The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 30, 1915, Page 7

week and our readers should scan these adv. columns and see - who they are before they spend money for merchandise and goods. Tell:them that you saw their ad in the Leader. ABOUT WHIPHANDS AND THINGS | HAT was a highly significant conversation our Wash- ington correspondent reported the other day between a_ North Dakota and an Iowa politician about the Farmers’ Revolt. : “Farmers never stick together,” said the North Dakota man. Therefore the present condition is perfectly safe and we and ;c)he manipulators can continue to ride at ease on the farmer’s ack. “But don’t you think they may unite some day?” asked the Iowa man. News about the Nonpartisan movement was making him uneasy. The other made haste to reassure him. Be not disturbed about that, dear brother. These simple minded farm- ers will not unite in a thousand years. Besides, if they should, the bankers, merchants and elevator men will bring then.l to time. The banker always has the whip hand over the farmer. ) : It is well to see just how we are regarded by the gentle- men that thrive at our expense. But about that banker now, and that merchant and the rest—suppose the farmer should get deadly tired of this whip hand business and resolve to have no more of it forever? Or suppose the banker should acquire good sense and preceive that United Farmers mean better business, better returns, better conditions? Or suppose after all the comfortably riding poli- ticians are wrong? There might be a sad jolt for somebody. What.? : , THE NONPARTISAN LEADER } ‘CLASS LEGISLATION AGAIN. HE Saturday Evening Post declares that if Congress en- i acts a law providing that the Federal Government loan money to farmers dire¢t such would be class legisla- tion, unless such a favor was extended to mechanics, merchants, manufacturers and railroads also. To this it may be replied that private banks and other money lenders now loan money to mechanics, merchants, manufacturers. and railroads at from two per cent to five and six per cent, but loan to farmers at eight per cent to twelve per cent. The occasion for rural credit legislation is to supply the farmer with credit on similar terms as other business industries get it. If private institutions will not do it, then the govern- ment should. It must be done if the agricultural industry is to be saved. TURN ABOUT WOULD BE FAIR PLAY ET the -government take some action that promises to squeeze a little of the profits out of the pockets of the R big corporations and they send up a wail that would make the lamentations of Jeremiah sound amaturish. Yet for these same fellows to squeeze the hard earnings out of the pockets of the people is a pleasant pastime. And for a good many moons this squeezing process has been in full operation. What would be more fair and just than to reverse these conditions that all may get a taste? Of course we don’t want to do that. We have no desire to see anybody oppressed or unjustly dealt with. Two wrongs do not make a right. . _ 3 We have no desire to wreak vengeance or get even. We have no desire to unduly squeeze anybody whether he be mil< - lionaire or pauper. But we do most emphatically oppose seeing 5 It’s one thing to raise real wheat on the farm and altogether another thing to speculate on fictitious wheat in the pit. League Meetings Fill All places of business, including ¢ two banks, closed their doors while one of the most enthusiastic meet- ings of ‘the Farmers’ Nonrartisan Political league yet held took place at Antler on Monday, December 20. “Something struk Antler,” aec- cording to the repprt of the local newspaper, The Antler American, “and Antler will feel the jar for some time tq come.” The “something” consisted of over 100 farmers from Antler and there- abouts, who swooped into town with * théir wives and families and crowd- ed the livery barn’s capacity with their .rigs while attending the meet- ving. The like had never been seen in the community before. A. E. Bowen was the speaker of the day, and as he drove home the points in the big farmers’ movement to wrest control of the state govern- ment from the small minority rep- resentatives now holding it, to put it in the hands of the farmers of the state, who cast 83 per cent of the votes in North Dakota, the hall echoed, with rousing cheers and stir- ring applause. S The farnters of Antler and vicinity have joined the League almost to a man. Five new members were se- cured at the meeting. Two farmers who had stopped payment on their checks covering the initiation fee into the league, on misrepresenta- tions of the local banker, paid over the cash to the league representa- tives. : “It was the first meeting in this vicinity of the much blessed and frequently cussed league,” says the report of the Antler American, “and, judging from the sentiment of the meeting and the discussion which followed, this organization will keep hammering until a number of the oily-haired feeders trough, and so-called legislators who have been misrepresenting the peo- ple at Bismarck have been jarred loose from the public—angd, some- times private—payroll, and their places filled by the horney-handed sons of toil who have so long and. so patiently submitted” to a biennial fleecing from the men who were supposed to represent them. “The day was ideal and the erowd the largest that ever attend- ‘ed a real farmers’ meeting at Antler,” . Westhope was the scene of a mon-. at’ the public one class get all the squeezing—especially when we belong in that class. Towns With Farmers ‘Something Struck -Antler’---Monster Rally at Westhope Bubbles Over With Enthusiasm---Souris, Towner, Norwich and Burlington Program. ster