•-b:- 



'■"-■fi 



Page 4 



The Illinois Agricultural Asaociation RECORD 



October 10, 192S 



Amendfn6nt to Revenue 

 Act Would Make Co-ops 

 Exempt From Taxation 



Famten' co-operative associations 

 and organizations will not be re- 

 quired to pay an income tax or file 

 tax return if the proposed amend- 

 ment to the Federal Revenue Act 

 drafted by farm representatives is 

 passed during the next session of 

 Congress, according to George R. 

 Wicker, director of the I. A. A. co- 

 operative auditing department. , 



"Preliminary steps towards draft- 

 ing the proposed exemption amend- 

 ment began at a meeting of a num- 

 ber of representatives of farm or- 

 ganizations from the East and Mid- 

 west held at the offices of the I. A. 

 A. on September 22, and 23," stated 

 director Wicker. 



"For the past five years, farmers' 

 co-operative associations have been 

 handicapped by the present interpre- 

 tation of sections of the Federal 

 Revenue Act. When the act was 

 passed by Gongress it was evidently 

 intended that farmers' cooperatives 

 should be exempt from payment of 

 income tax and filing income tax re- 

 ports. However, that part of the 

 act has been abridged by the regu- 

 latioQs of the United States treas- 

 ury department to sijch an extent 

 that the intended benefits are no 

 longer available. This imiendment 

 is of vital important to an farmers' 

 organizations." 



The proposed amendment, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Wicker, will be presented 

 to a joint session of representative." 

 of all farm organizations at a meet- 

 ing to be held in Washington, Octo- 

 ber 19. At that time it will be 

 drafted in form to fit the require- 

 ments of all cooperative organiza- 

 tions and will be submitted to the 

 ways and means committee of the 

 House of Representatives where it is 

 hoped that it will be drafted into 

 the New Federal Revenue Act 

 which is to recctve the attention of 

 the next Congress. 



Btown County Adviser 

 Writes of Service by 

 Deofi'' u-r t of I. A. A. 



"n havr-hxen i»ifi" med that the 

 ■"'^1 .mers C('Op«Tatr. '; Company at 

 ^•luuKeil bow have their lease and 

 are very grateful to the Illinois Ag- 

 ricultural Association for securing 

 it," writes W. P. Miller, farm ad- 

 viser of the Brown County Farm 

 Bureau. "They have tried individ- 

 ually for Ave years to get this lease 

 and when I learned of their trouble 

 I informed them that our own or- 

 ganization could put it across for 

 them, and they are mighty well 

 pleased." 



That is the final chapter of a 

 service rendered to Brown county 

 farmers by the I. A. A. transporta- 

 tion department. 



For sometimp the members of the 

 Timewell Farmers' Cooperative 

 Company wanted to lease additional 

 land located adjacent to their ele- 

 vator from the Wabash railroad. On 

 this ground they wanted to erect 

 bins for the purpose of handling 

 coal, limestone and other bulk mate- 

 rials on a cooperative basis for their 

 members. Due to local influence 

 they were unable to make arrange- 

 ments for the lease. After five 

 years of futile attempts, the officers 

 applied to L. J. Quasey, director of 

 the I. A. A. transportation depart- 

 ment. Correspondence was dis- 

 patched immediately to the proper 

 railroad authorities with the result 

 that the farmers now have the lease 

 and may proceed with the erection 

 of the building. 



NOT A CURE-ALL 



IF THE Agricultural Temple 

 proposed to be erected in Chi- 

 cago will solve the agricultural 

 problems of America, as its pro- 

 genitor, Lawrence Whiting, was 

 recently quoted in the Chicago 

 Tribune as having told President 

 Coolidge, would it not logically 

 follow that the new $80,000,000 

 Union Station recently completed 

 in Chicago will solve the trans- 

 portation problems of the coun- 

 try? 



