I 



The 



Illinois Agricultural Association 



RECORD 



Volume 1 3 



May. J935 



Number 5 



Federal Work Relief Bill 



$800,000,000 For Highways, Roads and Streets 



THE major interest of Illinois farm- 

 ers in the Federal Work Relief 

 measure centers in that portion 

 which provides $800,000,000 for the con- 

 struction of highways, roads, streets, 

 and grade crossing elimination. 



The fact that around 70 per cent of 

 the public roads of Illinois are yet un- 

 improved and imjjassable in wet wea- 

 ther justifies farmers in insisting that 

 the graveling of these roads have first 

 consideration in the work relief 

 program. 



Long before the $4,880,000,000 meas- 

 ure was enacted, American Farm Bu- 

 reau Federation and I. A. A. repre- 

 sentatives urged President Roosevelt 

 to provide substantial amounts for 

 secondary road improvement. 



The interest of the I. A. A. in im- 

 proving farm-to-market roads has been 

 manifest since its organization in 1916^ 

 One of the first committees authorized 

 by the I. A. A. Board was the Road 

 Committee. : ■•; W-' .'A ' ;'■ ^'- /••" ■.; ''-. 



When the I. A. A. first sponsored and 

 supported the state gas tax it was with 

 the idea that on completion of the 

 10,000 mile primary paved road system, 

 motor fuel tax revenue would be used 

 for the improvement of secondary roads. 



Farm-to-market roads had a perma- 

 nent place on the program at the I. A. 

 A. annual meeting in Quincy last Jan- 

 uary. The interest aroused by this 

 meeting inspired JoDaviess County 

 Farm Bureau leaders to bring about a 

 unified, county-wide, farm-to-market 

 road improvement program in that 

 county. 



At this writing special committees 

 have been or are being appointed by 

 County Farm Bureau boards in nearly 

 all counties at the suggestion of Presi- 

 dent E^rl C. Smith to agree upon and 

 secure approval by county work relief 

 superintendents of secondary road im- 

 provement projects. In a majority of 

 the counties of the state definite plans 

 have been made for improving certain 



highways. Carrying out of these proj- 

 ects only awaits the allocation of funds 

 under the federal work relief program. 

 In addition to the $800,000,000 desig- 

 nated for highways, etc., the work re- 

 lief measure provides $500,000,000 for 

 farm rehabilitation in stricken areas, 

 irrigation and reclamation; $100,000,000 

 for rural electrification; $450,000,000 for 

 housing; $300,000,000 for assistance to 



educationsd, professional and clerical 

 persons; $600,000,000 for Civilian Con- 

 servaUon Corps; $900,000,000 for loans 

 or grants for state and municip>al proj- 

 ects; and $350,000,000 for erosion con- 

 trol, reforestation, flood control, sani- 

 tation, rivers and harbors, etc. 



The resolution provides that not to 

 exceed 20 per cent of-^^e amount ap- 

 propriated may be used by the Presi- 

 dent to increase any one or more of 

 the foregoing limitations. 



All sums allocated for the construc- 

 tion of public highways and other re- 

 lated projects shall be apportioned by 

 the Secretary of Agriculture in the 

 (Continued on page 5) 



WE'RE HERE TO URGE 

 IMPROVEMENT OF FARM-TO 

 MARKET ROADS AS WORK-RELIEF 

 PROJECTS . WE NEED ALL- 

 WEATHER ROADS ! 



you're right.' \ 

 fakm-10-mam(et 

 roaos willget rrst 

 consideration in ^ 

 the work- relief 



PROGRAM.' 



7\ The APPEAL 



fas- 

 JANUARY 



The RESULT.! 



