Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-03-22
EQUITY ANSWERS
FARM BUREAU
Defends Their Stand on ResOl y. rs
Recently Passed by the q
Society. "
'TAX MATTERS
ARE DISCUSSED
Says A. S. of Z. Has Made Its Own
Way Without Leaning on Tax
Payer for Support.

In the March 8th issue of the De-
corah papers in Farm Bureau news
we read that it must be considered
the height of folly for any farm or
ganization to pass resolutions such
as were passed at the mass meeting
called by the directors of the Winnie
shiek county Union of A. S. of +.
Well maybe so, but it is surprising
how much company we have in our
folly. Note the number of mass
meetings all over the state who very
foolishly draw up just such resolu-
tions. We cannot help feeling that
where so many independent men who
are far more prone to act Individual
ly than collectively, still have gotten
together and raise the same COM
plant, asking for relief, there must
be something more than ludicrous
bit of Rube ignorance and closetlst-
edness to start them going,
This article states that only 8.02
per cent of the taxes levied within
the county are used for local gov
ernment. In the same issue Pres.
Pearson of Agri. College at Ames
states that at least 80 per cent of
all taxes levied are spent within the
county where they are levied. So
much for that. AS to the statement
that no increase was made in tax
levies from 1907 to 1915 looks like
a smoke screen to cover up facts, as
we all know we are not paying 1918
taxes today. This is 1922. We also
know that there is limit placed
upon tax levies and no county may.
90 beyond this limit, but this is
easily gotten around by increasing
the valuation of the property upon
which taxes are levied. This the
county agent knows but does not
explain.
We just plain cannot see how
man at the head of a socalled farm
organization can find it in his heart
TO defend the present high taxes or
to oppose any reasonable measures
to reduce them. AS for the statis-
tics given, even the devil may quote
scriptures to prove that his asser-
ton is correct. We leave it to each
Individual tax payer to decide for
himself if his or her taxes have or
have not been noticeably increased.
If the reader will observe closely
the wording of the resolutions as
passed by this meeting and then
compare it with the impression which
the Farm Bureau news manages to
convey, you will note that several OF
these resolutions have become sadly
garbled.
Please note that this meeting does
not ask that the offices of county
agent and county nurse be closed, but
it does ask that those who wish for
these services should also be willing
to pay for them. The American
Society of Equity and most other
farm organizations have had to make
their way without leaning upon the
tax payer for support and when the
A. S. of E. through lack of interest
or from any other cause is unable TO
stand on its own feet it must fall.
We believe any organization should
stand or fall by its own merits.
It has seemed absolutely necessary
for us to come out and defend our
stand this time, but one of the re-
solutions passed by this organization
a long time ago was that we agreed
to leave all intruding organizations
severely alone and we are sorry tc
have had To break away from this
rule.
Winneshiek County Union of the
American Society of Equity
To the treasurer Of the Winneshiel
County Chapter of the American ket
Cross and to the people in General
In passing the resolution rtain
ing to the wages of the county nurse
you will note that no mention /!
made of how this nurse is being paid
At the present time we are yer!
well aware that she is paid by th'
Red Cross chapter; however, one o
the measures passed by the 3Sti
Gen. Assembly provided that schoo
boards, township trustees or super
visors shall have the power to EN-
ploy nurse or nurses for their owI
county and it is fact that in man