The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 30, 1915, Page 16

s RGN )\ S A T L 59 sty SIXTEEN THE NONPARTISAN LEADER Hi'am A. Rube Visits the Leglslature---Waste Basket for Farmers Measures I'N GOIN' DOWN TA BISMARCK,BECKY,) AND SEE IF [ CAN GIT THIS HERE FARMERS ELEVATOR BILL THRU' I DO HOPE YOURE SUCCESSFUL ,HIRAM, FOR WE CAN'T AFFORD TH'S EXP!I!SF- RIGHT | WORKED FOR YOU FOR SENATOR IN OUR DISTRIK, NOW |' WANT YA TER- GIT THIS .BILL THRU FOR US NORTH DAKOTA -FARMERS (SO THIS 1S THE LEGISLATURE ! WELL, I DONT SEE HOW THEY EVER CAN TELL WHAT THAT FELLER IS READIN' ‘BOUT SOUNDS, TO ME LIKE A SHEEP. ALL THESE OLD UNIMPORTANT BILLS THE FARMERS BROT IN,WE'LL JUST DISCARD THEM IN THE WASTE cAN ~Winners In The Leader’s Big Prize Contest Ruth Korn .ivevseeincvenceenes.$20 George Bednar .................. 10 Martha Ertman ................. Alma Aarestad, ..ocoovvveinnnnnn. These are the four winners id the W o Leader contest which closed on De- cember 15. The prizes have been sent to the winners and congratula- tions and Christmas greetings to ali contestants. Our only regret is that we could. not send prizes to all the contest- ants, equal to the amount the farm- ers lose on misgrading of grain. Among the hundreds of letters that were sent in are to be found many gems of thought that are worth printing. This we intend to do later on. One letter was addressed to the “Puzzle ‘Editor” instead of “Contest Editor.” “H ‘it had been “Puz- .zled Editor” it would ‘have :very cor- rectly described the Contest Editor “~"while he was trying to pick out the ‘ winners. Many of the answers were correct as to the problems but the letters were not judged exclusively on that point. Neatness, brevity of state- ment and original thought and coin- positions were the determining fac- tors, after tke problems were settled. The two most interesting questions —or rather questions: which brougt out the most interesting answers— were seven and, eight. Number seven was as to what is a parasite: The Leader will publish some of these an- swers later. .- Number eight was as to the num- ber of rapers in the state which ad- vocated the abolition of the present system of dockage and misgrading of grain. Many of the answers to this question were disappointing. Disap- pointing because the writers were too limited -in their knowledge of news- paperdom in the state. It is a known fact that a number of papers in this state are fighting the present robbery system of grading and docking grain. There were a number of papers en- gaged in this fight long before the Leader was started. The Leader is not the pioneer in the fight. It has simply ‘oined in with the others. Be- cause of its large circulation it may be in a position to accomplish as much as all of them put together. Therefore we are anxious to coon- erate with all these papers. We are glad to join them in this fight and we want them to know that we are with them. ‘We -appreciate the difficulties the average-small paper is up against and we know of the pres:ure that is often brought to bear on them. For that reason those which have tke courage of their convictions are all the more appreciated. We were, therefore, highly pleased with the answer of Miss Ruth San- ford of Grand Forks to question eight. She includes the following in her list: “The Nonp-rhnn Leader, Icono- clast, Messcnger, The Smith Papers, The LaMoure Gounty Ghronicle, Pow- ers Lake Echo, Benedict Banner, Dev- ils Lske Journal, Searchlight, Sargent County Teller, and the Staats-An- I : ) ; Contest Editor Becomes Puzzled Trying To Decide Best Letters---Many: Thoughtful and Interesting Answers To The Contest Problems. writers included the Co-operators’ Herald, which we are sure deserves a place in the list. In order that readers may under- stand the answers we herewith re- produce the problems and the ques- tions as they appeared in the contest statement: Here Are the Problems. ‘A North Dakota farmer took a wagon -load of wheat containing 52 buskels to an elevator where the "wheat was graded No. 4 and, docked 6 pounds. ‘'wo days later he took another wagon lead, 52 burchels, of the:same wheat to .another elevator and it was .graded No. 2 and paid for :at the price of No. 1, :while it was docked only 23 pounds. Between the price received for the first load and the net price received for the fluctuations of the market meanwhile, was a net ‘actual difference of $9.87. Suppose the total wheat crop of North Dakota to be 110,000,000 bushels. Suppnse it was all to be put into wagons containing 52 bushels each. Suppose that because of misgrad- ing and, dockage there is lost to the farmers that raised it $9.87 on every second wagon load. Here Are the Questions to Be An- swered: 1. What would be the total amount of loss in dollars to the farmers of North Dakota in dockage and grad- ing alone? 2. How many automobiles at $460 each would, that amount buy? 3. How many boys and girls would that amount send to college for four years at $400 per year? 4. If it costs $100 for a month’s vacation for a farmer’s wife and children how .. many such mothers would be able with this amount to enjoy a vacation of travel and recre- ation? 5. How many membersh:ps in the Nonpartisan League would the amount pay for at $6 each? How ‘many at $10 each? 6. If the farmers of North Dakotn were to establish their own elevators would they not eliminate the loss they now sustain in dockage and in .grading by prwately owned ele- vators? 