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THE I. A. A. RECORD 



April, 1933 



^^ IE* VI N OI6 



CCLTIJRAL ASSOCIA 



RECORJD 



To advance the purpose for which the Farm Bureau was or- 

 ganized namely, to promote, protect and represent the busi- 

 ness, economic, political and educational interests of the 

 farmers of Illinois and the nation, and to develop agriculture. 



George Thiem, Editor 



Published monthly by the IllinolB Agricultural Aitsociatlon at 165 So. 

 Main St., Spencer, Ind. Editorial Offices, 608 8. Dearborn St., Cblcago. 

 111. Entered as aecond claas matter at post office, Spencer, Ind. Accept- 

 ance for malllBg at special rate of postage proTlded In Section 412, 

 Act of Feb. 28, 1»26, authorized Oct. 27, 1928. Address all communications 

 for publication to Editorial Offices, Illinois Agricultural Association Record, 

 608 So. Dearborn St.. Chicago. The individual membership fee of the 

 lUinoia Agricultural Association la Ave dollars a year. The fee Includes 

 payment of fifty centa for subscription to the Illinois Agricultural Assoicla- 

 tion Record. Poetmaster: In returning an uncalled for missent copy please 

 Indicate key nnmber on address as is required by law. 



OFFICERS 



President, Earl C. Smith Detroit 



Vice-President, A. R. Wright Varna 



Secretary, Geo. H. Metzger Chicago 



Treasurer, R. A. Cowles Bloomlngton 



BOARD OF DIRECTORS 



'■■.••:•■ (By CongresBional District) 



1st to 11th '". Ebb Harris, Grayslake 



12th G. F. Tullock, Rockford 



ISth C. B. Bamborough, PoJo 



14th M. G. Lambert, Ferris 



15th M. Ray Ihrlg, Golden 



16th Geo. B. MuUer, Washington 



17th B. D. Lawrence, Bloomlngton 



18th W. A. Dennis, Paris 



l»th B. G. Curtis, Champaign 



20th Charles S. Black, Jacksonville 



2l8t Samuel Sorrells, Raymond 



22nd Talmage DeFrees, Smlthboro 



2Srd W. L. Cope, Salem 



24th Charles Marshall, Belknap 



25th R. B. Endlcott, Villa Ridge 



DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS 



Comptroller J. H. Kelker 



Dairy Marketing J. B. Countiss 



Finance R. 4. Cowles 



Fmlt and Tegetable Marketing H. W. Day 



Publicity Gieorge Thiem 



Insurance Serrice V. Vaniman 



Legal Counsel Donald Klrkpatrlck 



Lire Stock Marketing Ray B. Miller 



Office C. B. Johnston 



Organization G. B. Metsger 



Prodnca Marketing F. A. Googler 



Taxation and Statistics J. C. Watson 



Transportation L. J. Qnasey 



ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS 



Country Life Insurance Co L. A. Williams, Mgr. 



Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Co J. H. Kelker, Mgr. 



Illino's Agrlcultnral Auditing Assn F. B. Ringbam, Mgr. 



Illinois Agricultural Mutual Insurance Co A. B. Richardson, Mgr. 



Illinois Farm Supply Co L. R. Marchant, Mgr. 



Illinois Fruit Growers Exchange H. W. Day, Mgr. 



Illinois Grain Corp Chas. P. Commlngs, Vice- Pres. and Sales Mgr. 



Illinois Livestock Market. Assn. ..Ray Miller, Mgr., R. W. Grieser, Sales 



Illinoia Pro<lnce Marketing Ass'n F. A. Gougler, Mgr. 



Soybean Marketing Ass'n W. H. Conltas, Mgr. 



Administra+ion Farm Program 



HERE'S to the Business Week for a clear and hon- 

 est appraisal of the economic situation and the 

 Roosevelt program to raise agricultural prices. Ad- 

 mitting that there may be sound objections offered to 

 the proposed farm legislation, the weekly declares in 

 its March 29 issue: 



"President Roosevelt's farm program has one 

 supreme justification which overrides objections. 

