January, 1931 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Page J^ine 



Smith Tells of New 



Year's Opportunities 



Sees Possibilities for Improvement 



to Agriculture in Price 



Leveling Trend. 



44 T NOT only hope, but believe that 

 A 1931 will offer those engaged in 

 the farming industry an opportunity 

 for constructive advancement," Presi- 

 dent Earl C. Smith declared in a re- 

 cent New Year's address from Station 

 WLS, Chicago. 



"While 1930 has witnessed conditions 

 that test the stamina and try the souls 

 of men and women," he continued, 

 "yet the developments of the past year 

 largely constitute the basis for such 

 optimism as I hold for the early future. 

 "Just now farm prices are low, un- 

 profitable to all except to the lowest 

 cost producers. The industrial depres- 

 sion, the weakened buying power of 

 people in our consuming centers, the 

 drastic decline in farm exports, excess 

 production at home, increased produc- 

 tion abroad, the continuing excessive 

 costs of processing and distributing 

 many farm products,- high taxes, high- 

 priced credit and lack of organized 

 farmer bargaining power have all con- 

 tributed to our present situation. Some 

 of these we cannot help — others we 

 can correct by "working together. 



ilil: _1 Disparity Is Cause 



"It is a well known and accepted 

 fact that the difficulties of agriculture 

 were largely caused by the disparity i;i 

 exchange values between the products 

 of the farm and those of other industry. 

 "Throughout the years of efifort put 

 forth by agricultural organizations, the 

 farm press, and others speaking for agri- 

 culture, it was repeatedly asserted that 

 unless immediate and effective measures 

 were enacted that were necessary to 

 raise American agriculture to the arti- 

 ficial levels being enjoyed by other eco- 

 nomic groups, the nation would soon 

 witness the equalizing of its respective 

 conditions by developments similar to 

 those realized during 1930. Economic 

 laws cannot long be ignored or 

 thwarted, and seem even now to be 

 operating in that direction. 



"Although most agricultural com- 

 modities have declined during 1930, I 

 could quote a list of non-agricultural 

 commodities that have declined a much 

 greater percentage in price. While no 

 constructive thinking citizen wants to 

 see other interests in the throes of eco- 

 nomic distress, yet after the many years 

 of effort put forth by farm people to 

 secure equality of opportunity, there is 

 a certain amount of satisfaction in the 

 realization that to a very large extent 



;^; agriculture, other industry, and labor 



T. A. BORMAIf 

 Tom Borman, the K^nlal but asTsrea- 

 ilTe manager of th* Beatrice Creamery 

 Company, Chlcaso vrlll address the an- 

 nual nteetlnK of the Illinola Produce 

 Marketing Aaa'n. the afternoon of Jan- 

 uary 28 at Sprinslleld. 



are fast reaching a common level. 



"When such a basis is reached, much 

 of the strife and misunderst^ding that 

 have existed between groups throughout 

 recent years will be automatically re- 

 moved. All interests can and should 

 then direct their forces toward a re- 

 vival of interest and constructive effort 

 that should and will result in the early 

 restoration of prosperity throughout the 

 United States." ... 



Relief Through Taxation 



"Possibly the greatest opportunity 

 for immediate relief to agriculture lies 

 in the field of taxation. The 57th Gen- 

 eral Assembly of Illinois is convening 

 today. Farm and home owners of the 

 state have for years been carrying a 

 very unjust portion of the cost of 

 government. . . . 



"It is my belief that a very large 

 portion of this unjust burden can be re- 

 moved if those same farm and home 

 owners will unite in and behind a con- 

 structive tax measure designed to re- 

 lieve this situation. While not at liberty 

 to go into any details, I am glad to be 

 able to say that important conferences 

 have been and are taking place to this 

 end and now seem certain to result in 

 combined effort of constructive inter- 

 ests to bring this about. 



-^— Commodity Organization 



"Farm people are fast learning of the 

 benefits that result from real commodi- 

 ty organization. While many of these 

 organizations are in their infancy, yet 

 much could be said relative to the in- 

 creased income being reahzed from the 

 sale of farm commodities and reduced 

 costs of commodities purchased by 

 farmers — all brought about by centrali- 

 zation of effort resulting in increased 



Henderson Bureau 



Honors C. W. Cooper 



CW. COOPER, president of the 

 , Henderson County Farm Bureaii 

 for the past 10 years, and active on 

 the board for the past 13 years, was 

 guest of honor at a luncheon in Mon- 

 mouth, December 20. Forty-seven of 

 his associates, including directors. Farm 

 Bureau members and their wives, as- 

 sembled to honor Mr. and Mrs. Cooper 

 and express the gratitude of the organi- 

 zation for their faithful service. Mr. 

 Cooper was presented with a Hamilton 

 watch and chain, and Mrs. Cooper a 

 leather purse and basket of roses. 



Carl A. Johnson, Henderson County 

 Farm Bureau president, served as toast- 

 master. R. J. Hamilton, district or- 

 ganization manager, gave a short talk 

 complimentary to Mr. Cooper and his 

 work. Farm Adviser Ernest D. Walker 

 led in group singing, Mrs. Walker gave 

 a, reading. 



"Mr. Cooper was a member of the 

 original organization committee of our 

 Farm Bureau," writes Mr. Walker, "and 

 has served continuously as a director 

 since its organization 13 years ago. For 

 the past ten years Mr. Cooper has acted 

 as-, president and despite the fact that 

 there are 25 miles of dirt road between 

 his farm and the office, during that 

 time he missed but two directors' meet- 

 ings — once on account of jury service 

 and once when snowbound. 



"In that time Mr. Cooper estimates 

 that he drove 7,000 miles to attend 

 regular meetings to say nothing of spe- 

 cial sessions and extra work. His faith- 

 fulness has been an inspiration to the 

 other board members and of great value 

 to the Farm Bureau." 



bargaining power. 



"In closing, may I again repeat that 

 such optimism as I hold for the imme- 

 diate future lies mostly in the field of 

 opportunity for farmers. Results will 

 be obtained just to the extent farmers 

 have and increasingly become organiza- 

 tion conscious and through organization 

 take advantage of their opportunities." 



Two-Day Conference • ; T~ 

 Of Agents, Feb. 9-10 



A state-wide two-day conference for 

 Country Life Insurance Company 

 agents has been scheduled for February 

 9 and 10 at Bloomington. 



A full two-day program of business, 

 instruction, and entertainment in the 

 general Farm Bureau insurance program 

 is being arranged. 



Uncle Ab says books have some 

 advantages over persons; one can 

 always shut up a book. 



•J^""'/V *.-.■" 



