I. A. A. RECORD— May, 1933 



lief brought to the long suffering 

 property owner." 



Chas. S. Black, chairman of the 

 Public Relations Committee, and 

 George MuUer of Tazewell county rep- 

 resented the I. A. A. board. Other of- 

 ficers and staff members present in- 

 cluded R. A. Cowles, treasurer; A. E. 

 Richardson, and George Thiem. 



The legislative program presented 

 to members of the General Assembly 

 who listened attentively to the discus- 

 sion followed unanimous approval of 

 the proposed measures at a state-wide 

 meeting of more than 1,000 County 

 Farm Bureau leaders at Springfield 

 on April 11. 



At that meeting President Smith 

 eloquently reviewed in great detail the 

 history of the state sales tax spon- 

 sored by the new administration. He 

 revealed how the Association and its 

 friends in the Senate succeeded in 

 amending the measure when it was 

 slated to pass in the original objec- 

 tionable form, so as to distribute the 

 revenue equitably among the counties, 

 and to make it primarily a tax to re- 

 duce and replace property taxes. 



Two-Thirds Vote to Divert 



As originally drafted, the measure 

 would have placed all sales tax reve- 

 nue at the disposal of the State Re- 

 lief Commission. Only by a two-thirds 

 vote of the county board of super- 

 visors can sales tax revenue be di- 

 verted during 1933 and 1934 from re- 

 placement of property taxes to the 

 relief of destitute people. . >. 



Proposed legislation to restore to 

 the counties the power to determine 

 costs, fees, and salaries of local offi- 

 cials was explained thoroughly at the 

 state meeting of Farm Bureau leaders 

 by John C. Watson. A Supreme Court 

 decision, he pointed out, holds that the 

 county has no jurisdiction over the 

 salaries of probate judges, county 

 judges, and states attorneys. It is pos- 

 sible that this decision may extend 

 to juries' fees. Bills have been in- 

 troduced in the legislature, he said, 

 to reduce salaries of such officials up 

 to 20 per cent. The I. A. A. favors 

 this legislation, but wherever legally 

 possible it hopes to restore to the 

 counties authority to name salaries, 

 fees, and costs within the maximum 

 limits fixed by statute. Such proposed 

 bills include home rule for fixing blind 

 pensions, costs of publishing county 

 assessments, costs of publishing de- 

 linquent taxes, etc. - : > ^ 



The I. A. A. also will sponsor a bill 

 to postpone the date for fixing school 

 levies from the first Tuesday in 

 August to the first Tuesday in Sep- 

 tember. This will give more time to 

 school boards and taxpayers to as- 



FILLING UP WITH "HI-BALL" GAS AT TAZEWELL SERVICE STATION, 



PEKIN 



Practical' road t^mtu of tke new motor (ael composed of 10 per cent anhydrous 

 grraln alcohol and 90 per cent Aladdin graaoUne are being conducted thronehont 

 the Peoria and Blo'omlnKton area of central lUlnola under the auapl^ea of the 

 I. A. A., Illinois Farm Supply Co., and the County Farm Bureau service com- 

 panies. ManaKer Clyde l^oolsey. President Walter Frasee, Sec. Storey, and Di- 

 rectors Fasse and Aisle of Taseirell Seririce Co. ivere on hand as the first mix of 

 blended fuel virent on sale. 



certain the financial condition of their 

 districts. 



Redistribution of the three cent gas 

 tax, along lines suggested will make 

 possible a substantial reduction in 

 county and township road and bridge 

 levies on property. Details of the plan 

 outlined by Mr. Watson at the Spring- 

 field conference may be changed and 

 modified as the legislative situation at 

 the state capital directs. f '■;" 



Watching Legislature 



The fact that a number of other bills 

 have been introduced germane to dis- 

 position of gas tax funds, indicates 

 that modifications may be required to 

 insure enactment of a measure that 

 will bring the maximum possible re- 

 lief from property taxation. The 

 membership will be kept informed 

 from time to time about developments 

 regarding this important legislation. 

 The Public Relations Committee in 

 Springfield each week will watch this 

 measure and use proper influence to 

 see that the bill finally reported out 

 of committee protects the interests of 

 farmers and provides for maximum 

 replacement of property taxes. 



Following an explanation of the 

 proposed gas tax redistribution the 

 County Farm Bureau leaders voted 

 unanimously against abolition of 

 township road districts at this time. 

 It was feared by many that if the 

 township road system is turned over 

 to the county many farmers will be 

 forced to wait indefinitely for the im- 

 provement of township roads. 



The bill providing for a moratorium 

 on mortgage foreclosures until July 1, 

 1935 at this writing rests on third 



reading in the House. 



Another bill proposed by the As- 

 sociation will make it possible for 

 farmers owning 10 acres or more of ! 

 unsubdivided farm lands within the 

 corporate limits of a city or village 

 to detach such land on application to 

 the county or circuit court. A bill 

 to tax butter substitutes containing 

 foreign oils and fats also has I. A. A.- 

 approval. 



Farm Bureau leaders applauded 

 proposals to take the Supreme Court 

 at its word when it declared that in- 

 come is property. "If there is a legal 

 way to do it we're going to put in- 

 come on the property tax rolls," said 

 Mr. Kirkpatrick. "That's the only way 

 to get relief frotn the burdensome 

 property tax." .. .. 



Cowles Warns Leaders 



Explaining efforts being made to 

 wipe out federal and state appropria- 

 tions for agricultural extension and 

 experimental purposes, Mr. Smith ex- 

 plained that the I. A. A. is favorable 

 to reasonable economies in govern- 

 ment, but that the organization would 

 insist on having something to say as 

 to where the economies are to apply. 



Robert A. Cowles, treasurer, warned 

 the County Farm Bureau leaders 

 against losing sight of the purposes 

 for which the Illinois Agricultural As- 

 sociation was formed. "The com- 

 mercial services developed through 

 the associated companies are a sec- 

 ondary program," he said. "They were 

 developed when the I. A. A. had 

 money to invest in such enterprises/ 

 Our children have measured up and 

 , . ., (Continued on page 18) 



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