 It is necessary to do something for the farm popu- 

 lation and do it quickly. . . , One way or another, 

 the rest of the population is going to be taxed 

 for the benefit of the farmer . . . but that aspect 

 of the situation is mitigated by the reflection that 

 for a long time the farmer has subsidized the rest 

 of us. . . , " ^\ ■:^■;;.;'■■^ •.:;;>v ■;/T'- A.:V: ::,...• ;;:;, 



Here is an honest statement of fact. It has been 

 too often denied in business and industrial circles. 

 Our "protection for industry" policy pursued for many 

 years is largely responsible for putting the farmer 

 down where he is. That policy has led to the near 

 destruction of American agriculture's foreign markets 

 and compelled the farmer to pay exorbitant tariff- 

 made prices for nearly everjrthing he bought. Fur- 

 ther, our high tariff policy, immigration restrictions. 



and rate-fixing have greatly increased -the cost of pro- 

 cessing and distributing farm products. As a result 

 the American farmer receives an unwarranted small 

 percentage of the consumer's dollar. 



Higher farm prices will immediately release a 

 wave of buying that will be reflected in greater em- 

 ployment and prosperity in industrial centers. Thus 

 the administration farm program strikes at the heart 

 of the depression. It is a program designed not to 

 benefit agriculture alone, but to benefit the entire 

 nation. 



Inflation Not Enough 



CONTROLLED inflation is now being offered by the 

 conservative Chicago Daily News as the cure for 

 the farm problem in particular and the depression in 

 general. In doing so it expresses opposition to the 

 administration farm program and plans to refinance 

 farm mortgages at lower rates of interest. While it 

 Is gratifying to see additional city support to the move- 

 ment for refiation, this alone will not establish parity 

 prices for agriculture. 



Inflation will tend to raise all commodity prices 

 equally. This will bring relief to the farmer from such 

 fixed charges as debts, interest, taxes, transportation 

 and utility rates, and excessive costs of distribution. 

 Possibly no other one thing will do more for those 

 deeply in debt. But inflation alone will not eliminate 

 farm surpluses nor open up foreign outlets for farm 

 products. 



It will not eliminate the disparity between farm and 

 non-agricultural prices. More than that is necessary. 

 The situation calls for a broad attack all along the 

 line, for a plan of acreage reduction in some instances, 

 reciprocal trade agreements, a retreat from our high 

 tariff policy, property tax reduction, and the like. And 

 the administration should be given power to apply 

 any one or all of the things necessary to do the job. ^ 



Social Legislation 



THE state sales tax was conceived as a piece of 

 social legislation for unemplosnnent relief. The 

 original bill in effect declared that every time you 

 spend a dollar you must contribute three cents to the 

 unemployment relief commission to buy food and 

 shelter for a less fortunate neighbor. No one with an 

 ounce of social consciousness can deny subsistence to 

 those who are worthy and in want. The danger of 

 such legislation lies in the possibility of creating a 

 permanent class of dependents. Incidentally, Presi- 

 dent Roosevelt's reforestation program to provide work 

 for the unemployed attempts to meet this serious 

 problem. 



As a result of the amendments sponsored by the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association, however, the state 

 sales tax has been made primarily a measure to re- 

 duce property taxes. This was accomplished without 

 destroying its value as a source of revenue to feed 

 the destitute. One way or another, hungry people are 

 going to be fed. If food isn't offered at public expense 

 many will take it by force. It is far better to give the 

 needed relief in an orderly and equitable way. And 

 it is no more than just that the property owner be not 

 required to bear this additional load. 



Sales tax revenue may not be used for unemploy- 

 ment relief except by a two-thirds vote of the county 

 board. In rural counties there need be little if any 

 diversion. Where none is voted, it must replace prop- 

 erty levies, dollar for dollar. In more populous coun- 

 ties the revenue if needed can be used for relief pur- 

 poses. There, people are being fed now either out of 

 gas tax money, or from funds contributed by property 

 taxpayers. So in any case, the overburdened prop- 

 erty owner is no worse off, and he may have his taxes 

 reduced. 



