The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 17, 1916, Page 4

- Already it has come true. FOUR Washington, Feb. 14— At the opening of the present session of ongress I ventured to predict that we should see a lot of the glad smile business handed out in lumps to the farmer and as soon as he was sup- Tosed, to be quieted with a miscel- hzmeous ‘assortment of good wishes for the sake of the classes that are re?itly represgnted “here. “ .1t was a dead eas rophecy and didn’t. require any ytrgncg m{dium nor second sight artist to make it. gvalanche of rural credit and other agricultural bills introduced gy gentlemen with farming constitu- :itlueq. The thifli I{mnth of the ses- on is now well along and we can ;ieei ghatt ?llthvye shall i?e %Jlowed to ut o; is mass of reforming iy the handshake with i e ith which they werée Fuoke Bill to Pass . Take ‘the subiect of rural credits, which is the most vital of all. The news this week is that the house committee on banking and currenty, which has the matter in hand, will report out a bill containing the worst features of the Henry bill in the house and' the Hollis bill in the sent ate and that this is all that van be passed at the present session. - it ought to be understood distictly %yl' every farmer in the country that ese two bills are frauds and fakes and that the bill that will be made by joining them is a still worse fraud and fake. It ought also to be under- stood that if the farmers will ‘make a sufficiently vigorous protest inst this swindle it can be stopped. gther- wise it will go through and the Am- erican farmers will be tied hand and foot and delivered to the New York money trust, for that is the real pur- pose of this most rotten measure. The money trust is abundantly well represented in Congress-and the farm- er is not. That is the difference and these are the resuits. They give you the glad smile and then rope you while you are not looking. : Nerton Will Fight Representative Norton of North Dakota is getting ready to fire a mine on ‘this subject. e declares open‘[y that the house committee on banking and currency is secretely op- posed to rural credits and if the sit- The State Press “Bandwagon Chasers” LaMoure Echo: The Equity move- ment and the Nonpartisan League has reached that dangerous state in its progress when “band wagon chasers” and “supporters for revenue only” are falling in love with the movement, so to speak. 'Twill be well to accept such ilk on probation. They were the sort who caused the populist party to <¢ommit suicide fifteen years ago. The Support of Business Men __ Cayuga Citizen: We look to see the farmers’ movement, the Nonpartisan League, endorsed by ‘the business men of the state. There is no cause that could more justly claim the sup- port of North Dakota business men. A Political Struggle Lignite World: The country and state will undoubtedly witness one of the greatest political struggles in our history during the coming year. * In our own state, North Da- kota, the Nonpartisan League is in- . tending to enter the campaign in the interest of the farmers, Unusual State of Affairs Mandan Dispatch in Antler Ameri- <an: While ‘standpatters, progres- 8ives and democrats are enclined to sScoff at the claims that the nonpar- tisan faction will- cut much ice” in the coming election investigation-has Tevealed an unusual state of affairs. In this'section of the state member- ship petitions. have been in circula- tion for several weeks and have been generously signed. In one commis- sioner’s districts it is a absolute fact that -eighty per cent of the farmers have aligned themselves with %the nonpartisans. Is thfing to Fear _Dickey Reporter: There is con- :siderable sueculation among the poli- “ticians and a large portion of the ‘press_of this state as to just what “the Nonpartisan farmers organization of this state really is and what it will do in the elections this year. “They have ben called the Anti- ek e i-Hanna he Sucker, and now the Cour- der-News comes with an article show- e would be conveniently forgotter THE NONPARTISAN LEADER Congress May Simply Hand Farmers Good Wishes The Avalanche of Rural Credit Bills Standja Good Chance of Never Seeing the Light of Day---The Fake Bill, Backed by New York Bankers, Likely to Pass---Farmi- ers Short on Representation-—--Washington News Notes: By WILLIS J. RUTLEDGE Special Representative of the Leader at Washington uation does not improve he will get the floor in the house and teil the country in plain terms who is jug- gling rural credits and why. .This week Mr. Norton has intro- daced a resolution the effect of which will be to bring out upon the floor his own rural credit bill, which is a genuine #nd meritorious measure, and precipitate an open fight over the tactics of the money trust. This resolution has been referred to the rules committee, and if the rules committee does not met Mr. Norton will appeal to the house. : Mey Die Natural Death “As mmatter of fact,” said Norton “the banking and currency committee i more than hostile to rural credits. It is contemptuous of it. It regards the rural credits bills as jokes, not to be taken seriously. Congress