The Hereford Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 157, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 6, 1979 Page: 1 of 10
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The
ereford Brand
83
ThVar,Wa.157
NmM, Texas, Mi Febrayy 6, 1979
Farmers, Cops Clash
Bergland
I Won’t
a
Respond
332
VA
25
e2
- ‘
More White Weather
3:
yet."
Pioneer Hike Approved
**********
**********
**********
Hereford Farmers
Escape Confrontations
Capitalization Rate
Feds Plan ,
For Ag Land Blasted
No Change
In Policy
Heart Drive
Surpasses
85,000 Goal
'■•■•■•■•■•■•■•■•■•■da
It's a Pro’s Life, and Mike Horton Loves It
not have achieved our
(Sm •ERGLAND, Page 2
I
%
V
I
B
I
who participated in
Agriculture movement
Hereford received mere than an inch of enow
through this morning, making streets slick and
slushy and wagon wheels pretty. Skies were
expected to htomg partly cloudy this afternoon.
AUSTIN. Tex. (AP) - Rep. Bill
Sullivant. D-Gainesville, has accused the
Texas Farm Bureau of trying to "stick it
to" the people by seeking bigger rural tax
cuts than were envisioned when the Tax
Relief Amendment was approved last
year.
Sullivant. a longtime crusader for
taxation of agricultural land on its
productivity, as opposed to market value,
made the assertion Monday at a House
Ways and Means Committee hearing.
He sharply criticized proposals by the
farm bureau and Rep. Tim Von Dohlen,
D-Goliad. to tie agricultural land
evaluations to a "capitalization rate" 5
percent above the Federal Reserve
discount rate.
Based on the current Federal Reserve
rate of 9.5 percent, that would mean a
capitalization rate of 14.5 percent.
With the help of more than 300
volunteers, the local division of the
American Heart Association crossed over
their goal of $5,000 for Sunday's
door-to-door drive with a total of $5,385 in
actual cash donations.
That figure is expected to swell as late
contributions are received throughout the
week, according to Leona Kimball,
chairman of the residential campaign.
"We want to thank all of our terrific
volunteers, for without them, we could
Country Club.
During his time as an assistant, he
qualified for his Class A PGA card, which
entitles him to play on the PGA circuit.
"For the longest time I wanted to be a
pro golfer and make all the tournaments
that a person reads about. But as I got
older and realized it's not all glamour on
the tour, I decided that being able to
reach others how to play and help them
get better at their game was just as
important and rewarding," Horton said.
Horton was hired as head pro for the
-local course in January 1978. He said he
is happy to be back home but has some
reservations.
"It's hard to come back to a place that
you grew up and have all the people
respect you as a professional," he said.
"There are a lot of men who are still
A Member of Mott Familiet in the Hereford Trade Area
WASHINGTON (AP) - Texas farmers -
sowing the seeds of their discontent with
Carter Administration agricultural poli-
cies - harvested violent confrontations
with club-swinging, mace-spraying
police.
A Texan was among 14 men arrested
Monday in encounters related to the
American Agriculture Movement's die-
sel-powered assault on Capitol Hill.
Clifton C. Walser. 20. of Seagraves was
held briefly on disorderly conduct
charges as were 13 others. Another man
was charged with assault on a police
officer.
"To me, the policemen overreacted."
said A.D. Hughes. 34, a Ropesville cotton
farmer. Hughes was one of several AAM
members sprayed in the face with mace
by mounted policemen during the day's
most volatile confrontation.
"We had planned a peaceful march
toward Capitol Hill singing Christian
hymns and waving the American flag. It
looked like the police planned their
attack," said Hughes, who was in the
first wave of the farmers' diesel-powered
assault on the Capital.
The farmers became infuriated after a
police officer began driving a Missouri
man's tractor up Constitution Avenue
with the man's wife still in the cab. Just
minutes before, police had reportedly
physically removed the Missourian
from his tractor.
As the officer began using the tractor
as a battering ram against another tractor
blocking Constitution Avenue, angry
farmers smashed the glass on one side of
the cab and pelted the officer and the
woman with eggs.
