Amend McFadden bill by strik- 

 ing out provision legalizing stock 

 dividends. 



9. Restriction on issuance of tax 

 free securities. 



10. I'rge study of state and local 

 tax methods, state and local com- 

 mittees. 



11. Modification of law so hanks 

 :ind their stockholders may be taxed 

 as other corporations and individu- 

 als. 



L^slation : Immediate de- 

 velopment of Muscle Shoals to 

 produce fertilizer for farms. 



1. Opposition to additional bur- 

 dens on parcel post system to In- 

 ■ ■rease salaries of postal employees. 



2. Opposition to Child l^bor bill. 



3. Support of pure seed laws. 



4. L.imit bankers' charge to 2 per 

 cent in addition to what they pay 

 for federal reserve money. 



i. Support o f Vestal Standard 

 Container bill, to decrease cost of 

 distribution. 



fi. Support o f Truth-In-Fabric 

 legislation. 



7. Favor postal libraries. 



8. Opposition to branch banking 

 as provided in McFadden bill. 



9. Recommendation to make pos- 

 sible loans of four months under in- 

 termediate credits act and a higher 

 maximum loan on warehouse re- 

 ceipts. 



10. Endorsement of farmers' ex- 

 port corporation as described else- 

 where in this issue of the Recoed. 



Transportation and Research 



Policies are as follows: 



1. Endorse plan of Shippers' Re- 

 gional Advisory Boards. 



2. Urge fullest co-operation be- 

 tween state and county Farm 

 Bureaus and the federal government. 



3. Favor public representation on 

 Railroad labor board. 



4. Favor development of inland 

 waterways. (Specific mention given 

 to Mississippi. Missouri and Ohio 

 river systems.) 



5. Approve reduction of freight 

 rates on agricultural products. 



6. Substitute effective operation 

 for present state of arbitration of 

 St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Water- 

 way. 



7. Endorse under joint adminis- 

 tration of state and federal author- 

 ities building good roads as an as- 

 set to farm people. 



8. Favor American Merchant Ma- 

 rine. 



Organization and Finance 



1. Vigorous prosecution of organ- 

 isation through state and county 

 Farm Bureaus. 



2. Each state should have an or- 

 ganization or field service depart- 

 ment hea.ded by a competent direc- 

 tor. 



3. Recognition of plan getting 

 members in connection with com- 

 modity marketing as desirable If 

 identity of Individual as a farm bu- 

 reau member is not interfered with. 



4. Urge enactment of state laws 

 making it possible to incorporate all 

 units of the Farm Bureau. 



5. Urge a well balanced agricul- 

 tural community program to meet 

 need of the farm bureau family 

 membership. 



6. Regard failure to transmit 

 membership funds to state and na- 

 tional organization as a misappro- 

 priation of funds and officer should 

 be held accountable therefor under 

 the law. 



7. Urge method to transmit dues 

 regularly each month and direct 

 executive committee to bring about 

 strict compliance with this require- 

 ment. 



Publicity 



Marjorie Cline (left) and her aunt, 

 Lula Case, both membert of the Will- 

 ing Workers Poultry Club in Ctss 

 county. Marjorie is champion essay 

 writer in Cass county and second 

 prize winner in Illinois. Her aunt 

 holds a blue ribbon, which she won 

 on her pen of Barred Rocks at the 

 B. & 0. poultry club show. 



1. Favors appropriation of fund* 

 to adequately meet publicity require- 

 ments of state and national organ- 

 izations. 



2. Closer ro-ordination of all 

 publicity work. 



3. Favor making uniform all pub- 

 1- statements of Farm Bureau Dol- 



. ies. 



4. Endorse Xational Farm Radio 

 Council, 



Home and Commuiiity 



1. Full development of the Home 

 1" F b""""""^ department of the 



2. Urge co-operation of Farm 

 Bureaus to further: Better citlien- 

 «nlp. good community music, rural 

 health, vocational education in agri- 

 culture and Boys- and Girls- Club 

 work. . 



