Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-09-06
COUNTY BOARD Il
OF Agriculture.
Farmers Talk about Taxes, fFeights,
and Agricultural Colleges.

The Quarterly Meeting of the County
Board Of Agriculture was held in Patrons
Hall, Mullica Hill, last Monday, with
President E. E. Clement in the chair.
There was no routine business, and after
the minutes Of the last meeting had been
read, "What are the most urgent needs of
Farmers to-day" was discussed. Thomas
Borton led in this subject. He said the
question of help is the most important
farmers are favored, but the majority are
in continual trouble. There is condsider-
able help, he said, but it is unreliable.
He would not venture a solution Of the
problem.
question not on the program, but one
that appealed to Mr.. Borton as an urgent
need, was the tax question. Taxes, he
said. are increasing, and what are we going
to do about No matter how much prop
erty increases, taxation more than keeps
pace with it. Values in this State are in
creased $780, 100000 he said, yet our taxes
pile up. This increase in value ought to
lessen our taxes, this year, he asserted
Our county tax rate has gone from 80 cents
few years ago to 10 cents last year
Will Hoffman thought one solution of
the labor problem was to raise less or re-
build the tenant houses that were so neces-
sary when he was boy. He thought in
return to the labor problem that farmers
had the ten hour problem % face.
! Theodore Brown asserted that the aver
age field labor did not make ten hours a
day now.
james White, Jr, said he did not think
his help averaged ten hours. He made it a
peint to keep one good man, get in all the
crops he could, and employ Italians to
gather them.
| Mr.. Heritage advised farmers not to at
tempt to feed the Italians
John G. Whitall said he did not under
take to work over ten hours, and he had
the government eight hour law to face. The
drawback to Italian laborers is that they
can't manage horse. He prefers Italians
to colored help. He said the tenant house
did not solve the problem with him.
George Tonkin, Director of the Board OF
Freeholders, said he did not see how we
were going to reduce taxes and keep up
with the times. If you will turn out every
Freeholder and elect those not in favor OF
improvements, little saving might be ac-
complished. But it should not be for.
gotten that the Chosen Freeholders expend-
ed only about half the moneys raised by
county tax.
John G. Whitall said West Deptford did
not have any township tax as they received
81, 100 from license fees, and considerable
in franchise taxes. The new power house
at Newbold, also added considerable to
the valuation.
Mr.. William Davis said the increase Of
officers and increase of salaries was the
cause of increased taxation. $40, 900 a
year to exterminate mosquitoes and the pur-
chase Of 25, 600 acres Of land as forest re.
erve were other reasons for the increase in
taxation. Labor in the cities, he asserted
made more hours than labor on the farm
People, he said, had always been fearful O
the disappeance of our forests, but there
are now more saw mills in the county thar
ten years ago. As to farm values Mr.
Dayis said they were so per cent. less thar
thirty years ago. Yet taxation was piling
up.
Will Hoffman questioned the accuracy of
this statement, and said farms within a
mile Of Mullica Hill had increased in value.
But he was promptly informed within a
mile Of Mullica Hill was not the entire
county.
Edw. Gaunt sustained the statement Of
Mr.. DaYis, and cited an instance.
John G. Whitall said large farms sold al
smaller prices, small farms at larger
price.
! Miss Mabel Brown gave a recitation with
much true expression, and then Mrs. Ben
lab Gardiner told how she canned peaches.
The second question What would you
recommend as a means Of cheaper and
quicker delivery Of products,p was next
discussed.
The keynote to cheaper transportation
wascompetition, said Mr.. White, but our
railroads are now operated on the COM
munity Of interests plan. He thought
where there was complaint, the Rate Bill
would solve the problem, if enforced
Theodore Brown said we must depend on
the transportation Companies, raise sufficient
Istuff and put il in position for them to
handle. He told hcw d special car took
asparagus toBoaton, becauae d this arrange