The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-12-28
MARYLAND FARM AID
Governor Tells Grange Economy Has
Made Possible Extension OF
Governmental Functions

governmental FuncttOuS
In an address to members of the
Maryland State Grange, at session
of the 73rd Annual Meeting, held In
the House Of Delegates Chamber In
the State House, Governor Herbert
r. O'Conor voiced his interest in the
farm people of the state, In state
ment of farm policy" that included
not only his direct efforts in behalf
OF the agricultural section of the
population, but also His concept %
taxation" upon which has been based
the fiscal policy of his Administra-
ton.
Quoting appropriations of $780,
900 annually for pest control and
other farm purposes, including new
functions recommended by the Farm
groups, Governor O'Conor declared
they emphasized the determination
of the State Administration to keep
its Extension Service on parity
with the best aids offered to farmers
anywhere in America"
Economy in Administration has
been a means to extension of govern
mental functions without any in
crease in taxation. Rather, the in
verse has been the result. Not only
have no new taxes been decreed to
care for greatly expanded education
al and other activities, but many nui-
sance taxes have been reduced as
much as 60 per cent, and the real es-
tate tax has been cut to less than SO
per cent, of the rate current when
this Administrator took office.
Concurrent with this downward
trend in taxation has been decided
upward swing in educational activi-
ties, eliminating in the program for
improvement of the States public
school system enacted this year, un-
der which the pupils of every county
in the State will now have available
IL years of free public schooling and
will know the benefits of improved
teaching, smaller classes and vastly
expanded curricula particularly in
vocational and adult education.
I'm the interest of forestry, the
State, through the Department of
Forests and Parks, has been raising
Seeding trees averaging 100000
per year for reforestation of eroded
and abandoned land. Through the CO.
operation of the Federal Forests Ser
vice, we have timber marking SER
vice which makes it possible for TIE
farmer to have up to 25 acres of tim
Der marked by a trained specialist
without charge. This enables the far
mer to obtain the maximum return
from his woodland forests.
I'VE have forest fire prevention
and control program second to none.
burned over land for the past five
years from $4,000 acres to 1000
acres in the fiscal year 1914.
THE Soil Conservation Program,
in few short years, has spread from
a concentrated Unconstitutional pro-
gram to a locally operated program
in almost all sections of the State.
Practically every county is organized
in Soil Conservation District.
This has resulted in more than
$500 farmers in Maryland adopting
complete soil and water conservation
plans for their farms-involving
more than $4,000 acres of contour
cultivations-5O,OO0 acres of con-
tour strip cropping-two hundred
miles Of terraces-2OO,00O acres of
drainage improvement-65,0 900 acres
of permanent pasture for erosion
control and $4,000 acres of woodland
and wildlife protection.
Farmers who are using the soil
conservation practices recommended
in Maryland Conservation Program
are reporting an increase of yields
in their crops Of 15 to 20 per cent in
addition to the protection from
erosion being received by their
land"