While there ii much merit in 

 the pro|poft«l to house all agricul' 

 tural organixationa in the Agri- 

 cultural Temple, let us not be- 

 come too enthusiastic about it as 

 a cure-all. Perhaps Mr. Whit- 

 ing wa^ misquote<l. We hope so. 



The former governor supervises the operations on his farm. (World's 

 Work photo.) 



''Farm Board Would 

 Help Co- operatives * ' 



(Continued J rom page S, Coi. 5.) 

 if that law is either so potent or so 

 universal in i^8 application as he has 

 been taught to believe. He wonders if 

 maybe Former President Uadley of Ya!e 

 was not right when he said in a lec- 

 ture delivered in England a few years 

 ago: 



"Those of us who were brought up on 

 the old fasbi'tned textbooks of political 

 economy can hardly conceive how small 

 a part of the prices or wages or rents 

 of the world have actually been de< 

 termined by comfietition." 



I am not advocating either the valor- 

 ization plan of Brazil or the Stevenson 

 plan of Great Britain. I do think, how- 

 ever, that ju?t as Brazil has found a 

 way by which her coffee surplus is no 

 longer a menace and England a method 

 by which her rubber surplus no longer 

 paralyzes the rubber-growing industry, 

 SO we in Amerca mhy, if we will, find 

 a means of tak'ng from the back of the 

 American farm ir the burden of his sur- 

 plus. 



Leaders in the British petroleum in- 

 dustry, I am t<ld, are already proclaim- 

 ing that when America shall have ex- 

 hausted her supplies of oil. Great Britain 

 will, by some similar method, lay the 

 American peop'e under tribute for its 

 future oil supplies. 



The world ha« long been ased to the 

 advantaf^es of mass production. It now 

 appears that mass selling is to be given 

 a trial. 



One of the chief reasons for the 

 formation of the Federal Reserve bank- 

 ing system was to mobilize the credits 

 of the country, so that they could be 

 used at any time at the point needed. 

 Isn't there some way by which the sur- 

 pluses of farm producta- can be mobil- 

 ized and thus be made to serve the fu- 



ture? If we could accomplish in point 

 of time for the farm surpluses what we 

 have accomplished in point of place for 

 the credit resources of the country, we 

 would have largely overcome our trou- 

 bles. 



Suppose We Had a Federal Farm 

 Board? 



Suppose we had a Federal farm 

 board. Suppose that board found that 

 the producers of any farm commodity 

 were sufficiently organized so as to be 

 really representative of all the pro- 

 ducers of that commodity. Suppose that 

 when it ascertained this fact it should 

 authorize such producers to form a cor- 

 poration for taking care of the surplus^ 

 either storing it to meet a possible fu- 

 ture domestic need or exporting it upon 

 the best terms available, the expenses 

 and losses incurred for storage or in 

 export to be borne proportionately by 

 all the producers of that particular com- 

 modity. 



Such a board could function success- 

 fully, in my opinion, only if it operated 

 throueh and in hearty sympathy with 

 cooperative commodity associations. It 

 could expect to prevent ruinous over- 

 production only in cooperation with such 

 ■associations. It is vital to any plan, 

 therefore, that it should be so framed as 

 ^o strenfthen and not to weaken the 

 cooperative movement. For in that 

 movement lies the best hope for the 

 future of American agriculture. 



I throw this out by way of sugges- 

 tion. I am aware of the practical dif- 

 ficulties in the way of any plan, but 

 practical difficulties can always be over- 

 come where there is a will and where 

 the principle is sound. 



If there is a better way let us find it. 

 But let us not confess ourselves im- 

 potent in the presence of what many 

 Americans deem to be the greatest men- 

 ace to the future of our civilization — 

 a decaying agriculture. 



