Page Sixteen 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



March, 1932 



investment, in order that its own selfish interests may profit 

 by fixing the price both to the producer and to the con- 

 sumer. 



We condemn this attitude on the part of the dairy com- 

 pany and serve notice to any industry taking this position 

 that such a poHcy cannot be looked upon by the agricul- 

 tural people of the country other than a desire on its part 

 to deny to agricultural producers their rights under the 

 constitution of the country and to impoverish one class of 

 citizens for the enrichment of another. Such a policy will 

 not be tolerated by American agriculture. It has not been 

 the poUcy of this Association to encourage producers to 

 enter into business activities on a wholesale scale, but such 

 an attitude as has been displayed by the dairy company will 

 force farmers into many lines of business activities which 

 they otherwise would not enter. • ' 



' VII ■ ■"■ "-'^^'■-^''' 



Farm people should view with concern and become fully 

 informed before lending support to new movements spring- 

 ing up under the guise of offering various forms of relief 

 to farmers' difficulties. Some of these movements are known 

 to be connected with and supported by men and organiza- 

 tions who, throughout the years, have benefited because of 

 division among farmers. 



The existing depression and resulting state of unrest seem 

 to offer an opportunity for the stimulation of new move- 

 ments which have for their purpose the retarding of the 

 fast development of co-operative marketing. Solutions of 

 farmers' problems will be hastened by the strengthening of 

 present forces rather than by the development of new or- 

 ganizations. Before aligning oneself with or contributing to 

 any new movement, farmers should seek full information 

 about such organization either from their County Farm 

 Bureau, the Illinois Agricultural Association or a well estab- 

 lished and recognized farm paper. 



VIII 



Because of the cost of construction of rural electric dis- 

 tribution lines is an important factor in the rate charged 

 for the energy, membeirs are urged to consider this subject 

 by groups and to thoroughly investigate such construction 

 costs and secure all possible reductions before signing up 

 for service. 



DC 



Since group action by land owners has proven successful 

 in dealing with public utility easement matters, all mem- 

 bers are urged to benefit by this experience and to carefully 

 study and obtain full information regarding their legal 

 rights before signing any right-of-way contracts for pipe 

 lines, electric lines, or telephone and telegraph lines. 



• X 



In view of the greatly diminished purchasing power of 

 the farmers, caused by the drastic reductions in prices for 

 farm products, and in view of the decline in the costs of 

 labor and materials, we urge that public utility rates be im- 

 mediately reduced wherever possible and the principle of 

 basing rates upon the cost of reproduction new less deprecia- 

 tion be adhered to as strictly as it has been during the past 

 decade of rising costs. 



XI 



At the present time there is a substantial over-production 

 of high quality agricultural products within the state. This 

 is especially true in the production of fluid milk and dairy 

 products. Under these conditions, insofar as circumstances 

 will permit, state and local governmental institutions should 

 purchase their supplies of such products from Illinois farmers. 



In view of the gross injustice of the present revenue sys- 

 tem, widespread concern over the increasing burden it is 

 laying on property, and the difficulty property owners have ; 

 in paying such taxes, all of which are greatly intensified V:- 

 and aggravated by the present severe economic depression, 

 we demand that every possible effort be made immediately 

 to lighten the taxes levied on real estate and tangible per- 

 sonal property. For this purpose we favor a fairer distribu- 

 tion of the cost of government by immediate enactment of ; 

 the Income Tax Bill, now pending in the special session of 

 the General Assembly, and the use of the revenue derived y 

 therefrom, as provided in companion bills, to replace, dollar 1 

 for dollar, taxes now levied on property for educational 

 purposes in the elementary public schools. 



We further recommend: v • • 



1. Legislation providing for proper budgeting, account- 

 ing and control of public expenditures. ,; % 



2. Legislation providing for reduction in public ex- 

 penditures as far as this can be done consistent with proper 

 public service. 



3. Immediate attention of taxpayers to public expendi- 

 tures in their local communities, where the most of the 

 taxcb they pay are spent, v / 



4. Reduction of taxes by consolidating taxing districts 

 wherever this can be done without impairing essential public 

 services. 



5. Elimination of taxes for non-essential purposes. 



, /•■:.. XIII :.:;■■'■ 



We recognize that nearly all policies of government 

 affect the welfare of agriculture either directly or indirectly. 

 We also recognize that the per cent of population engaged 

 in agriculture is steadily declining. When making selec- 

 tions of men to occupy public positions of trust and re-__ 

 sponsibility, farmers must stand together. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association during recent years 

 has given to its membership through the columns of its 

 official paper the attitude of those occupying positions of 

 trust, and particularly the voting record of members of our 

 law-making bodies on all measures directly affecting the 

 welfare of agriculture. 



We approve this action of the Board of Directors of the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association and urge the membership 

 to carefully study these records, and to actively support all 

 those seeking re-election, regardless of their party aflSIiations, 

 whose votes and efforts have been responsive to the needs 

 of our rural population. 



XIV 



The delegates and visitors of this Seventeenth Annual 

 Meeting of the Illinois Agricultural Association held in 

 Rockford, January 28 and 29, 1932, hereby express their 

 grateful and hearty appreciation for the cordial welcome 

 and for the unfailing courtesy and co-operation shown them 

 by the Winnebago County Farm Bureau, the Mayor, the 

 Chamber of Commerce, and the organizations of the City 

 of Rockford, and the citizens of the City of Rockford and 

 Winnebago County who have contributed so effectively to 

 the comfort, convenience and success of this annual meet- 

 ing. 



RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, 

 A. R. Wright, Chairman, Chas. Marshall, 

 Harold C. Vial, Chas. L. Bates, 



Frank Oexner, C. R. Ford, 



W. A. Dennis, . Grover Pierce, 



A. B. Schofield, John Carlson. 



