The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1921-01-14

rs influence. the Farm Bureau Fedora
ton has remained nloof from such.
However, ifwcit openly to both politi-
c.1 parties and influenced them TO in.
cnpcratr farm planks in their plat
forms. II further asked for specific
planks against the Townsend Road
l. contcnding that IL would build
town.to.town roads rather than the
falm-to marke, roads, which the coun.
Try really needs.
When Congress gets down to bust
ness this winter il will find n number
of bills ready for its consideration.
Tho Cappcr-Volstcad Rill has been
amended 80 that, a. IL now stands, Il
Is doubtful II farmers could actually
own and operate milk route OF Their
own or, in fact, have ai.y real co-opcru,
ton. The y Ian Tax Bill will be
bf jught up again to saddle tax OF
OLE per cent, in addition 10 all other
taxes OF the shoulders of the farmer
on all land values ahoN, 10000. Di-
| gcstS of thee u. Il a number Of other
bills have alrcauy been prepared and
n plan of campaign worked out. The
I h'NN ''AA'AH - i'N'NN wv WI kl'H"H
llig Business Listens
There was IA meeting IN New lorl;
City IN late October Of the second Ma
tiunal Industrial Tan Conference, at
4 which representatives Of IN" lCaIing
/ Industries. banks and financial inter
1 Its 0f the country were present. An
/ fort w;,s made To- ,ndursc the above
/ rcutioncd taN bill, which would levy
! IN add tlrnal tax ON farm lands of u
! billion duilars n year, and to indursC
a. proposed tax ot one per cent Ol
/ sales IN all commodities, both whole,
ale AMI retail. estimated 90 raise an.
other billion dollars, good part Of Il
ON farmers.
President Howard, Of the American
tyrM BaIcau Federation. and II. G
Mckenzie, Of New York. appeared and
made such vigorous protests that some
Of the leading financicrs and tax au.
/ thoritics of the country, such as Otto
/ II. Kahn; Prof. T. $. Adams, of Yale,
and Prof. T.. Il. A. Scligman, Of Column
b,a University, sided with them, and
( the conference ended by strongly con.
/ dcmning both proposals. The big
business interests Of the country thus
recognized the Importance Of agricu-
tire and added Mr.. Mckenzie to the
taxation committee 10 represent farm
I interests.
The net results Of all of these things
hg been that IN ju,t one years time
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, by virtue OF Il, firm stand On
these questions of nationwide i'm.
pottance, its practical service in the
interests of the farmer, backed by it,
solid and widespread membership, has
assumed leadership in national way
for the farmers of America. This has
not been done at the expense or To tho
dctriment Of other organizations al.
ready In the field. Rather there have
been cooperation and friendship BE-,
tween the Farm Bureau officials and
leaders of the old national organiaa,
tions.
hut perhaps the most important
thing accomplished by the American
Federation has been the building uT
Of its membership. There Is n tota
of one million five hundred thousan,
lpaid-up members. There are now
thirty-f0ur states that have been ad
mittcd to the federation. BY the en-,
Of next weeks meeting these may hav,
increased to forty. BY that tim,
Iowa will have completed its drive fol
100000 members. Illinois now ha,
more than 100 900, and Michigan, Ohio
Indiana and New York are close be
hind.
Many states have followed the lea,
of the Middle West and have reorga
nizcd on basis of five or ten dollar
memberships. This has been especial
ly true in New England, in a section
where such action was thought impos
sible q year ago.
This organization work and tn,
membership camraign have been car,
ricd on by the individual states rather
than by the national federation. The
federation, however. has helped to plar
the campaign. The officers and the
executive committee have devoted {
good share Of their time to aiding il
the work,
A comprehensive plan has been out
lined for a study Of the fundamental,
of agricultural problems on seal,
never before attempt ID by any organi
cation or government agency, and thi
study has been put into the hands o
the best equipped men in the land.
Three major projects have been out
lined and set und way. These are
First, the establishment of a perma
nent bureau of fanf economies; sec
ond, the appointment of a permanen
committee of seventeen to study thor
oughly the question of grain market
ing; and third, o permanent committe
: Of fifteen to make q similar study o
live stock marketing.
This bureau of farm economies will
! be under the supervision Of the fol