3 

 1 



November 7, I92S 



The Illinoi* Agricultural AMociation RECORD 



I -r /-■■■;!J-- -41 !J-. |- 



Pace 3 



Farm Leaders of 15th 

 District Think Press 

 Over Play Prosperity 



Treasurer Cowles Stresses 

 Problem of Surplus as Farm 

 and Nation Issue 



Officials and farm advisers of four 

 county Farm Bureaus — Knox, Fulton, 

 Henry and Schuyler — met at Galesburj. 

 Oct. 20 in a regular district conference 

 to discuss their mutual farm problem; 

 and to reflect their views to B. H. Tay- 

 lor of Rapatee, who represents thi. 

 confrressional district on executive com 

 mittee of the Illinois Agricultural As- 

 sociation, and who presided. 



The farm leaders in this district arc 

 not in harmony with the attitude of tht 

 city press in labelinK the recent in- 

 creases of farm prices as a grand re 

 turn of farm prosperity. 



It was brought out that the newspa 

 pers of the smaller cities, such as Gales- 

 burg, and the newspapers of small 

 towns, are much closer to the actual 

 farm facts and are not so often mife* 

 lead, intentionally or unintentionally, 

 as their big city brethern. 



Farnn Newt is Good N«ws 



"The average capital invested in the 

 farms around any Illinois town," said 

 Harry C. Butcher, I. A. A. director of 

 information who spoke at the forenoon 

 session, "is somewhat in excess of 

 $25,000. Walk down the street of your 

 home town — How many businesses rep- 

 resent that much capital? It logically 

 follows that it is good business upon the 

 part of newspapers in such towns to 

 print as much news of the farm as they 

 can. This has proved out in practice, 

 too. Farmers should encourage their 

 local and county newspapers to print 

 farm news because it helps the in- 

 dustry." 



Radio and it's value to the farmer 

 was also discussed, the general opinion 

 being that the radio has become an in- 

 despensible tool for the farmer. The 

 thought was expressed that farmers in 

 Illinois should have their own radio 

 station. 



Cowles Stresses Problem of Surplus 



After luncheon, the group re-con- 

 vened in an afternoon session, which 

 was addressed by R. A. Cowles, treas- 

 urer of the Illinois Agricultural Asso- 

 ciation. 



"The 1925 census gives definite pro'of," 

 said Mr. Cowles, "that there still is a 

 farm problem. The census shows a de- 

 crease of five per cent in the number 

 of farms in Illinois from 1920 to 1925. 

 Every banker in a rural community 

 knows the cause of this heavy fatality. 



"The real cause of agriculture's dif- 

 ficulty, which is by no means corrected 

 because of any temporary increase in 

 prices, is the surplus production which 

 is sold in the world market and which 

 sets the pric^ on that which is sold in 

 the domestic market. Agriculture as- 

 sisted industry and labor to get protec- 

 tion under the protective system of this 

 country, but this protection has never 

 had the desired effect for farmers. We 

 buy in a protected market and sell in a 

 world market." 



Those present were as foIloRw; Knox 

 cottAty; Ray Arnold, W. B. Elliott. A. N. 

 Skinner, L. R. Marchant. farm advitter and 

 A. R. Kemp, asRistant adviser; Henry: D. 

 Downs, H. E. Goembel. vice-president of 

 the I. A. A.. F. E. Good. Henry Larsen 

 and J. L. WhiBcnand. farm adviser; Ful- 

 ton: B. H. Taylor. C. T. Whitnah, M. R. 

 Stafffc. J. R. Shinn, farm adviner, and J. 

 N. Price. assistRnt adviser: Schuyler: C. 

 J. Thompson and L. E- McKenzie. 



I. A. C. A. Membership Grows 



Eight More Sign Up Without 

 Solicitation 



Contract membership in the Illinois 



Agricultural Co-operatives' Association, 



the co-operative audit- 



^ 0%^% ■"£ ^^^ business advis- 



T ^M a ory service, has reached 



I ^\ m a new high mark — 182. 



1^^ Without solicitation 



eight co-operative and 

 marketing associations 

 or organizations have sent in member- 

 ship contracts during the past five 

 weeks. 



The latest organizations to join the 

 auditing co-operative are: Fancy Prai- 

 rie Co-operative Company. Fancy 

 Prairie, Menard county; Colchestei 

 Livestock Shipping Association, Col- 

 chester, McDonough county; Williams 

 ville Co-operative Association, Wiliams- 

 ville, Sangamon county; Strasburp 

 Equity Union Exchange, Strasburg 

 Shelby county; Culver Farmers' Co- 

 operative Company, Culver, Menard 

 county; Marshall Co-operative Shipping 

 Association, Marshall, Clark county ; 

 McLean County Farm Bureau, Bloom- 

 ington; and, Winchester Mutual County 

 Fire Insurance Company, Winchester, 

 Scott county. 