Two school buses loaded with
club-wielding, helmeted policemen
converged on the crowd, forcing farmers
away from the tractor.
Minutes later, 10 mounted officers
arrived and use mace to drive the crowd
out of the street.
"They (police) would drive a squad car
in front of a tractor knowing the tractor
couldn't stop before it bit the car. These
with hiahs oredicted to be in the mid 40*i A
clearing trend was expected to continue through
the weak. (Brand photo by Paul Sim]
playing that were playing when I first
started, and to go to them and offer
advice or a reprimand is hard, because at
times they tend to forget that you are
there for that reason and are not just the
same kid that they knew 10 or 12 years
ago.
As far as working at the course,
Horton's responsibilities are that of
instruction, handling he pro shop, and
most important, public relations.
"The playing ability of a dub pro to
important, but to be able to relate to the
public and in doing so help the town to of
primary importance," Horton said.
The dream of someday playing on the
PGA tour is not so far fetched. A scratch
golfer, Horton qualified to the sectional
round of the U.S. Open last year. To
(Sm •nANDIIG, Pp «
Sullivant, in a bill introduced this session
as well as in 1975 and 1977, has
recommended a capitalization rate of 2
percent above the Houston Federal Land
Bank interest rate, currently 7.9 percent.
The taxable value of a farm or ranch
would be determined by dividing the
capitalization rate into the average net
income it should have produced over the
preceding five years under careful
management.
Pat Smith of the farm bureau endorsed
Von Dohlen’s bill before the committee
and earlier told the Senate Economic
Development Committee that a 14%
percent rate would "bring more tax relief
to more people."
Sullivant said the farm bureau - and. by
implication. Von Dohlen. who sponsored
the Tax Relief Amendment in the House -
(Sm House, Sasa 2
only the row -oat of gas to be charged to
the cuntomer.
Commissioners Ed Coplea. Dickie
Geries and Emory Brownlow voted to
approve the rate increase. John Mat hewn
toted against the steering committee's
recommendation.
In another motion, commissioners
voted unanimously to allow Pioneer to
charge customers for laying more than 75
feet of line. Pioneer previously had to lay
more than 150 feet before charing
(Sm err v. Pu. 2
tractors can turn on a dime but it takes a
few feet to Mop 'em." said Wesley Cox.
another Ropesville cotton farmer at the
scene.
"After the tractor hit the agnail car. the
police would drag the farmer off his
tractor and take him away."
District of Columbia police officer Gary
H Hawkins said the entire force - 4.100
officers - had been called to duty. *
Six large cranes had also been rented
to handle the removal of traffic-blocking
tractors.
"I think the police overreacted.” Mid
Plainview farmer Marvin Meek, the
wagonmaster for the Abilene tractorcede.
"There were some isolated mridmita
where some of those boys (farmers) asked
for it. But some of those boys who got
maced or beat on the head were standing
on the sidewalk. ' *
"I knew there'd be some of this but I'm
glad to see the farmers didn't get out of
hand."
Hereford farmer Gerald McCatherm,
the AAM's national tractorcade wagon-
master, told a cheering crowd on the
Capitol steps that the farmers may hove
lost a battle but certainly not the war--
Police vehicles effectively blocked
tractors from leaving an area between ghe
Capitol and the Washington Monument
frustrating efforts by McCathern to get
the caravans rolling again.
McCathern had urged farmers to stay
inside the District of Columbia and
"drive down the streets we haven't sect
" meTenm-e m• -mesememesenenemesesenemesenemenes
the American
--------------------------------- The Branding Iron (•■•■•■•■•■•■•■•I
describe as local problems."
"There are others who have made bad
business judgments, paid too much
money for land...others are seeking
publicity and others are driven by
old-fashioned greed," Bergland said on
ABC-TV's "Good Morning America"
programs.
Meanwhile, the capital's morning rush
hour went smoothly as the farmers were
denied their principal weapon of protest
by police who kept their tractors penned
on the Mall behind hundreds of cruisers,
buses. garbage trucks, cranes and
wreckers.