FARM FILLERS 



Twelve Calves fed bt the 8akoa.mon 

 county calf club brought this year's record 

 price wben sold at auction by the Cbicaso 

 Producers for S19. Coles county had sev- 

 en head that brought $18.26. Homer Hen- 

 denhall . of Sangamon county topped the 

 sale with hip calf that won first and re- 

 serve champion at the Illinois State Fair, 

 Asa Ilalsey of Coles county had the sec- 

 ond highest. 



Members or the Fohd Corsxr Fahm 

 Bureau aro organizing a com growers 

 association for the purpose of storing 

 and testing their seed corn on a coopera- 

 tive ba«is. When completed the organisa- 

 tion will have a membership of at least 

 600 farmers. The association plans to 

 build testing rooms and install wire racks 

 so that 8,000 bushels of corn can be 

 tested for germination, freedom from dis- 

 ease, and vigor of growth, thus giving the 

 members insured and efficient seed com 

 service at cfMt. according to George T. 

 Swaim, farm adviser. 



iNBtTtANCE APPLICATIONS tOTALLISO OVEB 



$400,000 have been received br the 

 Farmers' Mutual Reinsurance Company of 

 Illinois. This Is four-fifths of the $500,- 

 000 in individual insurance applications 

 needed to secure the state charter for the 

 new company. Thirty-seven counties have 

 sent in applications and seven of these 

 have reached their quota of $20,000. 



The Board of Review of DcKalb county 

 recrntly cranted ft ten per cent reduotion in the 

 tax assessment on all farm property of the 

 cfiunty. This saving to the farmers was accom- 

 plished throush the efforts of county Farm Bureau 

 assisted by X C. Watson, taxation specialist of 

 the Illinois Agricultural Association. 



While Illinois Real Estate Constitute* 

 only 37.4 per cent of the wealth of the state, it 

 pays 85 per cent of the taxes. This is due to the 

 fact that when the state constitution was adopte<! 

 in 1870 practically property was tangible and 

 rould be assessed ana taxed in the same manner 



If the revenue amendment is adopted at Ui<> 

 pr.lls in November, 1926, further lejrislation can 

 then be enacted to remedy the situation. 



Gold, Silttcr and Bronze Medals authorized 

 by Act of Conftrese and approved by Presidenl 

 Coolidge June 5, 1024. for presentation by the 

 Secretary of Auricilture to the first, second and 

 ♦ hird prize winners of the 25th International Ijve 

 Stock Exposition held a year ago have been 

 completed and are being mailed to the winners. 

 Slany Illinoisans are among the recipients. 



A School por Farm Women is being oonduotefl 

 by the Indiana Farm Bureau Federation during 

 the N'ational Dairy Exposition at Inrlianartotis, 

 October 10-17. JThe achool program has been 

 planned to cover the subjects in which women are 

 believed to be the most interested, — Home, 

 Health, Foods, Schools, and Rural Social and 

 Community Life. 



Thanifs I. A. A. for Charity Wori( 



United Charitiet of Chicago Writes 



Letter of Appreciation For 



Slum Kiddie Publicity. 



"We wish to express to you our 

 appreciation for your kindness in 

 giving publicity to our Summer Out- 

 ing work," states a letter from the 

 United Charities of Chicago to the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association. 



"We feel that this publicity has 

 been very beneficial in furthering 

 our project, and that it has resulted 



Illinois Farmers Lead in Efficiency, 



President Thompson Tells Businessmen 



DON'T place all your eggs in one 

 basket," says President Thomp- 

 son, in an article in "Illinois Facts," 

 a magazine concerned with Illinois' 

 greatness, p u b - 

 lished in connec- 

 tion with the Illi- 

 nois Products Ex- 

 position, open to 

 the public from 

 October 8 to 17. 



"That's the gos- 

 pel of Illinois 

 Agriculture, and 

 it's a sound one. 

 Study the statis- 

 tics which tell 

 the annual pro- 

 duction of farm 

 products for this 

 state and you'll 

 agree that diver- 

 sification is a 

 fundamental with the farmers of 

 Illinois. 