The Iowa Farm Bireai- membership maw 

 reached the highest peak in years, arconiing to 

 the Iowa Farm Bureau Messenger, During the 

 month of July there was an increase of 1,500 

 niembers. This givesa net gain over previous 

 years of approximatery 7,000 members for the 

 rst six months of this year. 



These Men Attended the District Conference 

 Held at Galesburg, Oct. 20 



Farmers Can Order 

 Limestone at This 

 Time, Says J. R. Bent 



"Several of the larger limestone quar- 

 ries and companies arenow in a position 

 to make prompt shipments of a good 

 grade of limestone from current produc- 

 tion and are desirous of receiving or- 

 ders, so they may avoid, as far as pos- 

 sible, the necessity of storing this mate- 

 rial in the open during the winter," 

 states J. R. Bent, director of the I. A. 

 A. phosphate-limestone department. 



"As it seems almost certain that the 

 demand next year is going to be great- 

 er than the supply of by-product; 

 screenings, I feel that I should recom- 

 mend to farmers who can use limestone 

 this fall and winter, to place orders at 

 this time. Orders placed now may avoid 

 disappointment and perhaps greatei 

 costs than waiting until next summe; 

 to order. 



"Of course, winter shipments must bi 

 safeguarded against bad weather anc 

 freezing conditions but if the materia 

 is loaded out of the bin in a dry con- 

 dition it will stand considerable bat 

 weather without much damage being 

 done." 



DECORATED 



EXTEND WORK OF U. S. D. A. 



Farm Leaders A^ree Upon Bill to 

 Establitli Division of Co-opera- 

 tive Marketing 



Union County Farmers 

 Save $2700 Annually 

 In Purchase of Manure 



Union County Farm Bureau isC'saving 

 for its fruit and vegetable growlers be 

 tween $2700 and $3000 annually in the 

 purchase of manure, according toiJeorgt 

 E. Fager, farm adviser. This pr«j^(t i^ 

 still in its first year operation, it having 

 l>een started early in the year with as 

 sistance from the I. A. A. 



This saving was brought about by thf 

 Farm Bureau last February when tht 

 officers made a contract with a fertilizer 

 company of Chicago-to furnish manure 

 at a reduced rate. According to Farm 

 .\dviser Fager, a canvass was made o 

 the membership to determine th( 

 amount of manure needed each month 

 by Union county farmers. From thi 

 solicitation it was found that an aver 

 age of 15 cars would be required eacl 

 month or between 4500 and 5000 ton 

 .-innuatly. 



The Farm Bureau then signed a con 

 (met with the. Chicago fertilizer com 

 r^iny for 15 cars of 25 tons each to be de 

 livered every month. Due to this large fu 

 ture order the company granted a reduc 

 tion in price of approximately $15 a car 

 - Cheaper Freigbt, Too. 



Union County Farm Bureau then ap 

 [ilied to the Illinois Central railroad foi 

 a reducllon in freight which was grant 

 cd through the efforts of the I. A. A 

 transportation department. The cars an 

 delivered on railroad sidings at varlou>^ 

 points in the county and unloaded by 

 the members. 



The manure is used for application or 

 fruit orchards and \-egetabIe plots of 

 :ihout 35 members at an average of fron- 

 I to 20 cars each. 



"It is not 8 case tof demand, but sup 

 ply,** stated Mr. Fager, "Union countx 

 farmers could, and no doubt would us< 

 a greater quantity of manure if mon 

 rapid deliveries could be made by th- 

 fertilizer company. Next year we will b* 

 required to increase the number of car; 

 ander our contract and thereby make : 

 saving to more of our members.'* 



State Commission 

 Compliments I. A. A. 

 For Taxation Work 



Establishment of a Division of Co- 

 operative Marketing in the United 

 States Department of Agriculture was 

 one of the suggestions pointed out 

 whereby the governmental department 

 might extend further assistance to the 

 American farmer, according to a report 

 of the conference of farm leaders of 

 co-operative marketing with Secretary 

 Jardine at Washington on October 29 

 and 30. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 is in favor of the proposed addition to 

 the agricultural department and it is 

 understood that Secretary Jardine has 

 given his unqualified approval. 