meeting of the League Decem- ber 21, with A. E. Bowen again the chief speaker. Farmers came- from miles in every direction and enthusi- asm ran high. At this point as at Antler a local banker had been op- posing the farmers in their efforts to organize and many expressions of anger at his activity were heard. Seven new members, overlooked, by the league’s organizers last summer, were admitted at the Westhope meeting and the enthusiasm aroused will be srivead over this vicinity for miles into the territory where no meetings have yet been held. A storm failed to keep down the attendance at the league’s rally at Souris, held on December 22, and. the meeting was a great success. _Souris also has a “farmer’s friend” in the person of a banker. ,Watch- ful of the “interests” of his-“flock” this banker, when checks payable to the league for membership came through his hands, showed his un- usual consideration for the farmers by asking each if he “really wanted' to pay the check.” When told the obvious answer that the farmer wouldn’t have written the check if he didn’t want to: pay it, the bank- er’s reply was: “Well, all right; but you don’t need to pay it if you don’t want to.” Every one of the farmers at.Souris demonstrated their firm determina- tion to send real farmers to the next legislature—men who know because they: feel the things that the farm- ers need. ; Equally successful and enthusiastic was the meeting held by the league at Sherwood December 16. A. E. Bowen, N. S. Randall and Beecher Moore: addressed a hall: full: of league members. “These men are able speakers and the. purpose of the organization. and what™ it has accomplished were ex- pounded,” says the report of the meeting of the Sherwood Tribune, which devotes a half a column on its front page to a complimentary state- ment of the league’s position and pur- Hear Speakers and Applaud Like otker communities where the league’s representatives held meet- ings, the farmers were found enthu- siastic for the league’s measures and determined to put them through by presenting a united fronmt. N. S. Randall was the speaker of the day at a banner meeting of the league at Towner December 22. Several new members were obtained, and a large number who had pre- viously joined paid their dues. The meeting at Towner was a great. answer for the “croakers.” The hall was packed and the enthusiasm and spirit shown put completely to rout those who had intimated that the league: was a fake or didn’t mean busi- ness. The many members at Towner and vicinity, most of whom flocked to the meeting, are: confident of suc- cess for the league frogram at the polls and made it plain they can be counted upon as a unit. About 100 farmers attended the rally at Granville and: “made the welkin ring”” Two new members joined here and the only reason more didn’t was because - theré were no more farmers, not members, to join. After the meeting the farmers con- gregated in groups to discuss the points brought out and went back to. their homes full of confidence that the farmer at:last is coming into his own. That the farmers are more: than enthusiastic about the league’s plans and measures as described at the series of meetings being held was demonstrated .at Norwich, where three: of the audience had. attended: also the meeting held at Towner the: day before. =, The crowd was a fair-sized one for the size of the place and bubbled over with: enthusiasm. Norwich and vicinity has confidence in the league and: its program. About thirty people attended a live meeting at Burlington December 23. Good feeling and confidence was everywhere « evident and the au- dience was keyed to a reali- zation of what must be done and how to do it in order tao 4 about the reforms sought. The speakers were roundly applauded and every farmer left the meeting not only a member of the league but a booster. Mr. Randall was tke chief spraker. .. MEETING AT UPHAM The Nonpartisan Leader: Mr. Beecher Moore, the speaker for the Nonpartisan League, had a meeting in this town Dec. 20. This meeting was a very enthusiastic one. Here was the biggest gathering of farmers that ever have met in one time in the history of Upham. There were 150 or more farmers who at- teneded this meeting and Mr. Moore gave a very good account of what the League intend to do and what they have done and showed the farm- ers that they get value received for their $6.00. There has been a lot of talk amongst some of the fpople that these $6.00 that was collected this fall from farmers was money thrown away, .but I am frank to say that after this meeting I have heard no such remarks, as they are all welk pleaced and. it was: the most enthu- siastic affair that has ever been pull- ed; offin Upham. I, myself being one- of the oldest farmers in this terri- tory, was very much pleased to see that the farmers, at last, have woke- up and intend to attend to their own business. If such a move had been started’ in' North Dakota ten years ago, a lot of us old farmers would have been a good. deal better off then we are, for we would have been taught to have handled our own busi- ness. and not been: listening to the smooth politicians. who are always: around with. a glad hand when it. comes to election. I sincerely hope that we will have more of those meetings, which is the greatest bene- fit. to- the farmers in. this part of the- State that there has been thought of. I, for my part, have supported this move from the start and always- will, and, if it is any advertising of meetings or anything else that I cam assist the Nonpartisan League in do- ing, I will be very glad to have you call on me for to do all the work I' possibly can for this cause. J, M. Vatsvog, Upham, Dec, 21.