I. A. A. RECORD— May, 1933 



^ILiLillSIOIS 



CVL.TVRAL ASSOCIA 



RECORO^ 



N 



" To advance the purpose for which the Farm Bureau uxis 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 



PnbllBlied monthly by the Illinois Agricultural Aggotiatlon at 165 So. 

 ,: Main St., Spencer, Ind. Editorial Offices, 608 8. Dearborn St.. Chicago, 

 :'.'■ 111. Entered as second class matter at post office, Spencer, Ind. Accept- 

 ance for mailing at special rate of postage provided In Section 412, 

 Act of Feb. 28, 1925, authorized Oct. 27, 1925. Address all communications 

 for publication to Editorial Offices, Illinois Agricultural Association Record, 

 608 So. Dearborn St., Chicago. The Individual membeishlp fee of the 

 Illinois Agricultural Association Is five dollars a year. The fee Includes 

 payment of fifty cents for subscription to the Illinois Agricultural Associa- 

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

 ,,.. Indicate key number on address as is required by law. 



OFFICEBS 



President, Bart 0. Smith ...wi. Detroit 



Vice-President, A. R. Wright '. Varna 



/:_ Secretary, Geo. B. Metzger Chicago 



Treasurer, R. A. Cowles Bloomlngton 



BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

 (By Congressional District) 



1st to 11th Ebb Harris, Grayslake 



12th G. P. Tullock, Rocbford 



l»th C. E. Bamborough, Polo 



' 14th M. G. Lambert, Ferris 



: IBth M. Ray Ihrlg, Golden 



■ 16th Geo. B. Muller. Washington 



17th B. D. Lawrence, Bloomlngton 



18th W. A. Dennis, Paris 



l»th B. G. Curtis, Champaign 



20th Charles S. Black, Jacksonville 



21it Samuel Sorrells, Raymond 



22nd Talmage DeFrees, Smithboro 



28r<l 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 .' B. A. Cowles 



Fruit and Vegetable Marketing H. W. Day 



Publicity George Thiem 



Insurance Service V. Vaniman 



Legal Counsel Donald Kirkpatrlck 



" Live Stock Marketing Ray B. Miller 



Office C. B. Johnston 



Organization G. B. Metzger 



Produce Marketing F. A. Gougler 



Taxation and SUtistics J. C. Watson 



Transportation U J. Quasey 



ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS 



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



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



Illinois Agricultural Auditing Assn F. E. Ringham, Mgr. 



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



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



' lUlnois Fruit Growers Exchange H. W. Day, Mgr. 



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



Illinois Livestock Market. Ass'n...Ray Miller, Mgr., R. W. Grieser, Sales 



Illinois Produce Marketing Ass'n F. A. Gougler, Mgr. 



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



A Constructive Tax Program 



THE long-heralded breakdown of the property 

 tax forecast by the I. A. A. more than eight 

 years ago is here. Tax collections in 1933 promise 

 to shrink sharply even from the low returns of 

 last year. Some economies have been effected in 

 government but further cuts can and should be 

 made. Even then assessed property will be unable 

 to bear the cost of needed services under existing 

 tax laws. 



The Illinois Agricultural Association offers a 

 constructive program of tax legislation to re- 

 move a substantial portion of the burden from 

 farms, homes, and other real estate. That pro- 

 gram outlined on page 3 is set forth in greater de- 

 tail in a folder just off the press. 



The I. A. A. proposes to stop the confiscation 

 of real property first by further reducing appro- 

 priations and expenditures in the county and 

 state. Next it would distribute the tax load more 

 equitably among people having ability to pay 

 through new revenue legislation. It would shift 



the cost of building roads, bridges, grade separa- 

 tions, and streets from property to the gas tax 

 as quickly as possible. Lastly it would give the 

 legislature broad powers through constitutional 

 amendment to revise the state's taxing system. 



The tax situation in Illinois demands prompt 

 and aggressive action at Springfield. Much can 

 be done before 1935, the earliest possible date for 

 general tax revision if the people approve a con- 

 stitutional amendment. The situation demands 

 greater vigilance by taxpayers and more decisive 

 action by tax spenders in many counties and town- 

 ships. Property taxpayers are crying for relief. 

 Their appeal must be heard. ■:"■■:> 



: ■;:>:: Pass The Emergency Farm Bill 



THE strategy of the emergency farm bill 

 which would give the administration broad 

 powers and discretion as to the use of one or more 

 of several plans to raise commodity prices is be- 

 ing borne out by recent developments at Washing- 

 ton. The inflationary amendment most recently 

 proposed is necessary to make the picture com- 

 plete. With the authority granted by the bill now 

 before the senate, the President will have many 

 weapons to combat the depression. If one doesn't 

 work he can try another. Inflation alone, as the 

 President pointed out, will not solve the farm 

 problem. It will not restore parity prices for ag- 

 riculture. It will not balance production nor re- 

 move crop surpluses. It will bring instant relief 

 from high fixed charges including debts and in- 

 terest. The outlook for better times grows 

 brighter day by day. Further steps to rout the 

 depression now only await congressional approval 

 of pending legislation. That approval should be 

 given at once. 



'ji 



The Grain Producer Replies 



THE grain producers of Illinois resent the tac- 

 tics employed by certain elements in the grain 

 trade to undermine their efforts at marketing 

 grain co-operatively. During recent weeks farm- 

 ers have shown their resentment most effective- 

 ly by helping their state regional, Illinois Grain 

 Corporation, add 14 new elevator members. This 

 splendid increase was obtained in a little more 

 than seven weeks following the annual meeting 

 on Feb. 22 at Peoria. No better answer to grain 

 trade propaganda against the Illinois Grain Cor- 

 poration and Farmers National Grain Cori)ora- 

 tion could have been given. 



Volume of grain concentrated in farmer-owned 

 and farmer-controlled marketing agencies counts 

 more than verbal or written argument. Mud- 

 slinging, false charges, and innuendo will not head 

 off the development of co-operative marketing. 

 The opposition had better save its energies and 

 money spent for high-priced publicity bureaus 

 and field workers. We farmers are interested in 

 better marketing service and net returns for our 

 grain. We shall judge private handlers as well as 

 our own institutions accordingly. ; 



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