The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 24, 1916, Page 9

% -3 v _things. _ this state, much to the p - ¥ By Leader Staff Correspondent Minot, Feb. 19.—The North Dakota union of the Society of Equity at its annual convention here took under its wing the Farmers’ Rural Credit asso- ciation, an organization which has started the great work in North Da- kota of permanently solving the rural credit problem and in the meantime to the limited extent possible is secur- ing loans for farmers at 6 and 6% per cent, in place of 7, 8 and even higher rates. Hereafter, by vote of the asso- ciation directors and the Equity con- vention, the organization will be known as the Equity Rural Credit » association, taking the name, prestige and support of the great cooperative movement in North Dakota. Equity Takes Over Rural Credits . The Farmers’ Rural Credit-associa- tion was organized by Equity men and now the entire board of directors.be- long to the Equity organization. The organization now- has the name and formal support of the great Equity movement. It will enter on another year of activity which promises big Besides interesting itself ac- tively in rural credits measures before congress, using its influence to get the right kind of legislation and opposing -the flock of undesirable bills being considered, the association will con- tinue its work of locating independent capital in the east or elsewhere and seeing that it is loaned directly to farmers, without the machinery and profit taking of banks. To Provide Farmers Bank But the biggest thing is a new plan of this association eventually to pro- vide a central farmers’ bank in North Dakota—a cooperative bank—with branches throughout the state. This of course is yet in formulative stage and the association has made no formal announcement of plans, but important developments may be ex- pected in the near future. - At their meeting here the board of directors unanimously approved the management of Grant S. You- mans of Minot, who has handled the affairs of the association to the entire satisfaction of the directors. The officers of the organization are C. J. Lee of Valley City, president; C. B. May, Argusville, vice president; A. .M. Baker, Fargo, secretary, and Mr. Youmans, manager. One of the bills on rural credits the association will interest itself in op- posing is the Moss-Hollis bill, now scheduled to pass congress. This bill establishes a system of rural credits on the federal reserve bank plan and is denounced as a bankers’ bill, calcu- lated to make things pleasant and profitable for banks, acting as middle- men and taking plenty of fees therefor. : E, G. Quamme, banker- of Findley, who has made a study of rural credits, denounced the Moss bill in_strong terms to the Equity convention. In a talk on rural credits he read a letter from Frank P. Walsh of the industrial - . relations commission, addressed to Manager Youmans of the Eqmt{ Rural Credits association. Mr. Wals brands the proposed bill as a big business measure little calculated to relieve the farmers really in need of quick and sure credit on good secur- ity at low rates. Reorganize Farmers Elevators Angther important action of the Equity convention was to take meas- ures for reviving and placing on a better basis the Elevator Managers’ association and to open a campaign of education among farmers looking toward the reorganization of the many farmers’ elevator stock com- -commerce THE NONPARTISAN LEADER Hanna’s Goat Cavorts at Farmers’ Convention Equity Boys Have Official Animal at Minot---Rural Credit Association Takes on Name of Cooperators’ Movement and New Elevator Association Put Under Way---Dele- gates Listen to Hot Debate---Sidelights of Meeting. Panies not now on a cooperative is. It is intended to influgnce as 2?::1; farmers’ elevators as possible to re- organize on a strict cooperative plan under Equity rules and with at least all the directors of each such elevat- state Equity at Minot: League was organized, and own affairs, and Leaaer. behalf.” or members of the state union of the American Society of Equity. A committe consisting of the fol- lowing was appointed and reported on these matters: J. G. Crites, P. O. Sathre, H. M. Hendrickson, Fred Julian, H. R. Halverson, Carl J. Knut- son and A. M. Baker. __The committee reported a recom- mendation, which was adopted, that the campaign to reorganize farmers’ elevators not now cooperative be car- ried forward, as the only fair basis of organization was the Equity plan. Through it only can. organizations strong enough to compete with chamber of commerce and old line elevators and to fight the chamber of influence be built up. Scores of socalled farmers’ elevators, it was pointed out, are no more than old line elevators in disguise, although nominally in control of