The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-12-03
Bureau Leaders Seek
Favorable Interest Rates
Income Tax, Agricultural Agen;
Service, Invoked by Officers of
Sixteen Counties

Lower rates of interest for ag-
riculture, greater support to coun-
ty agent work and aggressive local
campaigns in favor of the state in
come tax are sought by farm lead
ers of southwestern Minnesota, who
met at Window on Nov. 10 to rep
resent sixteen county Farm Bur
eaus in a special regional confer
ence.
First turning their attention to
the farm credits situation, the coun-
ty Bureau officers petitioned that
the Federal Land Bank system be
so strengthened that land bank
bonds could be sold cheaper and
lower interest rates be made avail
able to agriculture. Coupled with
this resolution was another asking
that the Northwest Farm Mortgage
association show all possible lem
iency in dealing with delinquencies,
and that before foreclosing on a
farm it make a personal analysis
and extend relief in all worthy
cases.
The Bureau leaders deplored the
fact that farmers have always been
forced to pay a maximum rate of
interest on short time loans while
other industries have been able to
get loans at lower rates. Officials
of the state and national Farm
Bureaus were asked to use their
power in bringing about more IA
vorable interest rates, not inconsis-
tent with good banking practice.
Reiterating their belief that the
state income tax must be adopted
in the interests of agriculture and
the general welfare of the state,
the Bureau leaders laid plans for
aggressive educational campaigns
in each rural community.
The farm leaders also struck
back at the interests that are try
ing to cripple agriculture, in their
fight against the income tax. by
working for the elimination of
agricultural extension service. The
$50 leaders present unanimously
adopted a resolution deploring "the
growing sentiment among those
who are opposed to organized agri-
culture and practical extension
work and the influence brought to
bear by them upon county author
tiles in an attempt to eliminate or
cripple extension work in the coun-
ties"
The resolution continued, 1--WE
believe that discontinuance of agri-
cultural extension appropriations
would kill All club work, dis
courage the operation of existing
cooperative enterprises and lose
the effect of many years of effort
in community organization. The
cost of extension work averages
only one-half cent per acre of farm
land, raising in the long run a
very small amount of money tor
the benefits obtained from it's ac-
tivities. We believe that the ex-
tension work should be supported
by tax on all the property of the
county. including that in cities and
village as well as rural"
Copies of the resolutions have
been sent to Minnesota's congress
ment, Gov. Olson and members of
the state legislature, and the Amer
lean and the Minnesota Farm
Bureau. The resolutions concern
ing the need for state income tax
and the statement deploring the at
tacks made on agriculture and the
county agent service were forward
ed to the Minnesota Taxpayers
League.
John Wisdorf, of Fulda, a men,
Der of the executive board of the
Minnesota Farm Bureau, and lead
er in the Murray County Farm
Bureau, was chairman of the COM
mittee on resolutions.