A legislative bill which ^thorizes the 

 new division was agreed gpon by the 

 twenty some leaders and wtQ^nbe sub- 

 mitted to the coming Congress, including 

 the following principles: 



1. There will be no regulatory fea- 

 tures in the legislation such as were 

 alleged to exist or to be implied in the 

 Capper-Williams bill introduced in the 

 last Congress as a result of the recom- 

 mendations of the president's farm com- 

 mission. 



2. The personnel and scope of the 

 work of the present one man co-opera- 

 tive bureau in the Department of Agri- 

 culture will be increased so as to create 

 a real governmental agency for the as- 

 sistance of the co-operative movement. 



3. An apnropriation will be asked of 

 Congress of not less than $ 1 50,000, 

 part of which will go for salaries but 

 most of which will be expended for the 

 assistance of experts to help the co-op- 

 eratives when they ask for help. 



It Js said that the new measure will 

 in no way conflict with the McNary- 

 Haugen bill to create an exporting 

 agency for the export of surplus farm 

 products under governmental assistance 

 and control. 



FARM FILLERS 



The pRonrcERs' I.ivektotk Comuibsion 

 Assoriatinn will rr>ndupt a special show and sale 

 for the Boya' and Girls' Cluba of the Midwest 

 on December 10 and II at thp Xational Stock 

 Yards. St. Louis, arcordinpt to H. D. Wright, 

 nianaifer of the Producers' association. Priiee 

 will be given for the best calves shown in each 

 class of Angus. Shorthorn and Hereford breeds. 

 The judges at the show will be Professor Rush of 

 the University of Illinois and Professor Trow- 

 bridge of the University of Missouri. On the 

 day following, the calves will be sold at a special 

 auction and premium prices will be received. 



This Boys' and Girls' calf club sale and show 

 was originated last year by the Producers' .Asso- 

 ciation. The grand sweepstake prise was won 

 by a member of the calf club at Auburn, Illinois. 

 and the top calf sold for 40 cents a pound. 



i 



Peotone. Wii.i. Cocntt. has followed thi 



i"ad of Jotiet and several other_Jlitnois eitio i: 

 1 lopting a milk ordinance deBigped to privcui 

 he sale of milk frmi cattle suffering from coii- 

 'airioiia and infectious diseases. The ordinanci 

 rthich is directed mainly against dairy herds H'.i 

 tested for tuberciJosiR, proWdes that "all milk 

 *Ad, bartered or exchanged in Peotone as ra» 

 tiiilk shall be derived from aninwls under stat* 

 md federal supervi.'iion and pro\Tic Irvj from all 

 <"ontagious djseai^OK." 



The REPORT AT THE 16th AMNCAL meettv* 

 "f the stockholders of the Watseka Farmer^ 

 Cirain Company disclose<l that the elevator 

 luring the past year was operated ou a 2H p«'i ' 

 rent i>asis. This represents the oost of handlinv 

 :ind marketing grain which is unusually low f.-i 

 a successful <-lcvat<ir The low cof^t of operatinr | 

 was due to the larger volume of bu.«ine»>e and th' \ 

 ■•fficient niaaagemeiit by the board of director^ i 

 iin<l the manager, according to Oeo. R. Wicker. 

 manager of the I, A. C. A. 



f)NE OF THE Menard Coi-yrr Farm BcbeaiV 



«cti\-itics is an annual fish fry. The event is at ' 

 .'ill day affair with wives and families attendins I 

 The fry this year was held at Petersburg on i 

 '>ctober 2S. A local talent show, "Hank Home- j 

 brew Carries On," was presented in the mornine I 

 iind Sam K. Thnmpwjn, (>ret>ident of the I. A. A 1 

 spoke in the afterntxin. , 



On ONE farm in Pctvam rorvrr rr wah 

 f<iund neeea»ary on Oct. 10 to Ymve two radio 

 sets going in one room. One se< was used tn 

 get the Ohio-Chicano football game and th«' 

 other the world series baselmll game, according 

 to the Marshall -Put nam Farm Bureau. Thf 

 tepfjrt coninienttf tliat the radio will do more to 

 keep boys on the farm than a thoAsand lectures 

 The gain from close observation of the market 

 will more than pay the running oit^ts of a goixl 

 set. states the report. 



Approximately 1(K) cars of li>f.stoni!; were 



ordered by Wabanh County farmers through 

 their Farm Bureau this year, according to .1. K. 

 Spencer, farm adviser of the Wabash County 

 Farm Bureau, Mt. Carmet. Illinois. 