farmers’ stock companies. Convention Plans The convention adopted the follow- inging plans in regard to the elevat- or managers’ association, recommend- ed by the committee: That the association should elect a president and vice president of practical experience in grain handling and that the secretary of the state Equity Convention Boosts League “Whereas, the misconduct of the politicians in the past few years has so impoverished the farmers that they have determined to take unto themselves the management of their “Whereas, the days of the politicians are numbered, and their f_uneral will be largely attended by the farmers of North Dakota on 'the seventh day of November, 1916, " “Therefore, be it resolved that the North Dakota state union of the American Society of Equity unqualifiedly indorses the League program and its official organ, the Nonpartisan **T'his.is the first time in the history of the state that the tarmers have organized for the enactment of laws in their own - -ing for union, A. S. of E., act also as secre- tary of the association. That a department be established where the managers of all farmers’ or Equity elevators can meet regularly for conferences and to discuss com- The follgwi_ng' splendid indorsement of the Nonpartisan League and its program and newspaper was adopted by the “Whereas, the North Dakota state union of the American Society of Equity has formed a legislative program which if enacted into law will give the farmers much relief, and “Whereas, the farmers of North Dakota have within the last year formed an organization known as the Farmers’ Nonpartisan Political League, and : “Whereas the farmers have for years begged for the enactment into laws of the program for which the Nonpartisan mon problems, the various elevator companies to pay the expenses of managers to these meetings. That a department to furnish in- formation or;_ bookkgepinlg and audit- armers’ ele established. iy That a department be established to handle claims for shortage, leakage, overcharge on rates and expenses incurred in coopering of cars, etec. at the various elevators band together to buy supplies through the association, taking advantage of a united buying power to get supplies at wholesale and cheaper prices. The action of the convention in this matter means a more thorough cooperation between the various ele- vators throughout the state which are fighting the old line and chamber of commerce companies. Equity elevat- or managers at the convention expres- sed great hopes for good work as a result of the revival of the association. Sidelights of Convention One of the big hits of the Equity convention was a real live goat,%:ept in the basement of the Minot armory, where the convention met, and brought up ‘at psychological times bearing the sign, “The Rubes Have Hanna’s Goat”. The appearance of the governor’s goat was always the occasion of merriment. He was in the official custody of Robet Kee of San- born, an old soldier and warm Equity man. Kee also was sergeant-at-arms and issued just one order. He gave permission to those who spit on the floor at home to do so at the con- vention. “I want you to feel at home”; he said. . Adam D. Kahler of Velva was the poet laureate of the convention and also the song bird. He was always ready to fill in on the program with songs ‘writen by himself. Some of them were to old farmiliar tunes but others he wrote the music for himself. His big hit was “Our Town”, written to the tune of “Turkey in the Straw”. He did a big business in selling words and music of his own making at a dime a throw. J. G. Crites of Lisbon, secretary of the Progressive Democrats who met at Fargo last month, was a dele- gate to the convention and displayed a telegram from United States Treas- urer John Burke, formerly North Da- kota governor, in which the treasurer without reservation indorsed the plat- form adopted at the Fargo meeting. Crites was busy passiig® cul-copies of the resolution and the_ ticket for delegates to the national Democratie convention adopted by the progressive element in his party. The candidates for national com- mitteemen from North Dakota for the Republican and Democratic parties in- dorsed by the stockholders of the Equity Cooperative exchange at its meeting in Fargo last month were given a good boost at the Minot con- vention of the Equity. Their peti- tions of nomination were kept on the secretary’s desk and many names were secured on them. The Equity is boosting William Olson of Valley City for Democratic committeeman and ‘William Lempke of Fargo for Repub- lican committeman from this state. The debate between Former Con- gressmen James Manahan of Min- nesota and J. E. Kelley of South Da- kota, scheduled as an “intellectual prize fight,” surpassed its press agents. The subject was the single tax, Manahan