The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-01
$500 MEMBERS ADDED OBUREAU IN PAST YEAR
O'Neal Outlines Work Of Farm Federation At
 First Session
Bridge
(State Capital Bureau.)

MONTGOMERY, Ala, July 31.- Increase of membership of the Alabama Farm Bureau Federation from 1000 to 22,600 in the past year is shown in the annual report of Edward A. O'Neal, president of the federc tion here Thurs day. Four new county farm bureaus were organized during the year. They were in Crenshaw, Coffee, Jackson and Marengo counties, making a total of 62 counties in the state organized, out of the G7 counties.
 Membership fees for 1923 were $63,- 045, as compared to fees of $31, ,710 for 1922, and the fees for the current year will show q substantial increase over those of last year, Mir. O'Neal said.
 Agriculture is the biggest business in Alabama" Mir. O'Neal said. Eighty per cent of the people are engaged in it. Oar ambition is to place it on a basis with other industry in proportion to it's importance.
 Working close cooperation with US is our extension service, headed at Au- burn, and directed by Prof. L. N. Dun can, whose vision and desire to serve the farmers caused him to call the first farm bureau meeting in Alabama"
 MT. O'Neal's report dealt with the various branches of the work under taken and being carried out by the fed eration. Regarding a study of taxes be. ing carried on by the body, Mir. O'Neal said in part:
 Farmers produced 62 per cent of the wealth of the state. Rural people want good roads, good schools, and other public institutions. Such things require money and lots of it.
 '"To bring to light needed information regarding taxes and taxation, and to determine what changes should be made, we employed Mir. J. S. Mooring, who is one of the most competent tax men of the present day, to make a thorough and impartial study of taxes in Ala bama. Mir. 1ooring is now ut work"
 In regard to cooperative marketing, Mir. O'Neal said: At our last annual meeting we agreed to contune and ex- pand our cooperative markiting pro- gram, which we have done.
 Production and soil building were given the close attention of the bureau during the past year. Farmers insti- tuted, tests on the fertility of soils and hourishment of soils and other expert mental works have been carried out dur ing the year. Agreements have been reached with the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company and the Me Donough Ore and Mining company for those firms to furnish one car of lime >to each organized county bureau during the next year, and seven railways have agreed to carry these cars free of charge, except for the loading costs, to these bureaus, that tests may be carried out.
 To Finance Farmers
 Mir. O'Neal outlined the work of the Federal Intermediate Credit act, and the organization of the state Interme- diate Credit Association, which will finance farmers under the safe farm ing program" of the Federation. Head. quarters for the state body will be in Montgomery
 By presenting our case to .the Ala. bama Public Service Commission, we are granted reduction of approxi. mately 20 per cent on intrastate freight rates on fertilizer. which obtained an enormous saving for our members:m Mr. O'Neal said in regard to the transpor- tation problems of the organization
 Publicity and agricultural education are being carried out on large scale, Mir. O'Neal's report shows. Passage of the agricultural Code by the legislature in force is considered one of the biggest of the legislative activities Of the body, it is pointed out
 Endorsement of the Ford bill for Muscle Shoals is made in the report and miscellaneous activities of the fed. eratiOn outlined.
 Claims Real Tax Unfair
 Declaring that real property in Ala,