Page Eighteen 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Many Problems Before 



Public Relations Conf. 



Transportation, Legislation, Taxation 

 Discussed 



THE Public Relations Conference was 

 called to. order in the Y. W. C. A. 

 Building, Springfield, January 30, 1930, at 

 1:00 P. M. Frank D. Barton acted as 

 chairman. 



Under the subject of freight rates there 

 was active discussion. A request from a 

 southern Illinois man for assistance in a 

 complaint which a local fruit and vegetable 

 shipping association had taken before the 

 Illinois Commerce Commission concerning 

 refrigeration charges was made. 



In the discussion of freight loss and 

 damage and overcharge claims, comments 

 from the floor disclosed that shippers who 

 filed claims through the department were 

 far more successful than those endeavoring 

 to handle them through their own efforts. 



Considerable discussion followed on the 

 subjecu of farm crossings over railroads, 

 -drainage, and fences along right of ways. 



Much Response 



There was overwhelming response from 

 the floor on the subject of easements over 

 farm lands for high tension lines and pipe 

 lines. A number of individuals recounted 

 their success through group action in their 

 localities. It was brought out that where 

 land owners acted in groups on propositions 

 of this character they could get the ad- 

 vantage of combined bargaining power in 

 the matter of price for easements. 



The discussion concerning rural electri- 

 -fication followed a similar trend; that by 

 acting through groups the farmers were 

 enabled to study the problems and uses of 

 electricity and are not entirely dependent 

 upon information from representatives of 

 the public utilities. 



Rates and Service 



Discussion concerning telephone rates and 

 service had to be curtailed for lack of 

 time, but in response to a number of ques- 

 tions it was brought out that the Associa- 

 tion was in position to render a service to 

 Coimty Farm Bureaus or organized com- 

 munities in instances where telephone com- 

 panies seek to increase rates or where com- 

 plaints are made by subscribers regarding 

 telephone service. 



The degree of interest displayed by those 

 in attendance showed clearly that the mem- 

 bership is far more actively interested in 

 the services available thi-ough the depart- 

 ment than ever before, and the consensus of 

 the meeting was an unqualified endorsement 

 of the program offered by the transporta- 

 tion department. 



State Legislation 



After the chairman, Frank D. Barton, 

 had presented an account of some of the 

 difficulties in securing support for the in- 

 come tax bill In the General Assembly last 

 year, the conference discussed at some 

 length the question of how better legisla- 



tive support could be secured for our pro- 

 gram. In connection therewith a motion 

 was adopted that the I. A. A. Executive 

 Committee be asked to direct that the 

 legislative voting records of down-state 

 members of the 56th General Assembly 

 which was published in the August, 1929, 

 Illinois Agricultural Association Record, be 

 published again in the March Record for 

 the Information of members. 



John C. Watson briefly discussed the 

 present Illinois Revenue Investigation Com- 

 mission and its endeavors to secure an agree- 

 ment by the major organizations in the state 

 on the draft of a revenue amendment to 

 the Constitution. In connection therewith 

 ^X'atson also briefly discussed the present 

 outlook for Income tax legislation In this 

 state. 



Gas Tax Fund 



On the subject of Improvement of state 

 aid roads with gasoline tax funds, there 

 was a general discussion. It was stated by 

 the county superintendent of highways of 

 Ogle county, who was present In the con- 

 ference, that the state division of highways 

 recognized the rights of the county boards 

 under the motor fuel tax act to designate 

 the roads which are to be improved and to 

 designate the type of improvement. Speci- 

 fications for the Improvement, however, 

 must be approved by the state division of 

 highways. 



After general discussion of a recent opin- 

 ion of the attorney general of the state to 

 the effect that farm tractors drawing agri- 

 cultural implements of any kind upon the 

 public highway for the purpose of doing 

 custom work upon the premises of other 

 farmers are subject to the requirements of 

 motor licenses, and also a more recent 

 opinion that Implements drawn by tractors 

 on roads are subject to the requirements 

 of licenses for trailers, the motion was 

 adopted that the Executive Committee be 

 requested to seek, as soon as possible, amend- 

 ment of the motor vehicle license act to re- 

 lieve farm tractors and agricultural imple- 

 ments drawn by farm tractors on the public 

 highway from the requirements of motor 

 vehicle licenses when such tractors and 

 agricultural implements are moved over the 

 public highway only for the purpose of 

 doing custom work on the farms of other 

 persons. 



Certain discriminations in the cost of 

 motor licenses on trucks of different weights 

 were brought to the attention of the con- 

 ference. After general discussion a motion 

 was adopted requesting the Executive Com- 

 mittee to seek the amendment of the motor 

 vehicle license act to establish a fairer scale 

 of license fees for trucks of different 

 weights. About 200 attended the confer- 

 ence. 



"Democracy in Taxation" will be the 

 subject of an address by President Earl C. 

 Smith before the Illinois Farmers* Institute 

 at Galesburg on February 20. 



Must Organize to Get 



Fair Return — Legge 



ALEXANDER LEGGE. chairman of the 

 u Federal Farm Board, recently made 

 the following statement: 



"In the past, much effort and large sums 

 of money have been spent trying to improve 

 local conditions, but much of this effort 

 has been directed toward improvement in 

 methods of production; that Is, to encourage 

 the raising of more and better crops. 



"However, all this effort meets only a 

 part of the agricultural problem. Obviously, 

 nothing Is gained by raising a larger crop 

 of better quality if, after having done so, 

 you are unable to dispose of it on a basis 

 that will yield a reasonable return for the 

 effort expended. 



"It is when we approach this part of the 

 agricultural problem that the need for or- 

 ganization becomes imperative. There it is 

 that the problem of the farmer most closely 

 parallels that of every other industry, and 

 it seems to us that the treatment to be ap- 

 plied can be described in one word, 'organ- 

 ization'. 



"To illustrate, if a thousand farmers at- 

 tempt to sell the same kind of product at 

 the same time in the same market, and in 

 most cases to a very limited number of 

 buyers, the mere competition among them- 

 selves puts them at a disadvantage. But if 

 these same thousand farmers place the same 

 product in the hands of a single selling 

 agency, that agency at once becomes an im- 

 portant factor in the market." 



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Publicity Important 



(Continued from page 14) 



4. That a man owning two or more 

 farms should be required to buy a mem- 

 bership for each farm. 



J. Any member without fanning inter- 

 ests should not be allowed to hold office or 

 vote on questions of farm interest although 

 he may become a member. 



Professor Fred Russell of the University 

 of Illinois followed with an excellent talk 

 on the subject of "Salesmanship." 

 Three Recommendations 



The delegates and visitors present voted 

 unanimously : 



1. That County Farm Bureaus be urged 

 to carry on an instructive and educational 

 publicity program to pave the way for I. 

 A. A. and Farm Bureau activities and par- 

 ticularly for aggressive and effective mem- 

 bership work. 



2. That particular attention be given to 

 the collection of membership dues and that 

 the collection plan offered through the fi- 

 nance department of the I. A. A. be gen- 

 erally adopted in County, Farm Bureau col- 

 lection programs throughout the State. 



3. That organization work be pushed 

 aggressively throughout the State during 

 1930 with a goal of 75,000 members and 

 that the organization work be closely linked 

 with the publicity and collection progranu 

 already recommended. - ■ ; 



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