HR0208

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The distinguished agricultural leader, Earl 
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Clemmons Smith, was born in Pike County on February 19, 1881 
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and began farming his grandmother Clemmons' land in Detroit 
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Township in 1907; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Earl Smith became active in the national Farm 
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Bureau movement as farmers began to organize to strengthen 
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their political clout, and he was a charter member and 
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President of the Pike County Farm Bureau; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Earl Smith was elected President of the Illinois 
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Farm Bureau in 1926 where he served through 1945; and he served 
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as Vice President of the American Farm Bureau Federation from 
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1936 to 1945; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Earl Smith was active in the fight for "parity for 
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agriculture," a goal that sought government action to help 
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farmers achieve income levels comparable to those earned from 
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1910-1914, a time of profitability for farmers; his work was 
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reflected in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first and second 
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Agricultural Adjustment Acts; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Under Earl Smith's leadership, the Illinois Farm 
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Bureau established businesses to help serve farmers such as 
 


 






HR0208
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LRB095 11593 KXB 33416 r




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GROWMARK, Inc., and the FS Member Companies, Prairie Farms 
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Dairy, Inc., and Country Insurance and Financial Services; 
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these are among the largest and most successful businesses in 
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Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In retirement, Earl Smith continued to farm in 
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Pike County where he died on June 30, 1961; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Earl Clemmons Smith was a clear voice and a steady 
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leader for agriculture, a pioneer who advanced the philosophy 
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that farmers need to take action to protect their futures and 
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cooperate with others to achieve success; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Pike County Farm Bureau, the Illinois Farm 
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Bureau, and the Illinois State Historical Society will dedicate 
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a historical marker to recognize the contributions of Earl C. 
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Smith on March 23, 2007 at Detroit, Illinois; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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proclaim March 23, 2007 as Earl C. Smith Day, recognizing his 
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significant contributions to agriculture in the State of 
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Illinois and the nation.