The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-11-23
Is the Farm Bureau
Movement a Failure?
What Has 1t Done For The Farmers of
Binek1m COuntv9

II will never give another dollar
to the Farm Bureau, because don't
get anthing out of it."
why should 1 join the Farm Bur-
eau, it has done nothing for me?"
What has the Farm Bureau done
anyway? We would be just as well
off without it?"
but we feel sure that such remarks
would be far less frequent II every
one knew just what had been done.
Most of those who make remarks OF
this kind are those who are not in
formed on the subject.
We admit that the Idaho State
Farm Bureau Federation, for various
reasons, has not functioned properly
in the past and consequently the
members of the Idaho Farm Bureaus
have not received as much benefit
as they should have done. But, with
out the aid Of the State Federation
as a connecting link between the
County Bureaus and the American
Farm Bureau Federation, there has
been a great deal accomplished which
is of value to the farmers of Idaho
and Bingham County.
To know whether anything Is
worth while it is necessary to know
the cost. The appropriation made for
County Agent work this year was
less than one cent per acre, or ap-
proximateIy 72 cents for the average
eighty acre farm. But we did not
have enough money this year 70
carry on the work in the proper man
ner. II enough money were approia-
ted it would cost approximately $1.4O
for the average 80 acre farm or 1 "a
cents per acre. The Farm Bureau
then, would cost the average eighty
acre farmer $1.40 plus the $500 mem
bership fee, making a total of $6.40
provided he Joined the Bureau. The
man who does not join is like the
balky horse, he won't help pull the
load but he helps to eat the grain
after it reaches it's destination. Every
farmer in Bingham County has rece1-
we'd the benefits Of Farm Bureau work
whether he joined or not.
The following is a few of the things
that have been accomplished by the
American Farm Bureau Federation
and the Bingham Count Farm Bureau. !
Space and time would not permit us
to mention them all.
(D Tax on Farm Lands
When we entered the World War
Congress leveied an excess profit tax
and a graduated income tax. 1t was
q Just tax, for 1t was levied against
the corporations and individuals
most able to pa, but because 1t was
a Just tax did not make it any more
acceptable to those who had to pay 1t.
While the war was in progress they
made no protest because the word
Stacker was on the tongue OF the
public and it was not always exped-
ent to say what one thought, but as
loon as the war was over ways and
means were sought to find substi-
ute TO the excess profits taxes. 1t
vas very evident that the enormous
var debt must be paid and that tax
tion seemed the only means OF pay
ng it, consequently tax was sought
which could be used as a substitute
or the excess profits tax. There Is
10 substitute for taxes, but some
ines men are found who can be
sed as substitute tax payers, which y
mounts to the same in the end.
Those who were paying the excess
rofits load looked about for sub
titute to carry the burden and they
it upon the farm lands Of the ma
on.
ongressman Nolan of California in g
.oduced a bill which provided for "
ne per cent tax on all farm lands
alued in excess Of ten thousand-1EI E
he bill eliminated all land not val
ed in excess of ten thousand dollars. o'
rhy was this done? To eliminate the p
,position of the laboring men and IL
Le small farmers throughout the III
nited States. Most Of the opposi- "
On was thereby eliminated, and
ade it easier to put the bill across. u
But we may be thankful that the re
merican Farm Bureau Federation 81
ID an able man in Washington In qt
e person of Gray Silver who acts III
their legislative representative
stters were sent to every Farm ~
lreau in the United States and votes III
more than a hundred thousand 80
rmers were registered against the VI
IL. Then Gray Silver saw that the
II received a jolt from which IT DC
Ii 4l1n "
the Farm Bureaus Of America were III
disorganize today, it would not be ,e'
year before the farmers Of America uu
IRE bearing the burden Of the war ~
BITS through a tax on their land. ~
Sales Tax.