The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 20, 1916, Page 7

” * RAFTY 3 decided that he would Dodger, one of his pet schemes on the farmer. He had boasted that he had sev- eral trump cards up his sleeve but - = io gna;tbnuy ;ot(‘i them . Firi s a rned out to be bob\:}.il flushes that he had lost his nerve to pull' them out in the pres- ence of Slipry and Dedger. So he decided that he would slip out into the country .and .give his lat- est .scheme a trial and if it went acress then would .be time 1o wrow about it. ‘If it failed he sould say nothing about it. So, early in the morning, a lone man -in a.large “Chadalack . Eight” could have been seen gliding :along-at - a moderate speed, going east from Skinnersville. The .air %vas and l_ihe ride pleasant so the car .sped on with no regard to distance. It had no :special destination .in view. Crafty had decided just to trust to .chance of meeting some one who would Jsten to his talk .and fall for his bunk and agree with his plans. By 10 o’clock the car was twenty gxlllesh :::: fi.nm Skinnersxille .and in e . a_prosperous. farming country. "The dictagraph was.hang- ing onto the rear axle of the car. NOW FOR A TALK WITH “PROSPEROUS: FARMER” The car pulled up to:a well-appoint- ed farm house located on an ideal le- vation back from ‘the road a conven- ient distance. Across a slight ‘de- pression and on another -elevation stood a large Ted barn, a substantial granary, machine shed and -other out buildings. A large silo ‘stood ‘at-one corner of the barn and :a choice herd of “‘blooded cows busied themselves with the remnsants of a morning feed. Inside the barn Carl Fohnson, the owner of the farm, with two farm hands were engaged in patching up harness, ‘repairing wmachinery and making other preparations for spring work. Crafty alighted from the ear, stretched his legs a time or two and passed ‘through - the -gate ‘into ‘ithe barnyard. He introduced himself to farmer Johnson as'‘S. Q. Deal. Johnson shook ‘hands ‘with him warmly, which inspired Trafty with hope and reminded him -of‘the good old ‘days -and pantialy -convinced him . that all farmers were not crazy. Crafty took out a silver cigar case, passed ‘it to Johmson :and ‘the farm hands, took a cigar himself, lighted a match ‘and, held it o Johnson’s cigar and took a'seat on a nearby ‘bench. “Pretty nice farm you have ihére, Mr. Johnson,” commented Crafty as he ‘beamed: patronizingly ‘upon-the farmer. Johnson wreluctantly -agreed that that «was true. “Ye knowy,”:continued Crafty, “I cannot get away from' the idea that some day Pli’get-me a farm where T'll settle down to $pend my last days. I think it is-the ideal life.” Johnson eyed him suspiciously. -~ “For easy :life, .easy money and freedom from. the worries and troub- les of life, I-don’t know anything that beats farm.life,” continued Crafty, with confidenge.” ™ - FARMING} THAT'S THE LIFE— UNTIL YOU TRY TF - - “Have you ever farmed?” asked Johnson as - the mionkey:wrench slip- ped off a nut and.knocked a piece of skin from his: knuckle the size of a dime. Crafty evaded ‘the. quest while Johnson' gave utterande "to 5 ‘or two picturesque words: that' might have had reference to farm life-in general and tinkering machinery in’ particular. it sl “Well,” .commented Johnson, drop- ping a bit of oil on the stubborn tut, “I’ve farmed all of my life an’ I'm 60 ° if I'm a'day. My experience has been that farming is:no Sunday school pic- - C "~ we farmers raise because they icon- nic. I homesteaded right here 30 years ago and have been right here ~ever since, : s 2 “I -have not had a vacatio that time. . Me an’ the -old_ oman ' started in- here when 1-was full o and without the - aid of Slipry or. bracing . hope and ambition.and she was young, plump, bright eyed and twenty. “F ‘For80 years we have worked like - slaves, me tendin’ the cows and pigs and she chasin’ hens, takin’ care of kids and cooking for harvest hands, an’ doin’ the thousand -andone things’ necessary to keep the interest collgct- or fwom ' foreclosin’ on vur farm. 57 PR value?” interregated Trafty, spar- ring sy mn mpesing. ;. 1. € k3 2 > Sve s X i ‘Granted,” said -Jol ] his cigar, “but that siily inhcreases the taxes, ensahles:mie ito jpet-lavger loams me %o pay more interest @and has not increased ‘the preductive power of the land-one cent. My land is mow. walu- ed at:§50 per:acre and, yet it produces no_more ithan it wdid when &t ;was wala- ed at ten dollars. "I have made moth- ing Eamming. Ieould make a little if I sold-mmy farm, -which swould be spec- ulation and mot Farming.” A other -side of s mouth and lovked puzzied. S “But you bought -more land during that time;” inquired ‘Crafty, hopefully. “Yes, three times during that-30 - years ‘three. of ‘my neighbors gave"ufi the fight against “high timterest, higl prices for things bought -and low pric- es for’ things sold an’ I bought lem out. I borrowed the money to do it with .an’ I've :paid.out -enough. inter- est 40 keep-an ordinary family half a life time.” : = “Buf; you're out of debt now,” .came back ' Crafty like .a :drowning man grasping ‘at a straw. Jo and his tanned face flushed. . “Not on your life,” he -commented emphatically,... “I -hope to get .out .0’ debt this year,” he went on, “but I’'ve been hopin’ that for 80 years. But somethin’ always turns up to put me back about’ as much as I'go for- ward. Ef I get.a big crop the price is: low an’ ef the price is high I get.a small crop.” Crafty was anxious to .change the subject.” But Johnson had mo such intentions. He