is way behind on the appropriation bills now, and we are notified that we must adjourn on June 1. If rural credits is delayed much longer the approg:igtion bills will all be out, and they will have the right of way. Rural credits would then die a nat- ural death to pass a measure after the be time to pass a measure after the long debate on the appropriation bills.” - Oppose Free Trees The nurserymen of the northwest deseended upen Washington last week to urge the government to discon- tinge furnishing free trees for wind- breaks to the settlers on the semi- arid lands west of the 98th meridian. About half of North Dakota is now benefited by this free distribution. About 300 nurserymen of the northwest wheat belt sent their rep- representatives to Washington to pre- test. They made the usual argument that the governmentshould not en- gage in any business-in competition - with private interests. The protest was not only made to.the department of agriculture but to the house com- mittee on agriculture which is con- sidering the bill which containis.a large appropriation to pay for ‘the continuation of -the: free distrubu- tion. - e Million Trees a Year The government agricultural:ex- eriment station at Mandan has been istributing’ to the settlers abbut one million trees a year. The trees are especially adapted to flourish in Semi-arid regions. The expense to the government is about $35,000 a year. The Government hag been ad- vising settlers to plant from & quar- ter of an acre to two acres in these trees, and has stood ready to furnish the saplings frée. The trees must be orde'res before April 1 for delivery in the follownig year. . Representative Norton, of North Dakota followed the nurserymen to the department and argued that the work be continued. He also appear- ed before the House committee in support of the free distribution. Representative Helgesen, a member of the committee, is opposing any discontinuation of the work. " Northwest is Slighted The northern states are getting their annual trimmings in the appro- priations as drawn by the department of agriculture. One of the most im- portant branches of the department’s activities is the farm demonstration work, the method taken by the de- partment to show farmers by con- crete example the value of the scien- tific methods advised in the various bureaus. For the coming year the 15 cotton- growing states of the south are al- Iotted. $661,000 for this work. The other 338 states, many of them of far greater agricultural importance than ° any of the cotton states, are given only $378,000 for demonstration work. Representativé’ Helgesen of North Dakota, a member of the agriculture committee, has been protesting against this allottment, and declares he will carry his fight to the floor of the house. Indians Fare Well North Dakota reservations fared well in the Indian appropriation bill as it passed -the house. The follow-- ing ‘appropriations go to North Da- kota: Hospital at the Turtle Moun- tain “Reservation, .$10,000; Sioux In« dians at Devils Lake, $5,000; Fort Berthold Agency, - $15,000; Turtle Mountain Agency, $11,000; Fort Tot- ten Aghencf', $82,500; Wahpeton In- dian School, $40,200; B’isma-rg:k Indian School. $566,175, which includes an ap- propriation of $30,000 for the con- struction of a new dormitory pro- posed by Representative ’irouni%.mf Senator McCumber’s speech ore the Tri-State Grain Growers’ conven- tion at Fargo is to be made a public document., To Hold Reunion The annual reunion of North Da- ‘kota people residing in Washington will be held on the evening of Keb- ruary 22, the anniversary of.North Dakota statehood. It is expected that about 100 persons will attend the re- union. > Representative Norton and his sis- ter on Sunday took dinner with Ma- ior and Mrs. C. 8. Farnsworth. Major Farnsworth is now stationed at the army war college in Washin; . He was formerly commandent of the ca- det corps of the University of North Dakota and alse professor of mathe- matics in_that institution. His wife was Miss Helen Bosard of Minot. Senator Ed Hughes and wife, of Bismarck, were in Washington last week on their way to New York. > Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Buchhart of Binford, stopped off in Washington last week on their way to Florida. ° Mr. and Mrs. Sam Blank and daughter were visitors last week, stopping off on their way home from New York. North ' Dakota ment notes: & Hilding E. Chrisft’gffer:og hai beedt: appointed tmaster at Spiritwoo Sgutsman e%?;:ty, to succeed Carl V. Clamp who resigned. . Lemuel €. Larkin h‘a;as Tgeen aps inted. postmaster .at Thompson, %gand. Forks county, to succeed Miss Hazel R. Larkin, who'resigned. A postoffice has been established at Kongsberg, McHenry ‘county. - postoffice depart- Offers Its Varied and Valued Opinions of the League ing that it is a Socialist Club and under the leadership of the socialist. It don’t seem to us that there is any need of fear as to what this club will do. It is made up of farmers and they are the omne class that is. vitally interested in the future of this state and can be trusted as standing for noting that will be injurious