7. What is a paraslte? 8. How many newspapers now pub- lished in the state of North Dakota have advocated the abolition of the 17esent system. of dockage and mi:- grading of grain? - Why have not the others done-so? 9. 'If the fermers, who comprise 76 per cent of the porulation, stick to- gether, can they or can they not, “change the laws of North: Dakota so that t‘1ey wil retam for: themselves second load, allowing for - Marion, N. Dak. The question> and problems of the contest. 1. The total amount of loss in dol-. lars and cents ‘to the farmers of North Dakota resulting from dock- age and misgrading alone would amount to $10,439,423.07692. 2. With this $10,439,423.07 and nine-thirteenths of a cent you could buy 22,694 automobiles at $460 each and ‘have $183.08 left over. : 3. When it takes $1,600 to send a boy or girl to college it would send 6,524 boys and girls to college for four years with $1,023.08 left over. 4. ‘When ‘it costs $100 for a farm- er’s wife and three children for a month’s -vacation it . would, give 104,-. 394 mothers and children a vacation of travel and recreatlon, with $23.08 left over. 5. The number of memberships in the Nonpartisan League at $6 each. would amount to 1,739,903, with $5.08 leit over. The number of members of the League at $10 each would be: 1043.942 memberfl, with $3.08 left . over. : - 6. If the Tarmers of North Da-: kota were to establish their own ele- vators they would eliminate the loss! they “now sustain in‘ dockage and grading by privately own- ed elevators, because if the farmers would have their own elevators the unjust grading would naturally come back to the farmers again. 7. Parasnte, are peopl’e that live on the farmers, or people such as the: salesmen or bankers who depend en- tirely upon the farmers to make their living. 8. There is only one newspaper. now published in the state of North Dakota that has advocated the aboli- tion of the present system of dock- age and misgrading of grain. And this newspaper is the Nonpartisan Leader. The other newspapers do not ad-"° voeate the-abolition of the present system of dockage and misgrading of grain, because they favor privately’ owned elevators, including lawyers, salesmen and, bankers, more than the farmers. % elevators in dockage and misgrading of their grain, but they also would have ta have honest and competent buyers at each elevator and also the .whole_business would, have to be handled on a strictly honest basis. 7.: A parasite is a hanger-on, a menace to cuccess or business, or a plant or animal that lives on another. The Minneapolis - Chamber of Com- merce, the Chicago Board of Trade, the packing trust, the International harvester trust, the Armour grain company, the Standard Oil Trust, and many other such corporations and trusts are paraSltes to the farmer, as they Live on the farmer and are a menace to his success and earnings. Whatever the farmer loses through them, they gain. 8. The only newspaper I know of published in the state of North Da- kota that has advacated the aboli- tion.of the present:system of dock- age and misgrading of grain is the Nonpartisan - Leader. ~ The other newspapers have not ‘done so because they are not controlled by the farm- er and do not work for the farmer to such an: extent. ' Many of them work against him, The-Nonpartisan Leader. is the only- paper published in the :state. that “fights for ‘the farmer’s rights.: 9. If the farmers who comprise 575 per cent of -the ‘population will stick together they ‘can change the laws of North Dakota to .a very . great extent,. so: they can retain for themselves and families the money that is now taken from them by the present system of dockage and mis- grading of. their grain and in many other ways also. - Not, I believe, un- til the farmers stick together and elect their ~own- farmer - represent- atives in" the legislature and Con- gress, -also other high and,: important ofilcers, will ’ they retain for them- selves their favors. 5 Anamoose, N. D. George Bednar, A LETTER FROM THE WINNER * = Marion, 'N.- D, Dec. 24, 1915. Dear Contest Editor: ‘T was indeed, surprised to receive the $20 as the winner of the- first ' prize of your Christmas contest. Please accept my hearty and sincére thanks' for the . same.: 9. If the farmers who comprise 75 per cent of the population stick together, they could change the laws of North Dakota so that they will retain for themselves and their fami- lies the money that is now taken _from them by the present sy:tem of dockage and mxsgradmg of grain. Ruth Korn. Tke answers to the problems will be omitted from the remaining let- ters, as they are in substance the same as the one quoted. Such parts as refer to the subsequent questxons will follow. ' hs.ve not been taking but a short time, "ls read with ‘great /interest at our . I intend to go to school thls coming summer and expect to use the $20 for educational purposes. We have a consolidated school at Marion, and I drive one of the school routes w}nch' is nine miles one way. I was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota and have ‘lived here ever since. I am now taking up the fourth year High School at Marion, but -have not yet definitely" decided -what I am: going to do. ‘During my summer and winter vacation I. help at home on, the farm. The Nonpartlsan Leader, which we rights and rightful - e