The police encircled the farm vehicles
as they were parked during a rally at the
Capitol Monday afternoon. The tactic
guaranteed a smooth evening rush hour,
and there was no letup today despite the
farmers' intention to put the tractors back
on the streets.
"We feel like we're in bondage. I don't
trust anybody I see out there." said Jerry
Hanning. a farmer from near Lansing.
Mich.
While the movement tried to get its
machines in motion again - claiming a
constitutional right to petition the
(Sm TRACTORS Page n
a r
EVdu
memenenemenenenenegi
More than 5.000 AAM enthusiasts
braved cold, gusting winds to attend the
short afternoon rally on the sun-drenched
marble steps. And the formers cheettd
Freshman Rep. Kent Hance. D-Texas.
who told the farmers to continue their
lobbying efforts.
Before Hance's speech, angry formers,
in no mood for a law-and-order message,
jeered another West Texas Democrat,
freshman Charles Stenholm. who told the
farmers to stay within the bounds of the
(suraguknang <.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Thousands of
militant farmers were dealt stern words
by Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland
today while police stymied their
traffic-snarling tactics by encircling their
tractors with a wall of squad cars and
other vehicles.
Bergland said the demonstrators, who
tied the capital ia knots Monday in a
motorized display of force, "can't get
their act together - so until they do, I'm
not going to respond to their individual
complaints."
In the first of several public
appearances in which he was expected to
reiterate a tough Carter administration
line. Bergland said many of the farmers
>ur goal," stated Mrs.
'xplained that • the
as area chairmen,
Kimball, who ei
volunteers served
' TEXAS PRESS
IATION
BYJIMSTEIERT
Brand Farm Editor
The American Agriculture Movement's
National Tractorcade, which rambled
through numerous Mates virtually
without incident over the past two weeks,
rolled onto the hard rocks of stiff
resistance by police in Washington, D.C.
Monday in the first day of renewed
protesting in the nation’s capital.
While up to 19 farmers were arrested
in skirmishes with police yesterday and a
number of the agricultural protestors
suffered injuries. AAM supporters from
the local area, for the most part, escaped
misfortune in the initial day of activity.
Glenn Allred of the Wildorado
community reported in a telephone
interview from the USDA last night that
area farmers were discouraged over the
turn of events in their first day of
lobbying, but remained in good spirits for
further efforts.
Allred was among a large contingent of
farmers who put up for the night in the
USDA building after their tractors and
support vehicles were surrounded by
riot-equipped police at a mall area near
the Capitol.
According to Allred, the only
casualty among local agriculturalists on
hand in Washington was a broken wrist.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Agriculture
Secretary Bob Bergland is being
reminded once again that juM three years
ago he was pushing for higher
government loan rates on key crops, the
goal expressed by protesting farmers of
the American Agriculture Movement.
The tractor-driving protesters, who
were continuing their campaign today,
want Bergland to use existing authority
under (he Food and Agriculture Act of
1977 to raise loan rates to 90 percent of
parity.
Bergland and other administration
officials have said they do not plan any
changes in existing price support levels
for major crops such as wheat, com and
cotton.
A year ago, with the AAM here on its
first extended campaign to get higher
prices, leaders recalled that when the
secretary was Rep. Bob Bergland.
D-Minn., he circulated on Feb. 27, 1976,
a "dear Colleague" letter to other House
members asking help in sponsoring a
resolution calling for loan rates to be
raised to 90 percent of parity.
The resolution called for the loan rates
to be raised to the 90 percent level under
existing authority for milk, wheat, corn
and other feed grains, and soybeans.
A year later, Bergland joined the
Carter cabinet as secretary of agriculture
and Congress passed the Food and
Agriculture Act. It also gave the secretary
of agriculture authority to adjust loan
rates within specified ranges.
That is what the AAM wants Bergland
to do now. use his authority under the
1977 farm law to boost loan rates to the 90
percent level.
