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The 



Illitiois A^cuttural Assodatioa 



RECOI^D 



Number 11 



NOVEMBER, 1934 



Volume 12 



How Candidates Stand on Vital Issues 



Results of Questionnaires Presented to Candidates for Congress and the State 



Legislature in Illinois 



IT is important for farmers to know 

 how candidates for office stand on 

 issues of chief interest to agriculture. 

 It has long been the policy of the Illi- 

 nois Agricultural Association to deter- 

 mine the attitude of candidates regard- 

 less of party, and to present voting rec- 

 ords wherever possible, on questions and 

 issues in which farmers are vitally in- 

 terested. Just now Illinois farmers are 

 concerned as to whether can- 

 didates for Congress will vote 

 to uphold and protect the Ag- 

 ricultural Adjustment Act. 

 They want to know if such 

 candidates, if elected, will vote 

 to protect the Adjustment Act 

 from unfriendly amendments 

 and repeal. 



There are at least two lead- 

 ing state issues in which farm- 

 ers are interested, namely, 



1. Amendment of the reve- 

 nue article of the state con- 

 stitution definitely limiting 

 property taxes, and granting 

 the General Assembly broad 

 powers to tax other sources of 

 revenue. 



2. Legislation empowering 

 and requiring each county to 

 provide relief for its own des- 

 titute people before calling on 



state and federal aid. Stopping further 

 diversion of gasoline taxes and using 

 such revenues to put the unemployed to 

 work building all-weathe^r farm to mar- 

 ket roads. 



In meetings held in September 1,400 

 County Farm Bureau leaders unanimous- 

 ly authorized and directed that the I. 

 A. A. prepare questionnaires for them to 

 submit to candidates for Congress and 

 for the state legislature on the issues 

 outlined above. 



In response to this demand the As- 

 sociation prepared questionnaires and its 

 board of directors and County Farm Bu- 



reau presidents submitted the following 

 statement and questionnaire to candi- 

 dates for Congress from Illinois: 



Statement on AAA 



"The Agricultural Adjustment Act was 

 enacted by Congress as the result of the 

 organized effort of farmers covering a 

 period of 12 years, to secure enabling 

 legislation necessary to control surpluses 



Vote for the Bond Issue 



FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION AGAINST A 

 sharp increase in property taxes next year vote ''YES*' 

 on the ISOyOOOyOOO bond issue in the election Taesday, 

 November 6. 



Unless this bond issue carries, a tax of $30,000,000 

 will be spread on all IMinoia property in 1935 to pay 

 for unemployment relief expenditures already made. 

 If the bond issue passes the bonds will be retired out 

 of gas tax revenues accruing to counties and municipal- 

 ities which received funds from the Illinois Emergency 

 Relief Commission. The state is authorized to with- 

 hold counties' and state's share of gas tax funds in 

 proportion to the amount of relief funds aJIotted them. 



While the I. A. A. opposed appropriations by the 

 legislature which made thii^ bond issue necessary, it now 

 supports the bond issue because its adoption is the 

 only way to avoid levying an additional $7,500,000 on 

 farm property in 1935. VOTE ''YES" ON THE 

 SMALL BOND ISSUE BALLOT TO RELIEVE PROP- 

 ERTY OF THIS INCREASED BURDEN. Failure to 

 vote is the same as voting ''NO. 



restoring and maintaining parity prices 

 for named basic crops. To repeal this 

 Act would be in effect saying that farm- 

 ers were not entitled to such support and 

 assistance of Government in securing 

 and maintaining parity price levels for 

 their products. 



"The Farm Bureau movement of Illi- 

 nois and the Nation worked to secure 

 the preparation and enactment of this 

 law. They are against un- 

 friendly amendments and cer- 

 tainly unalterably opposed to 

 its repeal. The Farm Bureau 

 will use its influence as experi- 

 ence warrants to secure more 

 simple, practical and effective 

 administration of this law. 



f» 



of farm production, in order that reason- 

 able price levels might be restored and 

 maintained for basic farm crops. Much 

 confusion seems to exist in the minds 

 of citizens (including many candidates 

 for public office) as to the merit of the 

 provisions of the Agricultural Adjust- 

 ment Act. Such confusion is largely the 

 result of propaganda emanatmg from 

 unfriendly sources. 



"The Agricultural Adjustment Act 

 merely provides a mandate of Congress 

 upon the Secretary of Agriculture to 

 use one of several ways, when approved 

 by the President, to assist farmers in 



"As a candidate for Con- 

 gress, your reply to the follow- 

 ing question will be appreci- 

 ated and you can be assured 

 that your expressed position 

 will be used only in such man- 

 ner as is accorded all candi- 

 dates for the office you are 

 seeking: 



QUESTION: If elected to 

 Congress, will yon support 

 farmers in their efforts to pro- 

 tect the Agricultural Adjust- 

 ment Act from unfriendly 

 amendments and repeal? 

 The table presented herewith shows 

 the response of the various candidates on 

 this issue. 



Replies of Candidates for Congress 



At larirw. two to bA TOtad for 



Michael L. Igoo Tta 



Martin A. Brennan No report 



G. Wayland Brooks Yps 



MfltOD B. Jones Yes 



8rd DIst. 



Edward A. Kelly No report 



Prank M. Fulton .- 



7th Dlst. 



Leonard W. Schnets ......./ 



Raymond J. Peacock No report 



10th Dist. 



DaTid B. Maloney Tea 



Ralph B. Church Yes 



11th IMst. 



James A. Howell Yes 



Chauncey W. Reed Yes 



Published monthly by the niinois Affrlcnltnral Association at 166 So. Main Street, Spencer, Ind. Bditorial Offices, SOS So. Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. Bntered 

 as second class matter at post office, Spencer, Ind. Acceptance for mailing at special rates of postage provided in Section 412. Act of Feb. 28, 19fi5, 

 authorised Oct. 27, 1926. Address all communicatlona for publication to Editorial Offices, Illinois Agricultural Association Record, 606 So. Dearborn St., Chicago. 