The number of farms in Illi.voir has De- 

 creased more than one per cent a >-|'ar since 1920. 

 according to a preliniinar>" announcement of the 

 1925 farm census. Illinois has 22.5.44.5 famns 

 this year, a decrease of I^.^SG or over five per 

 cent. The number of farms in the United States 

 during this five year period decreased 75,735 or 

 more than one per cent. The decreaae was not 

 general, some states reporting declines while 

 increases were shown in others. Texas led with 

 the greatest increase in the number of farms 

 while the f^reatest decrease was shown in Georgia. 

 In the Mid-West Wisoonain showed an iocreaM. 



Farm Bureaus Using Best 

 Method In Finding Inequal- 

 ities, Say Members of Illi- 

 nois Tax Body 



The work of the Illinois Apricultur:*' 

 Association and the county Farm Bu 

 reaus in their efforts to bring abou' 

 irreater equality in the tax assessment 

 of this state was complimented highl> 

 by the Illinois Tax Commission during 

 a hearing before that body when inves 

 tigations were made regarding the com 

 plaints of the Farm Bureaus of Peoria 

 Kane, Clay and Franklin counties. 



On October 27. farm representati\ie' 

 of Kane and Peoria counties appearei! 

 before the commission with charges tha' 

 thei||' county boards of review had re- 

 fused to consider the needed reductior 

 in farm property assessments and th*i' 

 the farmers are required to pay an un 

 duly jarge proportion of the taxes. 

 Farm Bureau CollecU Facts 



Lloyd Keepers, assistant farm adviser 

 of the Kane County Farm Bureau 

 pointed out to the state commission tha* 

 the farm property of his county wa- 

 assessed at 46.4 per cent of the actua' 

 sales value while the "city property wa* 

 assessed at 3.5.7 per cent. During th 

 period of March 1, 1924. and March 1 

 1925, the Kane County Farm Bureau 

 under the direction of J. C. Watson. 1 

 A. A. taxation specialist, made a care 

 ful study of the sales of farm and cit> 

 properties which includjed some .SOO cit? 

 sales and 30 transactions of farm prop 

 erty. From figures compiled during thi?' 

 study, the Farm Bureau determined th< 

 actual values of the city and farm prop 

 erties and the inequality of tax assess 

 mentrf. 



According to Mr. Keepers, these in- 

 equalities were shown to the Kanr 

 county board of review but it refuser* 

 to act and through the selecjion of 

 sales of exceptional farm lands, some 

 of which were used for subdivision pur- 

 noses, attempted to show that the Farm 

 Bureau's calculations were too low. 



Commission Agrees With Bureau 



Members of the tax commission stated 

 that they believed the Farm Bureau 

 had collected the facts iii the most in- 

 telligent and honest method known and 

 Inasmuch as the board of review did not 

 check the figures presented by the farm 

 organization or sugeest a t>etter method 

 of compiling the information, the^ board 

 has thrown itself open to criticism be- 

 cause of its refusal to act. 



Representatives of the Peoria County 

 Farm" Bureau told the slate commission 

 that their board of review had agreed 

 to a reduction in farm assessments but 

 the state's attorney has nrohrbited such 

 H reduction on the grounds that it would 

 be illegal. The state's attorney did not 

 appeafr before the tax commission and 

 no decision irttji reached. 



When the fTay county delegation ap- 

 peared, they presented information, and 

 figures to show that the assessment of 

 farm property in Clay county was 56 



i 



Potato Shortage 

 Acute; Price 50 

 Per Cent Higher 



A. A. Director Says Spud 

 Market U Panicky; Diflfi- 

 cult to Secure Deliveries At 

 Any Price; 



crop 



the I 



?ond 



was I 



""itbe pot:;to snortage in Illinois hiis 

 l»eeri more acuti than at lirvt antic- 

 pateti." states A. B. Leeper. I. A. A. rii 

 rectir of fruit and vegetable marketing 

 and manager af the Illinol> Fruit 

 Growers Exchanre of Centralia. 



"Sections producing the rommerciJil 

 I of lat« potatoes have experienee'i 

 sunio unfaworable climatic condi 

 as the Illinois sections, and thes*- 

 tions cnuplid with a crop which 

 considerahl) below normal. hav« 

 kepti the miirkei in a very unsettltHJ 

 condition, and mist of the time ainio-t 

 panicky. I*o<ato<s are today itelling for 

 mora than .50 per eent higher than at 

 the beginning of the season, and it hat- 

 been! almost impossible to get deliverie> 

 late in the seasoi at any price." 



luiresponse to in urgent demand, the 

 Illinois Fruit G »wers Exchange, cm 

 operating with t|e I. A. A., offered ir 

 ■issist tht farmei s of Illinois in buying 

 pota1)oes for win :er use through their 

 respA-tive Farm )urehus. According to 

 Diredtor Leeper. :he Exchange has had 

 many inquiries n lative to making pur- 

 ?hasc)s for farm bureau meml>ers. It 

 is understood thit the Exchange will 

 olacel orders for car lot shipments but 

 its pHncipal sen ice has been that of 

 keepihg the eoun y farm adviaers post- 

 ed a$ to the markets and changes in 

 price^. 



