For and Ag'in' 



(Continued from page 12) 



this man a member and hundreds of 

 others like him). 



Another Coles county farmer said, "it 

 is a fine thing, the Farm Bureau. But I 

 only farm 40 acres and I am too small 

 to belong. But farmers by all moans 

 should have an organization. But it is 

 hard now for farmers to build an organ- 

 ization powerful enough to combat the 

 industrial organizations. Farmers were 

 and are too slow to realize that they 

 cannot hope to get an equal hearing in 

 government against well organized and 

 financed industrial organizations. Thirty 

 years ago, it would have been easier, but 

 farmers wouldn't get together. Today 

 it is more difficult because the opposi- 

 tion is so strong from the industrial 

 side. Today it is the youngsters who 

 are doing the cooperating. If they are 

 given help by the older farmers they 

 will build the organization that is 

 needed." 



A well read, high grade Coles county 

 farmer who owns or manages a total of 

 560 acres in four farms, and is a non- 

 member says, "I believe that the Farm 

 Bureau, generally is a good thing. A 

 bigger organization is needed though. 

 Another thing, there is no reason why 

 there should be a difference in dues for 

 one farmer and another no matter what 

 the size. Farmers should have an or- 

 ganization to impress their will when 

 and where it is needed for the protec- 

 tion of farmer's interests. I am an 

 individualist but I believe that given a 

 good sized organization the Farm Bu- 

 reau could do a great deal more for the 

 farmers." Asked why he didn't belong, 

 he said, "partly financial, mostlv because 

 I have no good reason for joining." 



In Moultrie an owner of three farms 

 totaling 350 acres says, "I belong to the 

 Farm Bureau because 'in union there is 

 strength.' Farmers have to be united to 

 accomplish anything worthwhile. Poli- 

 tics would kill a farm organization 

 though if allowed to creep in. But I 

 don't think the members would let that 

 happen. The reason I belong is because 

 the Farm Bureau does many things for 

 the members such as cooperative mar- 

 keting." 



Another Moultrie county-farmer, a son 

 of the owner of 380 acres said, "I can't 

 speak for my father but I can give my 

 own ideas." The father is a Farm Bu- 

 reau member. The son is 25 years old. 

 Says he, "the Farm Bureau is fine. But 

 I think they might work harder on legis- 

 lative matters. My father belongs to the 

 Farm Bureau and I would join too and 

 will because I believe in organization 

 and the future of farming. Organiza- 

 tion is the salvation of farmers. The 



iSMha 



^gp. 



EMILE REDISER, McLEAN COUNTY FARM BUREAU MEMBER CUTTING OATS WITH HIS 

 new tractor. Emile guessed the field would go 75 bu. an acre but "I was fooled," he writes. 

 "They only made 54 bu. Weight was good for this year (30 lbs. strong). I feel well satisfied 

 with the yield." 



younger farmers are more organization- 

 minded than the older ones. By the time 

 we get operating farms there should be 

 a big farmers organization at work." 



In Macon county, a non-member farm- 

 ing 170 acres says, "I do not belong but 

 I did. I think the Farm Bureau is all 

 right but it should be bigger. It should 

 work harder on protecting farmers and 

 do something about unemployment re- 

 lief — get the people off the relief rolls 

 to work. I haven't been able to afford 

 to belong recently but I'll probably join 

 up later. Farmers should have an or- 

 ganization sure enough but they 

 shouldn't do any fighting among them- 

 selves." This man was more or less 

 noncommittal but gave the impression 

 he liked the Farm Bureau but wasn't 

 sure that it was big enough to count for 

 a great deal as it is now. 



In Macon county, another farmer- 

 owner operating 280 acres said he be- 

 longed to the Farm B'lreau "because it 

 is the only organization that's done any 

 good. But it needs to be a great deal 

 bigger. The Farm Bureau should do 

 something quickly about relief. Farmers 

 should have an organization because 

 every one else the farmer comes in con- 

 tact with is organized so farmers must 

 be organized too." 



(Note: Further farts obtained in the 

 field will be presented in the next issue 

 of the RECORD. It will deal with the 

 average farmer's viewpoint on the AAA. 

 —J. S. T.) 



Many County f'icnics 



In August-September 



Thursday, August 15, proved to be the 

 banner day for County Farm Bureau 

 picnics in Illinois. Requests were re- 

 ceived at the I. A. A. office from 15 or 

 more counties for speakers on that date. 



President Ed. O'Neal of the A. F. B. F. 

 was in Illinois next to the last week in 

 August when he spoke in Knox and Taze- 

 well counties. He is scheduled for the 

 Christian county picnic on September 24. 



President Earl C. Smith has accepted 

 speaking dates in Vermilion county, 

 August 30; McHenry county, September 

 2 and Piatt county, September 5. 



Vice-president Talmage DeFrees from 

 Bond county led the list in the number of 

 picnic engagements with 12 for August 

 and September. 



Donald Kirkpatrick, L. A. Williams, 

 George E. Metzger, Paul E. Mathias, 

 O. D. Brissenden, Fred Herndon, John 

 C. Watson, Ray E. Miller, A. 0. Eckert, 

 John Moore and Burl Hornbeck are 

 others who addressed or will address 

 picnic gatherings during July and Au- 

 gust. 



Uncle Ab says one reason why some 



folks like to keep a dog is because a dog 

 always flatters its master. 



The Union of South Africa recently 



enacted the "Wheat Industry Control 

 Act of 1935" enabling wheat growers to 

 withhold their wheat from the market 

 without danger of loss through declin- 

 ing prices. A board of nine members is 

 set up authorized to impose and collect 

 processing taxes on wheat to support 

 the program. 



16 



I. A. A. RECORD 