for it and Kelley, “agin ' it. It' was by far the most . entertaining number on the Equity program, the house being packed and remaining so from 8 to 12 o’clock at night to hear it all. It was more entertaining than enlightening, both men keeping little to the topic and indulging in brilliant repartee and Eersonal slants at each other, which ept the house in laughter all even- ing. The Equity is a radical bunch at best, or worst, and of course voted Manahan winner by a big majority, but the debate on points was about even. g J. M. Anderson, fighting secretary, of the state union, was present the first day of the convention, but took ill the second day and kept to his first day of the convention but took bed during the remainder of the ses< sion. He was reported as having & severe case of grippe. His voice in the deliberations and leadership, us- ually a big feature of the annual Equity conventions, was sorely miss- ed. He was reported as recovering satisfactorily when the convention broke up. i The Equity and Labor Unions Are Doing Great Work in Montana By Leader Staff Corespondent Minot, Feb. 19—How labor unions ; and farmer organizations of Montana are cooperating economically and po- litically and geting results is told by . F. Lowrie of Great Falls, Mont., president - of the Montana union, American - Society of Equity. Mr. Lowrie was here for the convention of the §pfith Dakgfia éflqmty and exE chan ideas wi quity men o £h ro‘g't of both. “The Society of Equity has 400 unions and 6000. members in Mon- tana”, said Mr, Lowrie. “Our suc- cess in cooperative activities is bring- ing in new members at the rate of 300 a week. We have organized, ; " composed entirely of Equity men, the “Equity Cooperative Association of Montana, to do the buying and seling of members collectively. “We have a cooperative law in Montana modeled after Wisconsin’s and the association is organized un- - der this with a capitalization of $500,- . 000, of which $25,000 ;s_pmdnp so far. We have a main store and about 12 ° branches organized or in process of organization throughout Montana. We-sell everything farmers need and market their products, such as eggs, poultry, meat, etc. We buy every- things that we sell in carload lots and can beat the local merchants of the state in prices, owing to our com- - bined buying power. “We have been selling cheaper than the merchants and making expenses and a profit, but we are to adopt soon a plan of not cutting prices directly. ‘We intend hereafter to charge current prices “but give each purchaser a profit-sharing coupon - on each pur- chase, representing his saving on that urchase, and this coupon will be re- geeniabl’e at cash face value at an{ time for goods. This we think will not cause so much trouble as price- cutting directly and will not force our patrons to wait for semi-annual dividends on their purchases. They feel more that they are sa e ~dividend is = paid right. with -the “A big feature of our work is our cooperation with the labor unions of the cities, which we find have inter- ests pa_ra.lleling ours and feel as we do about the benefits of cooperation and ee with us on other funda- mental economic questions. The unions are the biggest single class that consumes farmers’ products and patronize our stores to a great extent exclusively. ; Cooperate With Labor Unions “In addition we have a worki agreement with the unions for uni political action with them. We in- tend to indorse jointly men for office in Montana and to back measures we both want in the legislature, and we intend to keep a lobby at the state capital when the legislature meets, to insist on our demands. “We have adopted the plan of not allowing anybody in our cooperative organizations who are not members of the state union, A. S. of E., but of course our stores do business with . the general public. We haven’t gone into the marketing of grain yet: Last’ year we shipped many carloads of wheat to the Equity Cooperative exchange, the terminal selling organ- ization of the North Dakota union. “While in North Dakota I intend to see if we can not work out some plan for further cooperation between our members and the union and locals in North Dakota. : P “Ancther thing we have done in Montana is to take over practically, the entire product, at substantial re- duction in prices, of an independent flour mill in Montana and have the product labeled “Equity = Brand”, which we sell in our stores. This is wheat grown by ourselves made into flour.. We intend to purchase this mill or erect one of our own as soon as our growing business warrants_it, which will be soon, we think. We had a fight on with a trust mill in Montana over this mater and succeed- ed with the help of the labor unions in having its products boycotted, as« suring the success of our own mill.” 24