The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 9, 1915, Page 6

e e SIX THE NONPARTISAN LEADER THE NONPARTISAN LEADER PUBLISHED WEEKLY Official Paper of thz Farmers Nonpartisan Political League of N. Dak. Entered as second-class matter Se ptember 8, 1915, at the post office at Fargo, North Dakota, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Advertising rates on application. q@ Subscriptions, one year, in advance, $1.50. Communications intended for the paper should be addressed to the Non- partisan Leader, Box 919, Fargo, N. Dak., and not to any individual. The Leader solicits adverticements of meritorious articles needed by farmers. Quack, fraudulent and irresponsible firms are not knowingly ad- vertised, and we will take it as a [avor if any readers wiil advise us promptly phould they have occasion to doubt or question the reliability of any firm which patronizes our #dvertising columns. 4 Discriminating advertisers recognize The Nonpartisan Leader as the best medium in the state of North Dakota through which to reach the wide- snwake and up-to-date farmers. { . THE BIG SHOW HAS OPENED N last Monday Congress was duly opened. An appropriate prayer was offered. The President’s message was read. At the roll call, most all members of the upper "and lower houses answered “present.” The roll call to the “third” house was omitted. But it was “present,” and no ddoubt of that. The first thing on the program is the ordering of guns, ships and ammunition so that the United States may take her place along side the military nations of the world. The second thing on the program will be compelling the dear people to pay for the guns, ships and ammunition. Unless all signs fail the present session of Congress will be the most interesting in many years. OUR WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT T HE LEADER rejoices that it is able to tell its readers . that it has secured as its Washington correspondent, @) Mr. Willis J. Rutledge, widely known in the magazine field as a rising young writer, particularly on sub- jects of keen interest to farmers. Mr. Rutledge is engaged by us to observe the inner pro- ceedings of Congress and the departments and report the mat- ters that are vital to the farmers, always paying chief atten- tion to the interests of the farmers of North Dakota and the Northwest. He will have unusual facilities to obtain this information and will aim every week to be your eyes and your faithful reporter. Nothing like this has ever been attempted before by a North Dakota Journal. We believe you will find it- of surpassing interests. GOOD LESSONS ON COOPERATION AST week the Leader carried an interesting story about the Walnut Growers of California and how they saved themselves millions by cooperation. The week before that we had another good lesson on how the Almond growers got together and, not only saved money, but were able to make a lot more money they would have otherwise lost. : This week we present our readers with a story of the raisin growers .of California. Our Mr. Russell has spent sev- eral weeks in California and has collected this data from first: hand and it is worth your while to read these lessons carefully. Next week we will present 'a valuable story concerning the fight the farmers of Sheboygan County, Wis., made to free themselves from the clutch ef the cheese trust. We are going to expense and trouble to get these valuable stories believing them to be of intense interest and value to the farmers of North Dakota. What others have done, you can do. SAYS IT IS NOT NONPARTISAN tisan Political League and the Nonpartisan Leader, 8] are not strictly nonpartisan because they are not in the hands of members of ALL political parties. May we suggest that the League and the Leader could not be strictly nonpartisan if condudcted by avowed: members of any or all political parties. . e The paper referred to has been friendly to this League, is progressive, and we have every reason to believe,-is not con- trolled by the gang politicians of the state. But the paper or the man that never makes a mistake or that is never mis- informed is not to be found, at least, in North Dakota. So PAPER out West complains that the Farmers Nonpar- - we take this opportunity to state that there ic not a man hav- PRI I ing official connection with the League or the Leader, who is today affilated with ANY political party. i : : These men have kicked overboard all political parties ra:nd are therefore truly and strictly nonpartisan. Ix.a becoming members of the League no man is required to qualify by avow-v ing or disavowing allegiance to any political party. oy We are willing to let the Leader and thq Nonpgr:tlsan League speak for themselves as to their nonpartisan policies.. BANKS STILL MISLEADING. f#w<] HE Nonpartisan League is still having trouble with some banks in the state about cashing checks drawn on the}n B by members of the League when they have money in the bank. Some bankers are trying to discourage ‘mem- bers paying their postdated checks and using other tactics to interfere with the work of the Leageu. Members Wil! be properly warned against such institutions at the progper tlrpe. Not all the bankers in the state are of the class who are trying to fool the farmers and keep them in the dark as to his own interest, but many officers of banks are friends of the League and its purpose. So we don’t want our members all over the state to think that all bankers are bad. The Leader will notify you who are the bad ones and the proper action will be taken to show some bank officials their legal duty toward depositors. So don’t let the banker fool you as to your obligation.to the League, as the League is the farmer’s best friend and the banker who is trying to “knock” is not and has not been a friend to the farmers—he is only in- terested in keeping the farmers’ money in the bank for the banker’s profit. If each member of the League does his full duty, the bad and grasping banker will do most of the worrying in the near future. So take your own counsel in the League matters and that of your farmer neighbors, who will show you that the League is true to its purpose, and cut out the advice of the banker. “BEWARF OF THE GREEKS BEARING GIFTS” HE above classic words translated into modern parlance, would read: SRy “Look out for the double-cross.” A few years ago there was an insistent demand upon the part of the people for a rural credit system. The in- terests opposed it until they saw that something had to be done. Then they came out in favor of it. Aand thru an interest-con- trolled congress handed the people a gold brick, as is evidenced by the utter failure of the present so-called rural credit banks to help the farmer. - They gave you the double cross. For two consecutive elections in this state the people de- cided by an overwhelming majority vote that they wanted state-owned grain handling facilities. H But the last legislature gave them the double-cross. The demand upon the part of the farmers of the state has become so insistant that it can no longer be ignored. The gang sees plainly that something must be done. So, now comes a number of interest-controlled papers of the state—papers which have heretofore, with tooth and claw, fought and opposed, derided and ridiculed every effort of the farmer to get relief from entrenched wealth, and patronizingly - offers some of these cooperative enteprises. Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck standpat papers are now saying, in effect, “Sure” you need those things, let US give them to you. Don’t try to get them yourselves, YOU don’t know how. Leave that to US, dear farmers. We love you and will help you to get just what yeu need.” These are. the Greeks bearing gifts. Beware of them. These are the men who have double-crossed you before. They - will do it again, if you give them a chance. If you are to get what you want you must go after it yourselves. » ; This is a man’s job. Business. e Don’t send the office boys of Big The way to get what you want is to go after it yourself. If you take it from the other fellow, you'll get what he wants you to have, which is not what you want, but what he wants The farmers of North Dakota don’t want it all—they want only their share—not only of what they produce but of the political power. Any objections? —_— The man who takes a run and jump onto the politi i - " political ice of North Dakota at this early day of the season, is pretty tol- erably sure of a cold plunge. : “Barkis is willin’” seems to be the favorite fa tion among North Dakota “politicians, just now. Pa T o : E Y mous quota- - e ron 2.8 iy €