Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

The organized and corporate interests represented in mining, manufacturing, merchandising, transportation, and the like, seem often to hold the idea that their business may be developed and exploited without regard to the farmers, who should, however, have an equal opportunity for enjoyment of the land, forests, and streams and of the right to buy and sell in the open markets without prejudice (p. 37).
The way in which discriminating conditions may arise is well illustrated in the inequalities of taxation of farm property. It is natural that visible and stationary property should be taxed freely under our present system; it is equally natural that invisible and changeable property should tend to evade taxation. The inevitable result is that the farmer’s property bears an unjust part in taxation schemes (p. 37).
We recommend that the welfare of the farmer and countryman be also kept in mind in the construction of laws (p. 37).

American Agricultural and Applied Economics Association http://www.aaea.org/ (Accessed: August 19, 2008).

Making a Difference in Rural Illinois