OCR Text |
Show bargain in the United States, but a farmer can't buy help. No one wants to do the kind of work the farmer has in long hours and even if he Letters to--p- The Record welcomes letters from its readers on any subject of public interest. The publisher at all times reserves the right to edit, condense or reject any contributions in the interest of brevity andor good taste. To the Editor: This is a copy of a letter I have sent to Senator Orrin G. Hatch: The Honorable Orrin G. Hatch United States Senate Washington, D.C. Sir: I received in the mail today a letter over your signature asking for contributions to WINPAC. I would like to express some of my feelings concerning the plight of the farmer and rancher today. First, I would like toaskthe question: Do you feel that all segments of the population should be taxed equally? If so, let's take a look at the situation as it is. When a person decides he wants to be a farmer or rancher, the first thing he must do is purchase some land. The investment wiU probably be a life-lomortgage; however, if he is lucky, he will go broke, the bank wiU foreclose on him and he will get a decent job and live like a human being for a while. However, when he purchases this land, he is given an instrument called a warranty deed that says he now owns or at least has a piece of land that he can use to try and make a living on for himself and his family. The first and only sure crop he will raise on this land is a property tax statement. This tax must be paid every year, ng regardless of what happens. There could be a drought and wipe out the entire crop, a freeze, a hale storm, grasshoppers, or the farmer himself may become ill, break a leg or even lose his life, but stiU that tax must be paid or the land will be taken away from him or his widow and sold for taxes. Why aren't other segments of the population treated the same way? If a person studies to be a doctor, lawyer or merchant and is given an instrument or document that says he can now practice law or medicine, or do business as a merchant, he is really set up. If this person was treated the same as a farmer, he would be required to pay a property tax of about 10 of his earnings; and if he doesn't the certificate or license should be taken away from him. The same should apply to school teachers, Congressmen, Governors, Presidents, in fact, even the wage earner. You say it wouldnt work because the lawyer, doctor, etc. would just raise their fees to make up the difference. Again, lets treat everyone the same. The farmer can't raise his prices to compensate for the higher prices the doctor or lawyer charges. As a matter of fact, the farmer has nothing to say about the prices .he receives for his wheat, corn, cattle, etc. If farmers can't set the price on their produce, why should doctors and lawyers or anyone else be allowed to set the price of their services. Now you say the prices of commodities is determined on the principle of supply and demand. Hog wash. If that was so, labor should be the. greatest ut could hire help, he couldnt afford to pay the price he would have to pay for the sloppy kind of work most people would give these days. If a person has enough land and equipment to make a decent living, it would require an investment of at least half a million dollars. He is entitled to. a reasonable return on his investment. . Two hundred years ago it was necessary to collect a property tax on farm land because about 97 per cent of the population were farmers and about 3 per cent were lawyers, doctors, etc. Today it is just the opposite 3 per cent are farmers and 97 per cent, others; but you still want the 3 per cent to foot the bill for all. Lets get things straightened out and put the responsibility where it should be. About four years ago we had a shortage of wheat. Our government asked the farmers to go all out to produce all the food they could, and if they would, they would be taken care of. Well, we have been taken care of, all right. The price of wheat today to the farmer, at least in our area, is 3.5 a pound. It was 7 f four years ago. The price of calves today is about 35$ a pound and four years ago it was 70$. An embargo has been placed on wheat and meat by everyone from the housewife to the President of the United States of America. If something isnt done for the farmer right now, it is going to be too late. Thousands of farmers have gone broke the last three years, and thousands more will be buried the next year or two if the shackles arent removed. The farmer has gone all out to feed the world, giving their all, but who gives a damn for the hand that feeds them? I would suggest now that the firmer get organized and next year at harvest time inform the world that they are offering half their crop for sale. If we get a fair price, we wiU release the rest. If not, hold the rest for a year and not plant any crops for a year. If we do this, we'U get the price we deserve and a lot of hungry people will be damn glad to pay what it is worth. The way it is now, these doctors and lawyers buy a farm or a ranch and use it as a tax