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The 



niitiois A^ctdtural Assodatm 



RECOI^D 



Published monthly by the Illinois Agricultural Association at 165 So. Main St., Spencer, Ind. Editorial Offices, 608 So. Dearborn St, Chicago, 111. 

 Appl. cation for transfer of second class entry from Marshall, III., to Spencer, Ind., pending. Acceptance for mailing at special rates of postage pro- 

 vided in Section 412, Act of Feb. 28, 1925, authorized Oct. 27, 1925. Address all communications for publication to Editorial Offices, Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association Record, 608 So. Dearborn St., Chicago. 



Number 3 



MARCH, 1932 



Volume 10 



calendar. "When called up on second 

 reading or the amendment stage, a mo- 

 tion was made to strike the enacting 

 clause and it prevailed by a vote of 

 72 to 69. 



The third income tax bill was intro- 

 duced in the regular session of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly in the spring of 1931. 

 Its rates were much higher than those 

 of its predecessors, thus offering an op- 

 portunity for much greater relief to the 

 property taxpayers than would have 

 been afforded by the earlier proposals. 

 It passed the Senate with five ( 5 ) votes 

 to spare. In the House again it found 

 rough sledding. After hurdling all ef- 



Organized Agriculture Scores Creat Victory 



State Income Tax Bill Passes After Many Years of Effort 



forts to seriously amend it and after 

 reaching the stage of final passage, it 

 failed by two (2) votes to secure the 

 constitutional majority required. 



The regular session of the 57th Gen- 

 eral Assembly adjourned in June of 

 last year without enacting into law any 

 measures directed toward permanent re- 

 lief of the ever-increasing tax burdens 

 upon property. Many municipalities 

 were in dire distress for revenue, par- 

 ticularly Chicago and Cook County. 

 Recognizing these conditions and that 

 something must be done, the Governor 

 of Illinois called together 43 men who 

 were representative of the various eco- 

 nomic interests of the state. 

 At that time, the Gover- 

 nor very frankly presented 

 the problems confronting 

 the state and its municipal- 

 ities, the imperative need 

 for revenue reform and re- 

 quested this conference of 

 citizens to undertake the re- 

 sponsibility for an intensive 

 study of the problem and 

 to bring forth suggestions 

 for effective remedies. This 

 conference of 43 citizens se- 

 lected an Executive Com- 

 mittee of Eleven to under- 

 take the job, with instruc- 

 tions to report back to the 

 General Conference, if and 

 when agreement could be 

 reached. This committee 

 consisted of eight (8) men 

 from Cook County and 

 three (3) from downstate, 

 one of whom was the Presi- 

 dent of the Illinois Agricul- 

 tural Association. 



THE organized farmers of Illinois 

 scored their greatest victory on 

 February 2, when as a result of their 

 five years of continuing effort, the 

 General Assembly of Illinois enacted 

 into law a constructive State Income 

 Tax bill. Companion measures were 

 also passed, which provide and insure 

 that all revenue derived from the In- 

 come Tax will be used to reduce or 

 replace taxes now levied upon and Col- 

 lected from property. 



On February 22, Governor Emmer- 

 son signed all bills having to do with 

 this series of legislation. The legisla- 

 tion goes into effect on July 1 next. 



The Illinois Agricultural 

 Association prepared and 

 sponsored its first Income 

 Tax bill during the 5 5 th 

 General Assembly in 1927. 

 Its efforts at that time were 

 largely put forth to secure 

 attention and study on the 

 part of all who recognized 

 arid believed that taxes upon 

 property were becoming un- 

 bearable and that something 

 must be done to secure a 

 more equitable distribution 

 of the cost of government. 

 The bill passed the Senate, 

 but it was impossible to se- 

 cure proper attention in the 

 House and it was dropped 

 from the calendar during 

 the closing days of the ses- 

 sion. 



►)• c-. 



Second Effort 1929 



■ The second effort was 

 made during the session of 

 1929. Again the bill passed 

 the Senate, but was unfa- 

 vorably reported out by the 

 House Revenue Committee. 

 The House refused to con- 

 cur in the committee report 

 and placed the bill upon the 



T'HIS issue of the I. A. A. RECORD is intended to 

 convey to the membership brief, but authentic, 

 information as to the voting record of members of 

 the General Assembly, outside of Chicago, on the 

 State Income Tax Bill. 



The main issue involved in the Income Tax fight 

 was by and betw^een those seeking just relief from the 

 ever-increasing tax burden upon property of the 

 state, and those owning intangible property and 

 others receiving substantial incomes w^ho were under 

 present law^s escaping and faiHng to bear their just 

 portion of the cost of government. 



Property taxpayers ow^e a debt to all members of 

 the General Assembly who voted for this legislation. 

 The I. A. A. knows of no better way to discharge 

 that debt than to go en masse to the polls on primary 

 day and on election day and use the full power of 

 the ballot in voting for those members seeking re- 

 election who have stood by and with the property 

 taxpayers of Illinois. 



Government of the people, by the people and for 

 the people can only be restored and maintained by 

 electing and keeping in office men and women who 

 refuse to be stampeded by reactionary oppositionists, 

 and w^ho stand firmly w^ith and for progressive and 

 constructive legislation. ;.^ 



President. 



Recommends Income Tax 



The Executive Commit- 

 tee met regularly over a 

 period of four (4) months 

 {Continued on next page) 



