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SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE NUMBER 



The 



Illinois Agricultural Assodati 



RECORD 



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Issued Every Month for 63,000 Thinking Farmers 



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Volume 5 



AUGUST, 1927 



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Our Program in the 55th GeneraJ Asseiriuiy 



i^ V'v -By 2%d /. A. A. Legislative Cpmmittee 





HE legislative policy of the lUi- were to secure a prompt comple- 



I nois Agricultural Association in 



the fifty-fifth General Assembly 



was adopted after much deliberation 



and study into the needs and rights 



of the farmers of the state. It was 



Early in the session of the 1927 leg- 

 islature, considerable discussion . devel- 

 oped relative to a gasoline tax law. 

 Representatives of the Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association sat in several con- 



tion of this primary system. Recog- 

 nizing these facts, the Illinois 

 Agricultural Association, in its last 

 annual meeting, endorsed a two- 

 cent gasoline tax provided the funds ferences with those sponsoring a gaso- 

 not a selfish policy. It sought to im- derived therefrom were used for two line tax. Our position was made 

 pose no hardship on any class or 

 group. It had in mind the inter- 

 est of the public at large but it 

 recognized certain inequalities im- 

 posed upon farmers by present laws 

 which it hoped to amend or ad- 

 just through the measures sponsored. 



purposes: namely, the completion of known repeatedly but it did not seem 

 the bond issue system within a reason- to meet with much favor from influ- 

 able period of time, and the building ential sources. Accordingly, adminis- 



and maintenance of a secondary sys- 

 tem of highways. It further provided 

 that the division of this fund should 

 be made in an equitable manner. , 



GAS TAX AND SEC- 

 ONDARY ROADS 



ILLINOIS, through the 

 adoption of two bond 

 issues, is engaged in build- 

 ing the finest system of 

 primary roads in the world. 

 All automobile owners in 

 the state are contributing 

 to that system through 

 auto license fees. How- 

 ever, when that system is 

 completed more than sev- 

 enty-five per cent of the 

 farmers will not have rea- 

 sonable connection with 

 these highways. A real 

 farm-to-market road sys- 

 tem would still be far from 

 an accomplished fact. 



It has been apparent for 

 many months that avail- 

 able funds from the $100,- 

 000,000 bond issue would 

 not be nearly sufficient to 

 complete this system with- 

 in a reasonable period of 

 time. It appeared neces- 

 sary, therefore, to provide 

 additional funds if we 



>ted al 



THIS issue of the RECORD is devoted almost 

 entirely to the major legislation in which the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association was particularly in- 

 terested in the 55th General Assembly. Never be- 

 fore has the I. A. A. put forth so great an effort 

 in behalf of the farmers of Illinois as it did this 

 year at Springfield. Staff members were called 

 upon freely for assistance in drafting legislation, 

 and in studying and reporting upon measures pre- 

 sented by others. This is the first time in the 

 history of the Association that so complete a 

 report to the members has been attempted. It 

 marks the adoption of a policy to tell the whole 

 story without bias or prejudice, and to set forth the 

 voting records of each senator and representative. 

 Credit is given where credit is due. Censure of 

 legislators is withheld except in those cases where 

 there was a clear-cut violation of confidence and be- 

 trayal of agricultural constituents and their inter- 

 ests. "•■[■>^ ...>•• : ■(!■■■;■-; 



Members are urged to read this report carefully, 

 and to examine with a critical eye the records of 

 their representatives. File the information auray 

 and use it as a basis for future voting. It is only by 

 intelligent voting and coordinated, determined ef- 

 fort that we can expect to secure recognition of our 

 rights and justice for the great industry w^ repre 

 sent. — Editor. 



tration bills were introduced in both 

 houses levying a two-cent tax on all 

 gasoline used for motor vehicles and 

 providing therein that all the funds 

 ' I I j derived from such a tax 

 should go towards the com- 

 pletion of the bond issue 

 system. Representatives of 

 the Association were con- 

 vinced these bills had prac- 

 tically no chance of passage 

 and predicted their early 

 defeat. 



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First Bill Withdraws 



The bill was first tried 

 out in the Senate and 

 in the face of certain de- 

 feat was withdrawn from 

 the calendar by proponents 

 of the bill. Immediately 

 thereafter, our association 

 was approached and re- 

 quested to make known the 

 amendments that would be 

 necessary to secure our 

 support. We prepared the 

 amendments necessary to 

 embody the principles of 

 such a law as authorized 

 by our expressed position 

 in resolution, and pre- 

 sented them to the house 

 committee on roads and 

 bridges. After being care- 

 fully explained to the com- 

 mittee l^y our representa,- 



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