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I. A. A. Record — February, 1934 



Pres. Smith Reviews 



Agricultural Problems 



(Continued from page 12) 



• other sources of revenue and their use 

 to replace taxes now levied upon prop- 

 erty. Such an amendment would fur- 

 nish real reasons for taxpayers to 

 fight for and secure its adoption at 

 the polls. We do not believe that any 

 amendment will be approved by the 

 people, unless it has such provisions." 



Reviewing the position of the I. A. 

 A. on unemployment relief he con- 

 tinued: "Without exception, responsi- 

 bility for the defeat of constructive 

 revenue legislation and the failure to 

 submit a reasonable and just amend- 

 ment to the revenue article of the con- 

 stitution rests upon Chicago politicians 

 and certain down-state legislators, 

 who with their support made the ef- 

 forts of Chicago political leaders suc- 

 cessful. Certainly the time has arrived 

 when the voters of Illinois must dis- 

 tinguish between statesmen sincerely 

 endeavoring to serve the interests of 

 the people and politicians representing 

 selfish interests. The citizens of Illi- 

 nois will not and cannot have just and 

 fair revision of the state's revenue 

 laws until radical revision of the 

 revenue article of the constitution is 

 had. We find that, in large part, the 

 , delay in getting the submission of 

 such an amendment is caused by the 

 selfish interests enjoying protection 



and advantages under the restrictions 



of the present revenue article. 



"Although in the minority, the 

 politicians that represent these spe- 

 cial interests have resorted to every 

 kind of intrigue and appeal, and 

 through subtle amendments to practi- 

 cally every constructive revenue law 

 or amendment proposed, have been 

 successful in defeating the efforts of 

 those members of the General As- 

 sembly who have sincerely endeavored 

 to serve the interests of the people. 



"A careful review of the voting 

 records of the members of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly on all revenue matters 

 will easily disclose the distinction as 

 between statesmen and politicians to 

 which I refer. The property taxpayers 

 of this state will win this battle, if 

 and when and just to the extent they 

 . refuse to support for reelection, re- 

 gardless of their party affiliation, 

 those who through compromise, in- 

 fluence or vote, have failed to put 

 forth every reasonable and proper ef- 

 fort in support of equitable and just 

 revenue reform. (Applause) 



"Shall we meet the challenge that 

 confronts us? If the desire for home 

 and other property ownership is to be 

 restored and maintained, the selfish 

 interests that have for so long been 



Macoupin County Delegation at 2 A. M. 



protected at the expense of property 

 owners, must be met and overcome. 

 There is no individual group or insti- 

 tution in Illinois as well prepared as 

 the Illinois Agricultural Association 

 to assume leadership in this fight to 

 take from the politicians and restore 

 to the people their rights under fair 

 and equitable revenue laws." 



Referring to diversion of gas tax 

 funds for other purposes Mr. Smith 

 said: "This should be stopped. Only 

 about 30 per cent of the farms of the 

 state are located on improved high- 

 ways capable of all year use. The re- 

 maining 70 per cent of the farms are 

 located on dirt roads difficult or im- 

 possible for motor vehicles to use for 

 considerable periods of time every 

 year. I also find that only about 30% 

 of the highways of the state are im- 

 proved. At least until a secondary 

 road system is laid out and com- 

 pleted, every reasonable and proper 

 influence of the Farm Bureau move- 

 ment, community, county and state, 

 should be used to secure the discon- 

 tinuance of using this revenue for 

 other than the building and main- 

 tenance of highways and streets." 



Mr. Smith concluded his address by 

 saying: "Whatever have been our ac- 

 complishments and attainments, they 

 are the result of the impelling force 

 of the united thinking and action of 

 the membership. 



"The voice and the influence of the 

 institution cannot and will not be 

 stronger than those for whom it 

 speaks. So let us not lose sight of the 

 thing that has made all pronounce- 

 ments of the institution possible. 

 Without group action, we would have 

 accomplished nothing. Without organ- 

 ization, our recent achievements as 

 well as those of earlier years would 

 not have been realized. Organization, 

 like a machine, is merely a means to 

 an end; yet the productiveness of the 

 machine and its ability to do the job 

 for which it was designed and built 



depends on how well it is maintained. 

 The organization machine must rest 

 on a solid foundation of membership. ; 

 The united strength and support of ^ 

 the members hold it up and give it 

 power and influence to cope with the 

 great problems affecting the present 

 and future of agriculture. It must be 

 adequately financed. 



"Sometimes we hear that to in- 

 crease the membership, the member- 

 ship fee should be reduced. In every 

 state where this has been tried, it has 

 resulted in a substantial decrease in 

 membership. We, in Illinois, have a 

 higher membership fee than in any 

 other state; yet we have the largest 

 supporting Farm Bureau membership 

 of any state in the Union. (Applause) 

 There is a reason, and that reason 

 can be expressed in a single word — 

 service. While we as members have 

 put more in, we have also taken more 

 out. It has been said that a Farm Bu- 

 reau membership in Illinois costs 

 nothing, if the member uses the or- 

 ganization. It merely costs $15 per 

 year for non-members who join but 

 fail to use or participate in its serv- 

 ices. 



"Farmers are not interested nor 

 should they be interested in maintain- 

 ing an organization just for the sake 

 of organization. The only excuse for 

 organization is to accomplish a worthy 

 end and get things done. If I thought 

 that the work of a state association 

 was finished or that the problems con- 

 fronting farmers were greatly re- — 

 duced, I would be the first to recom- . 

 mend that we disband and prorate '. 

 back to the members whatever assets 

 have been accumulated. On the con- - 

 trary with each succeeding day, we 

 see and witness ever-increasing prob- 

 lems confronting the farmers of state * 

 and Nation. 



"If Government could or would, re- 

 gardless of who happened to be in 

 control, restore to agriculture a -fair 

 share of the national income and leg- ; 

 islate fairly for farmers without their 

 being heard, then we could be less en- 

 thusiastic about the need of organiza- 

 tion. If we were justified in believing 

 that our present marketing system is 

 perfect, that the farmer is getting as 

 much of the consumer's dollar as he 

 is entitled to, we could say, Let's for- 

 get about our marketing problems and 

 activities — let's stay home on the 

 farm, produce and let others market 

 our products for us. 



"If we could rest content in the be- 

 lief that we have a perfect taxing 

 system and that the tax burden would 

 be equitably distributed and that farm 

 property would bear no more than its 

 just share, we could say. Let's dispense 

 (Continued on page 15, Col. 1) 



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