Other Department* 



Appreciate President Bradfute's 

 appointment to Agricultural Confer- 

 ence and look for constructive 

 recommendations from that body 



Approve development of econom- 

 ical electric power on the farm. 



Place enforcement of butter stand- 

 ards in hands of U. S. D. A 



Endorse T. B. eradication pro- 

 gram. 



NEW I^GISUTIVE 

 PLAN SUBMITTED 

 BY FARM COUNCIL 



Would Create Export Corpora- 

 tion Avoiding Flawi of TTje 

 McMary-Haure* BiU 



FollowinR the conference of 

 representatives of gome 40 or 50 

 farm organizations In Chicago. 

 Dec. 1 and 2. at the call of the 

 American Council of AKriculture. 

 steps have been taken to place 

 before President CoolidRe's ag- 

 ricultural commission a plan for 

 stabilization of American agri- 

 culture by securing for it equal 

 opportunity with Industry- and 

 labor. 



The American Council of Agri- 

 culture was created at St. Paul, 

 last July, by state and national 

 farm organizations as their ag- 

 ency of united effort and ex- 

 pression. In this capacity the 

 Council is now to present to 

 Congress, through the lately cre-^ 

 ated agricultural commission, a 

 plan derised to take the place of 

 so-called McNary-Haugen legisla- 

 tion. 



Plan Export Corporation 



The plan proposes the crea- 

 tion of a farmers' export corpora- 

 tion to dispose of surplus farm 

 commodities. The extent of gov- 

 ernment participation in the cor- 

 poration would be limited to the 

 minimum necessary to a compre- 

 hensive grant of power. 



The export corporation pro- 

 posal differs from the McNary- 

 Haugen bill In several respects. 

 It eliminates the ratio price fea- 

 ture. It eliminates the i>o\rers 

 conferred upon the President to 

 fix tariff rates at will. It aims 

 to secure benefits of existing tar- 

 iff schedules instead of creating 

 new ones. The corporation would 

 be set up to buy exportable sur- 

 pluses when the existence of sur- 

 pluses causes the markets for 

 domestic consumption to fall be- 

 low American price levels. 



Proponents of the export cor- 

 poration rely upon this plan to 

 make it possible for farmers 'to 

 sell their major farm crops at 

 American prices rather than at 

 prices set by world markets. 



Would Aid Co-operatiires 



The farmers' export corpora- 

 tion is designed to supplement 

 co-operative marketing. The 

 adoption of the plan, those who 

 have studied it point out. w^ " * ' 

 aid co-operative marketing oi/" 

 bizations to function eftectlv?' 



At present co-operative as: 

 ciations are not able to opera 

 effectively because they are m 

 able to dispose of surplus prod 

 ucts and assess the losses on thi: 

 portion of the commodity- back 

 upon the benefitted producer, 

 without penalizing organization 

 members to the benefit of non- 

 members. Under the proposed 

 plan these costs incurred in dis- 

 posing of surpluses would be 

 automatically and unavoidably 

 absorbed by all producers. 

 Plan Goes To CommlSBion 



A Council legislative commit- 

 tee, on which national and state 

 organizations are represented, 

 was provided for at the Chicago 

 conference. The new legislative 

 program in rough outline was 

 presented and tentatively ap- 

 proved and arrangements made 

 for submitting it to the various 

 farm organizations for farther 

 approval. As soon as responses 

 are received, the proposal with an 

 accompanying brief will l)e sub- 

 mitted by the American Council 

 of Agriculture to each meiober 

 of the President's agricultural 

 commission. 



It is hoped that when it is 

 submitted the commission will 

 recommend to the present ses- 

 sion of Congress the enactment 

 of legislation which will prevent 

 further depression of agriculture 

 before Congress could again take 

 action. 



I.A.C.A. Reaches 105 Marie 



Farmers' co-op organizations 

 applying for audit service in the 

 Illinois Agricultural Co-operatives 

 m Am Association now number 

 I IIS General manager, Geo. 

 AW* R -Wicker, with his 

 staff of accountants have made 

 SO examinations, more than 60 

 of which are complete. Grain 

 elevators lead in membership 

 with 44 and Farm Bureaus are 

 second with 39. 