to the best interests of the state. We believe the farmers have a right to organize for the advancement of their interests in a political way and we feel confident their organization will be found behind or bovosting no man or no legislation that will in any way be injurious to the great state of North Dakota. Here’s success to your orgnization, farmers. Looks That Way . Ward County Independent: The Indépendent looks for the farmers to control the next legislative assembly, and- it is right that they should. North Dakota is largely an agrieul- tural state. The farmers cught to know what they want and need and they should be in a position to dictate to a large extent. How Things Have Changed Powers Lake Echo: Two years ago there was a gathering of North Dakota farmers at ¥Fargo. They rented a hall, patronized the hotels and paid their bills. But agents of the Minneapolis Chamber of Com« merce appeared on the scene. By their orders the farmers were eject- ed from the. hall .by Fargo po- liceand Fargo business men. The Courier-News and the Fargo Forum had nothing to say against the outrage. But how things have changed in these two -years. The farmers are now a strong organization. They have worsted the Chamber of Com- merce in business and in the courts, and now Fargo, through the Forum, is begging the farmers to forget and forgive. Will they do it? Causes Mental Anguish - The Searchlight: The Nonpartisan League is designed to give standpat- ters in all parties “preat mental an- guish and pain,” but it is stubborn _would do their bidding. enough to go ahead and multiply in numbers and active work very rapidly. Who Can Blame Them Oakes Times: Sure, the farmers are aroused, and who can blame them? Three years ago they were “sat on” at the Tri-State Grain Growers meet, when the Chamber of Commerce people had hired men that Again the farmers tried to have recognition from the legislature last winter at Bisamrck, and they were turned down. It is no wonder they are going after things now in real organized fashion. And the Times hopes to see them get legislation that will help them get _everything that belongs to them. Convention On Good Day Valley City Courier: The Farm- ers’ Nonpartisan League will hold . township conventions in every town- ship in the state on ngruar%h22, at 2 otlock in the afternoon. e day selected for the conventions is a pa- . triotic and good one. Let us hope that the work of the League will be in Kkeeping with the day and along pa- triotic lines that wi. glory and credit. On the Winning Side. Ryder News: The League now:has a membership of nearly 40,000 farm- ers and is growing rapidly. * * * The membershig fee is now $9, having been raised from $6. The extemsive work of the League has made®this raise necessary. Looks like the farm- ers are on the winning side at last. Hope for Needed Reforms. Sherwood Tribune: - Let us hope that among other needed reforms, the ‘ Equity organization and the Nonpar- tisan League will be able to set in motion some machinery that will eliminate some of the costly “middle men” in the process of transferring wheat from the granary to the break- fast table. o :Not a Bit Secretive. = New Rockford Transcript: Satur- day afternoon, at the Blackstone _redound to its theatre, the first political speakers of the 1916 campaign were heard in New Rockford—but they were not party men. They were agressively nonpartisan. A “standpat” democraat looked just as bad to them as a “standpat” re- publican. They came to help the growing ranks of the Farmers’ Non- partisan League of North Dakota, and were not a bit secretive about their_plans for putting plunderbund politicians of all parties out of busi- ness in this state. Mr. Bowen (one of the speakers) made it clear that the Nonpartisan League is a farmers’ organization, distinctly, emphatically and complete- ly. He advocated a state-owned flour mill and a cooperative packing plant. The terminal elevator, advocated by the Society of Equity, he contended should be speedily erected. The new tax schedule was denounced as unfair to the farmers of the state. Mr. Bowen said the membership .was now upwards of 30,000 and every man en- rolled is a :farmer and a voter. Others were enrolled after the meet- ing., The membership fee has been raised from $6 to $9. The funds so raised are used for the publication of their official paper, the Leader, and for other legitimate expenses of such an organization. To Make 'Hofiseclenning Linton Free Pres: The Fargo Forum says that “the greatest polit- ical power in North Dakota today is' the Farmers’ Nonpartison League.” It is the dominant power in political affairs in the state. Don’t make any mistake about that. The Nonpartisan League is going to make a house- cleaning in North Dakota politics: or the Forum is greatly mistaken. - Worth Six Dollars = Nonpartisan Leader: 1 asked: my banker the other day if he had- paid my check to the Nonpartisan League.. o :," he_t s}g;%, “II thought I would not pay i ore I saw you, and, you said 50" He then asked me if it- was worth $6.. 1 told him it was: and he said, “Well, I'll pay the check. then.”—R, ‘A, Fugekoam, Edipbutg.g ; N. Dak.