write-of- f. Maybe we could get even by handing them a sack of potatoes and a quarter of beef for a $100,000 home, instead of having them take a$200,000 farm or ranch for a doctor bill or a lawyer fee. A farmer can spend a life time building up a farm, only to lose it to. a doctor or lawyer for a few days' services. Isnt food and fiber just as necessary to the human race as doctors and lawyers, etc.? These taxes should be collected in the county where these people live and the money used locally to take care of local problems such as schools, health and welfare. If each county had to take care of its own welfare problems without any help from the federal government, you could be damn sure they would know where their money was going. Only the deserving would receive this help and the thousands and thousands of free riders who are milking the tax payers dry would be forced to go to work and pay their own way and also contribute their share to the building up and improvement of our great country. Lets also give the Indians a fair chance. I live in San Juan County, Utah, among the Utes and Practically Navajos. every one of them is on wel- All incentive is taken from away them, they are given everything they need and want. Most are driving a new car; they go into a store and buy more and more expensive food with welfare and food stamps than three or four farm families of the same size who are paying the taxes to pay the bills. These Indians are young, strong, healthy and just as as anyone else, and a if given chance would be a great asset to our country. They are being robbed of everything that is good and fare. 1977 7 w ' wonderful. A chance to grow, develop and contribute their share to make this, their native land, a better place for all. I would also like to say a word or two about the Bureau of Land Management. As far as I am concerned it is the greatest rip-o- ff the world has ever The way it is being known. operated it is nothing more than a glorified welfare program. If person can get on the payroll he will get a check three, four, or ten times larger than the regular welfare recipient, and most dont contribute any more and are just as demanding. They come into our communities, pay no taxes, but demand more services. We as taxpayers have to take care of them. I contend that there should not be any federal land. All land within the confines of state lines should belong to the state, and managed by the state land board in conjunction with each county commission. This way our land would be taken care of by people who live on and love the land. There should be no such thing as a National Park or They should be state Parks and County Parks, - administered by the state and county in which they are loMonument. cated. Two hundred years ago we fought for our independence. This was done by the thirteen original states. They think they should dictate how this country should be governed. Because of the raw deal the western half of our country is getting, it looks like we might have to go to war to gain our independence from the East. People in the East seem to think they own every foot of land in the West. Maybe it would be better if we secede Record Juan San The TOLEDO of Blanding gave a lesson in the use of a during the recent two-we- ek elementary education course. Others taught their classmates how to make sand paintings, weave a sash belt, crochet, saddle a horse, play a guitar and first-ai- d techniques for any victims of choking. The class was under the direction of Henry Chai of BYU. Photo by Alvin Reiner. ANITA cradle-boar- d and set up our own government, one that would be more favorable to our way of living. It is also my opinion that we should have many more good businessmen runof our Govthe affairs ning and ernment, get rid of about 99 per cent of the lawyers, who it seems, can only figure out ways to spend money and keep us in the red all the time. Let these businessmen organize and set up the policy, and under their direction have the Supreme Court write the laws. The lawyers seem only to hard-fist- ed create laws that require the rest of the population to hire them to get permission to cross the street. Most of these lawyers are nothing but a bunch of spendthrift robbers, bleeding the population for everything they have. Hope you will think about some of these things and try to do something about them. It has got to be done, and soon, or it will be too late. Now or never for thousands of farmers and ranchers. S Daryle M. Redd Monticello, Utah Combine Rapco Foam and blown insulation for a Briggs & Stratton Complete Insulation of your home or business or new. --- old Check our prices against with borrowed will be equipment prices--yo- u pleasantly surprised (cleaner, too) Do-It-Your- ENGINE TUNE-U- P self V Mobile We . AUTHORIZED RV IC also For FREE, CENTER Homes do No-Obligati- on our specialty. metal buildings. Estimate. CALL We provide original parts, factory trained mechanics and methods to keep your Briggs & Stratton engine in top operating condition. BLANDING HOME CENTER Blanding The HOME FOAMERS AC-303-882-7- 753 Dolores, Colo. |