The loan rates are the amounts farmers
can borrow - in the case of the major
vvwwe
captains and walkers."Their work was
just beautiful.” she added.
The Heart Association's fund-raising
efforts will continue here throughout the
month of February, according to Dean
Stallings, drive chairman. In addition to
business donations and special gifts, the
cause will be boosted by a teen dance on
Feb. 17 and a bridge tourney on Feb. 15.
both as benefits for the Heart
Association.
Chairmen of the current campaign
include Bessie Story, special events;
Virgil Slentz, rural donations; Thelma
Lamb, memorial contributions; Mack
Tubb. special gifts; and Don Davis,
business donations.
Adding proceeds of the door-to-door
drive and the recent Heart Ball (which
raised more than $3,000), the local drive
has passed the halfway mark toward its
overall goal of $14,000.
protest were
; what we
would have generated $19 8 millton to
additional revenue.
Pioneer now will receive $11.5 million
in increased revenue. All cities in the
West Texas system are expected to
approve the lower increase, which
amounts to a 14.8 percent overall raise for
Pioneer.
The steering committee had rejected a
Pioneer proposal to include additional
expenses, such as line loss, in the com of
fuel adjustment. The committee
recommended that Pioneer retain the
present passthrough clause, which allows
By PAUL SIMS
Managing Edhtor
Gas rates for residential and
commercial customers of Pioneer Natural
Gas Co. in the Chy of Hereford win go up
about 20 percent starting Feb. 15.
Hereford city commissioners approved
the new rates Monday night by adopting
an ordinance which Mated that the
recommendations of a Meeting com-
mittee and a panel of rate consultants
were acceptable to cities on Pioneer's
West Texas distribution system.
The steering committee, which
included Hereford Chy Manager Dudley
Bayne and other representatives of
Panhandle-South Plains cities, negotiated
the rate hikes with Pioneer for nearly two
months after the gas company had
requested a 26.3 percent overall increase.
Chies, according to Texas law. have
the right to determine their own gas
rates, and Pioneer may appeal those
rulings to the Texas Railroad
Commission. If the cities had accepted
Pioneer's original request, the company
By MARC HERRING
Brand Staf Writer
Not many people enjoy a job that they
have wanted all of their lives, but that to
the case of Hereford golf course pro Mike
Horton.
"Ever since I was 13 and started
playing golf. I've wanted to make golf my
livelihood," Horton said.
A 1967 graduate of Hereford High
School. Horton went on to attend Odessa
College. After playing golf for one year
he was drafted into the armed forces and
received his discharge in 1971.
"I wanted to get back into golf but the
opportunity did not come until March of
1973, when I was hired here in
Hereford." Horton said. He waa the
assistant pro here until December 1975
when h^pok a similar job at the Odessa
--#2------*- mof e v
in Capital
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"generally representing
***** ***** *****
suffered by Bonnie McCathern. wife of
Gerald McCathern of Hereford, a key
figure in the AAM tractorcade.
Allred indicated that Mrs. McCathern
suffered her injury in a freak traffic
accident involving the motor home in
which she was a passenger and a car
which experienced a brake lockdown.
According to Allred, the local woman's
wrist was placed in a cast yesterday, and
she was in good condition.
"I'd say 95 percent of the police V
here understand the former's situatio _
and ate on our side. Some of them even
came out and visited oar campsite at Bul
Run Park over the weekend. Most of the
police were simply doing their job
Monday, but we had some riot police that
I feel over-reacted to the situation, and
the farmers didn’t deserve some of the
things the police did," Allred
commented.
"I saw tear gas fired at farmers in the,
cabs of tractors, and saw police beating
hound out of some farmers with riot
sticks. Some mounted policemen rode
into a crowd and nearly ran down some
people." he added.
Allred pointed out that farmers wi
attempt to remain in the area of the ,
(SM CONFRONTATIONS mge 2
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Sims, Paul. The Hereford Brand (Hereford, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 157, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 6, 1979, newspaper, February 6, 1979; Hereford, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1477509/m1/1/: accessed May 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Deaf Smith County Library.