straightened wup .and taking a seat on top-of.a seeder began to -elaborate as follows: “The trouble is right here, M. @ farmers, :who -Aconstitgute 83 of the woting ‘population :of #this state, have 'left the running of .the state in ‘the hands of a ‘gang of - self-geelking: -politicians. . These poli- hooked. up with: the big Minneapolis and Chicago —the Minneapolis ~Chamber .of Com- merce. ‘and the Chicago Board of Trade. These.. . Minneapolis and Chicago men cop-off the bulk of what trol the markets. . The politicians. of > this state play into their hands and - therefore refuse. to’'give us the laws necessary to protect us against them,” Crafty made a futile effort to p THE NONPARTISAN LEADER ith Carl Jo irafty Gets Some Inside Dope on ‘What Farmers Think of the League By N. P. Dictagraph. change the ‘subject again, but got no - where,;" 4By -erickety,” -ejaculated Johnson, .- “we . farmers are going to make a «change, in these things. We're going to ‘stick together at the ballot box an’ ““wa're{'goin’ to elect farmers to the legi, e an’ then we’ll get the laws we want -and-need.” .“Have ‘you ot such an erganiza- tiom started”?” Crafty .asked crafitily. W exclaimed Johnson. ‘““Where have you been all summer? Haven'’t you heard «of the Farmers’ | Crafty ad- Nonpaitisan - League?” mitted ihat he had heerd of it. “Well, that’s the oxganization we’re goin’ to..de it switth;” added -Jehmson, :and ‘he -onflined -ithe plans and por- | iposes:of the organization while Crafty | grew restless. - WHY, THE FARMERS ARE “Who are the deaders of this organ- | intervogated Crafty with a I “Tpaders? ‘Why the farmers :are ; the leaders themselves. The farmers started it, the farmers are pushing it and the farmers control it. As to what -some of.the papers say about the officers, I am not worrying. The main thing I am interested in is, does - it-get there? An’ it surely does. ““The politicians -of thid state would kick if we had a saint as a leader. What they want us to have is leaders that they can control, that they can - buy an’ bribe. That’s the reason they fight this organization and the more _they fight the tigh,f;er we farmers will g - 'stick together—— hnson looked :at him in disgust . - “Well, do you think your money is safe in their hands?” interrupted . “Crafty. “Safe!” exclaimed Johnson. Why they've got no money that belongs to + us.: We simply paid the little sum”of $9 each to build an organization an’ we’ve got it—the biggest and best or- ~ .ganization the farmers ever had. In addition we get a weekly paper, any nuggber of which is worth the fee we paid. ““We-consider that we got off cheap. ‘What dis ‘a hundred thousand dollars to the farmers of this state compared to ‘the millions #that ‘the ;grafters and grain .gamblers take from us every year? ‘Some -of the papers of this state worry .a lot about this .$9 but Burns kerosene: Fully guaranteed. and testimonials. $0000000000000006060600¢5000800000 . speed, headed to- 9000000000600 090080005000000000000000006000000000000000 Peoria Tractor Price $685.00 f. 0. b. Peoria, Tl1. Self steering when plowing. sion gears. “Pulls three 14-inch stubble bottoms. The latest improvement for up to date farmers. & < e : GCO. E Duls CO. North Dakota Distributors for North Daketa and Western Minnespta : ; 'oooooo‘o95'0'66'6‘06'0000'0'060oooo‘oooooooooooooooooooo‘cooipw : SEVEN never say a word about the millions: stolen annually by the big thieves at Minneapalis. they thad worried. about that we probably never would: have needed this organization. It’s: not the $9 they :are worrying about— it’s the organization.” “Do you farmers know the past. political affiiiations of these leaders: and do ‘you know their views on re- ligion?7” asked desperate effort. “As to their past political affilia- rafty, in a ‘tioms we do 'not care. They are non- partisans. now. As to ‘their-views on. religion, that’s none «of our~business nor your ‘business, it's ‘their private affair,” replied ‘Johnson ashe slid off the seeder.and tessed aside the cigar stump. The ding, ding of a bell anmonnced: that :dinner was ready. ' Crafty dosdk- ed -at his watch- and expressed sur- prise. - “To Johnson’s invitatien o : remain - for dinner .he:explained tthat he was-in.a hurry toget beck $o town. Two minutes later -a big car with a lone dviver ~was seen rgoing &t & high rate -of s wards the town of Skinnersville. H. G. GROVE & €O. Dealers in 1 HIDES, PELTS, WOOL AND{ Write for' Tags:and' Prices Bismareck AND SHRUBBERY Warite for -catalog to Oscar Wick’s Nursery '} EAST GRAND FORKS, MINN. WE EXAM:INE EYES and grind glasses: to fit. Mail your broken :glasses: to us. ‘We thawve -our own grinding :§ plant. : 6 N..dth .St. GRAND FORKS Clean Clothes for Comfort and Health The facilities :of :ome of the - : best equipped laundries in the £ State.are within the reach of all ' who appreciate first class laun- dry werk .and ‘who feel that-the - expensive textures they buy 4 should be carefully treated dn .§ the leundry, thus prelonging £ . their life, preserving their com- -§: fort .and enhancing their ap- pearance. : All that is necessary is to forward your laundry us parcel .post. "We pay - the return postage on all packages §, that-amount to 36c: or more. § Upon irequest ‘we will sendone of our new parcel post laundry bags with the first laundry bundle. Grand Forks Steam Laundry Co. Launderers and Dry Cleaners Grand Forks, North Dakota ! g Cut steel transmis- Four cylinder motor. Send for catalogue N or Grand Forks nson 80000000000000000000000000000000 ~ | ; . -