fair price balance between farm and 

 non-agricultural commodities might 

 have been largely maintained. 



Defending proposed surplus control 

 legislation known as the Agricultural 

 Adjustment Act of 1937, he said that 

 "the provisions of the bill are directed 

 toward the maintenance at all times of 

 reasonable surplus supplies to basic 

 farm commodities, under the control of 

 cooperating farmers so as to remove, 

 at least in large part, their otherwise 

 bearish effect upon price levels; and 

 adjustment in production of a com- 

 modity only to the extent necessary to 

 keep surplus reserve supplies from be- 

 coming unduly large and unwieldy." 



Farm Bureau representatives, the Se- 

 cretary of Agriculture and the Presi- 

 dent of the United States, he reminded, 

 repeatedly warned Congress what 

 would happen if farm legislation to 

 meet conditions that were developing 

 were not enacted. 



On the question of unemployment 

 relief. Smith said: "I am firm in my 

 belief that the most sound and effec- 

 tive solution will be found in placing 

 responsibility for relief and its admin- 

 istration with the local units of govern- 

 ment. There, and there only, can right- 

 ful determination be made as to tliose 

 deserving assistance." 



Measures sponsored or supported by 

 the lAA, Mr. Smith reported, which 

 were enacted during the last General 

 Assembly provided: (1) that farm 

 tractors and tractor drawn machinery 

 shall be exempt from paying the state 

 motor license fee; (2) for appropria- 

 tion of $450,000 for 4H Club buildings 

 at the state fair; and (3) that holders 

 of cold storage lockers be exempted 

 from reporting monthly to the state 

 department of agriculture. The lAA 

 successfully opposed a truck regulation 

 bill which would have given the State Com- 

 merce Commission broad powers over all 

 trucks which "we believe would drive small 

 trucks off the highways and result in sub- 

 stantial increase in the cost of truck trans- 

 portation." 



The Association also successfully opposed 

 regulatory bills of dubious character, one of 

 which as originally drawn would have pre- 

 vented farmers from painting their own 

 buildings. 



On the question of rural school consoli- 

 dation, Mr. Smith said, "the Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association is not opposed, but 

 rather looks kindly upon the consolidation 

 of rural schools, when those affected in 

 rural communities have reasonable opportun- 

 ity to make the decision. Under previous 

 proposals consolidation could be forced by 

 urban majorities overriding rural minorities 

 and in many cases would result in substan- 

 tial increase in taxation upon rural prop- 

 erty although due to road conditions regular 

 attendance of rural children would be seri- 

 ously interfered with, if not impossible. 



"We cannot approve the present tendency 

 to centralize power in the state or in coun- 

 ties, or in other districts so large that in- 

 terested rural people can have little if any 

 voice in determining the manner in which 



.... AND EVERYONE SAT DOWN 

 Left to right President Earl C. Smith, Governor Henry Homer. 

 Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuaidia and Springfield's Mayor John W. Kapp. 



Officers — Directors 



of lAA Re-Dected 



President Smith, Vice-president De- 

 Frees and all directors from the even- 

 numbered congressional districts except 



such schools are operated or maintained." 



Summarizing the problems facing farmers, 

 Mr. Smith concluded that "there must be no 

 let down in the efforts of organized agricul- 

 ture as we drive forward to secure and main- 

 tain a fair exchange value for the products 

 of the farm with industrial products and the 

 personal services of workers. 



"Farmers will not win this economic battle 

 and solve the general problems affecting agri- 

 culture through aloof individualism. I prize 

 self-reliance and independence as highly as 

 any farmer or other citizen but when matters 

 of government and public policy are involved; 

 when we encounter the broad general prob- 

 lems that arise beyond our line fences, ques- 

 tions that involve our markets, the price of 

 farm products, the taxes we pay, tariffs and 

 their effects, our attitude toward organized 

 labor and organized industry, monopolies, 

 transportation costs, unemployment and scores 

 of others can we conceive of individual ac- 

 tion on these.' There is only one answer — 

 NO. 



"As the organization moves forward in 

 19}8 toward its objectives let us strive to 

 further develop and improve every phase of 

 the Farm Bureau program, that the organiza- 

 tion may justify and merit an ever-increasing 

 confidence of an ever-increasing membership. 

 Let us rededicate our efforts and our services 

 to the rightful interests of farmers, and 

 prompted by deep conviction, drive ahead to 

 our goal which is essential to national con- 

 tentment, peace and prosperity." 



President Smith reported that the Associa- 

 tion with a membership of some 72,000 Illi- 

 nois farmers, together with the business and 

 commercial enterprises of the organization, 

 closed the year in a thriving condition, regis- 

 tering new high records in volume of busi- 

 ness, earnings and patronage dividends paid 

 back to members. 



H. W. Danforth, of Iroquois county 

 were re-elected at the business session 

 Thursday night after the speaking 

 program. Joe Fulkerson, president of 

 the St. Louis Livestock Producers pre- 

 sided. 



Mr. Smith was nominated for his 13th 

 consecutive term by Pres. Roy Downing 

 of the Sangamon County Farm Bureau. 

 There were no other nominations. 



W. A. Dennis of Paris, Edgar coun- 

 ty who replaces Danforth in the 18th 

 district served on the lAA board of di- 

 rectors from 1930 to 1934. His district 

 includes Clark, Cumberland, Edgar, Ver- 

 milion, Iroquois and Kankakee. 



Mr. Danforth was the first president 

 of the lAA in 1916, later became presi- 

 dent of the Federal Land Bank at St. 

 Louis. He practiced law in Peoria as a 

 young man, was active as a leader in 

 the Tazewell County Farm Bureau, was 

 also president of a bank in Washing- 

 ton, 111., where he once made his home. 

 Mr. Danforth today is an extensive 

 land owner at Danforth, 111., where he 

 resides and actively operates a small 

 grain farm at the edge of the village. 



Mr. Dennis is a Jersey cattle breeder 

 and operates a dairy and livestock farm 

 near Paris. A graduate of Harvard 

 University reared in the city, Dennis 

 became a farmer by choice. He is a 

 student of economics and political 

 science, a constructive thinker and a 

 good farmer. 



Directors re-elected all well known 

 to Illinois farmers are E. E. Houghtby, 

 12th district; Otto Steffey, I4th; Albert 

 Hayes, I6th; K. T. Smith, 20th; A. O. 

 Eckert, 22nd; Charles Marshall, 24th. 



L A. A. RECORD 