"Those who pu 'chased potatoes early 

 this fall were fo tunate in getting the 

 loweatt price," styites Director I^eeper. 

 "Thoie who ordefred late, or expect to 

 ordeij in the future, will be lucky to 

 zet qeliverie*." . i 



Better Sire Train On Tour 



Dairy 'Exhibition Trkin to Stop at 

 19 Cities in Southern Illinois 



Fatm rs w*jo Ike near 19 towns and 

 rities in central land southern Illinoii^ 

 located on the Batimore and Ohio rail- 

 road will have an opportunity to see 

 the ''Better Daim- Sire" train which 

 will be on an exhibit tour from Noveni- 

 >>er to 20. 



This exhibit trajin, mhich is conducted 

 by tht Cnivercityjof Itlinoih in co-opera- 

 tion Kith the B A railroad and other 

 dairy interests, will make hatf-day stops 

 It Flora. luka, Ctarlyle, Breese. O'Fal- 

 lon. Fairfield, NprriK City. Ridgway. 

 Shawtieeiown, Livtrenceville, Sumner, 

 Olney, Altamont, Beecher City. Cowden, 

 Pana, Taylorvilje. Springfield and 

 Beardstown. The] train will consist of ■ 

 ten cars incjudingian exhibit car, lecture 

 car, a flat car fof cow demonstrations, 

 ■ars lor the livestock which will be ex- 

 hibitetl, four cars jfor purebred bulls and 

 rars for the accopiodation of the staff 

 which will acromfiany the train. 



lectures, demonstra- 

 hat will be given at 

 win be givej^an op- 

 purebrwi dait-y sire. 

 For tliis purpose j.lO bulls of thp three 

 breed* — Jersey, Holstein, Guet-nsey — 

 will bp carried on the train. Arranire- 

 ments have been j made with the local 

 business men of the 19 towns whereby a 

 bred |rrad4 heifer will be give to some 

 farmetr who visitk the train at each 

 point.. i 



The speakers wlo will accompany the 

 ^rain are: C. S. Rhodes, dairy extension 

 specialist of the] agricultural college. 

 \. J. Glover, ediliDr of Hoard's Dairy- 

 man; and, O. K. jCjuivey representative 

 of the B & O railrtoad. The county farm 

 idvisflr and a local representative busi- 

 nessman will nisa speak at eii(^ stop. 

 The ?fational Pairy Council will nnake 

 ^n exhibit showing the value of milk 

 3nd i|s products ^ human foed. 



n addition to tH 

 tions, exhibitions f 

 ?ach 4lop, farmer 

 portuhity to buy 



KveUi Kj«idav 



thr fi*-** ninrketiu del 



talk*. o*n VilJS Do 4f>u hf« theni' 



FridIt evesiKk, <TrmBrR .10. i« rttt: rtut 

 •^t 1tw\m dehale uvr4 WlJ< on tlie niilnrndf' 

 tkftitioq Utt a f)\'eptT e«it rale im 

 Bradfurtp of the A F H K Mtid I. J. IWhiv rtt tb«> 

 \»itioni(l (irance. »ill fcell (he * 



=^ 



per cefit higher than the asseuinents on 

 city Ifits and buiwings. 



Eleven Appear Before .^oard 



The state comnji.^ssion '^ con-iderinc 

 the aompl;iint<' made by the Farm 

 Bureaus and is expected' to render a 

 decision in the ne^r future. Those who 

 appealed before tlfe commission »» rep- 

 resenting the farfiers were: 



Kan^ county: 



adviseh Lloy4 Keepers, assistant farm 

 adviser; Henry 

 Queen and J. H. 



Peoria cojntv: .......,« .-,..:„. ,„,., 



advia^ •, Sam lIcCI igage and W. T. Con 

 ley 



E. Hart, farm ad- 

 Curt Ander *on. I A. A. executive 



Cla3 

 viser, 



committeeman of he 24th district, and 

 Georg" McElyea, ihairman of the Clay 

 County Farm Bureau tax committee. 



JIcGough, W, C. Mc 

 Burr, 

 Wiiford Shiw. farm 



J. E. WatU, farm 