"Run down the list of important 

 Com Belt crops, yes, and you'll find 

 some crops not ordinarily grown in 

 Com Belt states, and youTl find 

 Illinois Agriculture ranking 2nd, 

 3rd, 4th, 5th, and so on. Just as 

 divenriflcation pays in investments, 

 so It pays in farming. Agriculture 

 in Illinois is not dependent upon any 

 one single crop ; the eggs are in sev- 

 eral baskets. 



"Illinois' agricultural ranking 

 among her 47 sister commonwealths 

 is near the top in all the staple crops. 

 By her rivers gently flowing you'll 

 find com proudly waving. And it's 

 volume and quality places Illinois 

 second in this respect. Oats are 3rd, 

 rye 8th, wheat 7th, barley 9th, cot- 

 ton 18th, sorghum 14th, broom corn 

 2nd, buckwheat 16th, potatoes 9th, 

 tame hay 5th, clover seed 2nd, fruits 

 11th and truck crops 9th. Stack all 

 these together, figure the value 

 of them, compare that figure with 

 that of the other 47 states, and 

 you'll find Illinois Agriculture rank- 

 ing 2nd, among the 48 states in 

 value of farm crops — $520,429,000 

 (1924). 



"Take the livestock. Illinois' milk 

 cattle rank 5th, other cattle 6th. 

 Swine have rooted themselves into 

 3rd place. Sheep are 22nd, poultry 

 2nd (usually considered the farm 

 wife's 'pin money,' but in 1924 

 poultry was valued at $25,234,061), 

 horses 2nd and mules 14th. 



"Illinois dairy cattle manufac- 

 tured products which sold for $71,- 

 998,333 in 1924 and ranked the 

 state 6th. The poultry layed eggs 

 and produced other products worth 

 $67,690,085 in 1924 and ranked 



ABt)Vk ibi attractive exhibit 

 • of the Illinois Agricultural 

 Association shownfi. at the Illi- 

 nois Products Exposition is a 

 sign upon which these words are 

 printed; 



"Illinois farmers are the most 

 efficient in the United States. 



"The Illinois Agricultural As- 

 sociation is created hj them to 

 represent their interests. 



"It is the voice of organized 

 agriculture in Illinois." 



lU slogan is "63,000 think- 

 ing farmers." 



not only in a large number of defln 

 ite requests for children, but also in 

 keeping before the minds of the peo^ 

 pie throughout the state the prot- 

 lems of Chicago's poor, it has matU 

 these people much more amenable 

 to requests and pleas. 



State Champion Chicken Caller 



Farm Adviser Blackburn of the 

 Marion County Farm Bureau says 

 this picture does not look like Mrs. 

 I. N. Wooley of luka, champion 

 chicken caller of Illinois, because he 

 rarely sees her without a smile. Per- 

 haps the sun was shining too bright- 

 ly when the picture was taken. 



Mrs. Wooley was declared winner 

 of the state championship chicken 

 calling contests held at the annual 

 picnic of the Illinois Agricultural 

 Association, Taylorville, August 27, 

 and the silver pitcher she holds is 

 the trophy she received as state 

 champion. Her style during the 

 demonstration was more vigorous 

 than sweet but nevertheless calcu- 

 lated extremely effective by the five 

 judges and those who attended the 

 picnic. 



It is said that Mrs. Wooley, in 

 her spare moments as a farm wife, 

 attends a switchboard for the tele- 

 phone lines in her neighborhood. 

 Perhaps experience in calling "num- 

 ber please" is good training in the 

 best method to tempt the barnyard 

 fowl. This is not the first time she 

 has been declared the best chicken 

 caller for it is understood that she 

 has won several contests at county 

 and local fairs. 



Seven counties were represented 



in the contest at the I. A. A. picnic 

 The other three contestants who 

 placed were, in order: Mrs. W. L. 

 Feam and Evelyn Bell of Christian 

 county, and Mrs. Frank Pottheut of 

 Bond county. 



I. A. A. Conferences Listed 



Six District Meetings to Be Held 

 Within Next Six Weeks 



District conference meetings of 

 farm bureau representatives and 

 members and I. A. A. officials have 

 been scheduled for the next six 

 weelcs with place, date and district 

 announced as follows: 



October 15, 14th District — Rock 

 Island. Speakers, Donald Kirkpat- 

 rick, L A. A. legsl counsel, and J. 

 R. Bent, director, I. A. A. phosphate- 

 limestone department. ' 



October 27, 16th District — (place 

 not determined). Speakers, Geo. R. 

 Wicker, manager of the Illinois Ag^ 

 ricultural Co-operatives' Associa- 

 tion ; J. C. Watson, I. A. A. taxation 

 specialist; and F. A. Gougler, direc- 

 tor, I. A. A. poultry and egg mar- 

 keting department. 



November 12, 20th District — 

 Jacksonville. Speakers, Wm. E. 

 Hedgcock, I. A. A', director of live- 

 stock marketing; Donald Kirkpat- 

 rick and George R. Wicker. 



November 19, 24th District — Gol- 

 conda. Speakers, J. C. Watson, 

 Wm. E. Hedgcock and Donald Kirk- 

 patrick. 



November 19, 25th District — 

 Murphysboro. Speakers, Sam H. 

 Thompson, president of I. A. A. and 

 F. A. Gougler. 



November 24, 11th District — 

 Woodstock. Speakvs, President 

 Thompson and A. D. Lynch, I. A. A. 

 director of dairy marketing. 



.t 



2nd. All in all, Illinois, also ranks 

 second in livestock. 



"About one-third of the total 

 wealth of Illinois is represented by 

 Apiculture. I n 

 this respect it 

 ranked 3rd 

 among all states 

 in 1920, haWng 

 a total farm 

 property value 

 of $6,666,767,235. 

 The average 

 farm investment 

 is well over $25,- 

 000. Walk down 

 the street in the 

 an^rage town. 

 How many busi- 

 nesses represent 

 that large an in- 

 vestment? 



"Dr. Ethelbert 

 Taylor of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Labor is authority for the 

 statement that if the farmers of 

 America were all as efficient as the 

 farmers of Illinois, 4,619,000 of 

 them could be dispensed with and 

 the total production would not de- 

 crease. 



"Illinois Agriculture leads in adop- 

 tion of scientific principles of farm- 

 ing as is indicated by the use by 

 Illinois farmers during 1924 of one- 

 fourth of all the agricultural lime- 

 stone applied on farms in the United 

 States. 



"Another indication of the ad- 

 vanced thinking of Illinois farmers 

 is their comparatively general adop- 

 tion of conservative, sound prin- 

 ciples of co-operative marketing. In 

 four years* time farmers' organiza- 

 tions have developed and are oper- 

 ating marketing agencies which 

 handle 10 per cent of all the live 

 stock of the state and 25 per cent 

 of all the fruit and vegetables. Of 

 the dairy products of the state, 21.4 

 per cent are handled by co-opera- 

 tive organizations and of the tre- 

 mendous amounts of grain received 

 on the Chicago market, approxi- 

 mately 75 per cent comes from the 

 farmers' own organizations. 



"Still another indication of the 

 leadership of Illinois Agriculture is 

 shown by the standing of their state 

 service organization, the Illinois 

 Agricultural Association. This is 

 the Chamber of Commerce for the 

 farmer. Service on all phases of 

 the farmers' marketing and legisla- 

 tive problems arc handled by the Il- 

 linois Agricultural Association. A 

 ()uarter-million dollar reserve lineSf. 

 its treasury. And its slogan is 63^ 

 000 thinking farmers." 



"Who's Who n Ahxbica" oontains names of 

 th« nation's most successful people and of these 

 82 per cent have been found as having beso born 

 and reared in farm oommunities. 



