The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 15, 1916, Page 14

“protect the interests THANK you for the kind invi- tation given me to write an article for your paper on “Why * I Should be Elected Governor.” Before giving my reasons why I should be elected governor I _ should like to explain briefly why I am 'a candidate for governor. The explanation is this: That 40 delegates, from as many legislative districts, met in state convention on the 28th of March in the city of Fargo and tendered me their unanimous indorsement to be their candidate for governor; that these delegates directly represented 35,- 000 North Dakota farmers and indirectly represented as many more; that this indorsement came to me unsought and unasked, and being an American citizen, of this great agricultural state, I could not well refuse to become a candidate. Now for -the reasons why I should be elected governor: I believe in a representative government, by the people and for the people. I believe that the farmers of North Dakota, who con- stitute a large majority of the pop- ulation of the state, have never had a fair representation in the govern- ing of the state,- I believe the . farmers have not been given a square deal by the Xwmakers of our state. I believe there is urg- ent need for state legislation to of the farmers. I believe that a system of marketing—selling and buying— can and will be worked out whereby the producers will receive better prices for their products and whereby the consumers ecan buy those products for a lower price than they now pay. I believe that the farm products which constitute the greater part Norr? By LYNN J. FRAZIER This is a copy of an article written by Mr. Frazier at the request of o_llé of the publications which has been unfriendly to the League. Because of its clear statement of Mr. Frazier’s position and of the aim of the League it is reprinted in the Leader. - out satisfactory results. after all these years, is it unfair of the wealth /of this state should be kept out of the hands of the ‘ speculators and gamblers and that the producer should have some- . thing to say about the prices he is to receive for his products.’ I believe that our wheat and our livestock should be turned into the finished produets right here in our own state and thus' give North Dakota the profit and credit that rightly belongs to her. 1 believe it is the right and duty of the farmers to organize and co- operate for the betterment of their . social, political and economic con- dition and I believe that the Farmers’ Nonpartisan Political League stands for the best inter- ests of the big majority of the people of the state and is the means by which many of the much-needed . reforms: brought about and that if its state and legislative ticket is elected North Dakota will see: the most beneficial and most economical ad- ministration the state has ever had. I have signed no agreement and made no promises as to‘what T will do should I be elected and T am perfectly free to use my best ability to promote the welfare of all the people of the state. } Heretofore ‘the. farmers have given their support to various political parties and factions that have promised to remedy many of the existing mn&tpns, but with- :And now for the farmers to ask and expect - the support of all fair-minded busi- ness men and all other fair-minded people of the state who so largely "depend upon_us: for thelr welfare. I feel certam we are gomg to get the support we are asking. Guild Stirs Up the Grange McKaig Calls Editor, Issues Challenge and Tells Facts of Political History Editor Nonpartisan Leader: The Fargo Courier-News of this last Sunday’s edition comes out in another slanderous article about the North Da- kota State Grange. It names the state - officers, and then declares that Ray Mec- Kaig, in his capacity as state secretary of the grange, pledged the Nonpartisan League leaders that the grange would be with themh in their attempts to gain control of the state legislature. It says that the members of the grange have awakened to the real object of the lead- ers, and McKaig will have some 7 difficulty in delivering. the vote of the grange. Mr.. Gnild, in plain American - lang .. uage, you lie. . I eaught you again with - . the goods.” To show. you how little you know of the state grange, you don’t -even know who is state master of the - farmers’ grange. Mr. Wiley is. not master, it is Mr. Schick. If you don’t even know who is master of the grange in this state, how do you know that the. grangersaregoingtorebuketheNon- partisan League? Sk Inevu-pronmedtheleadersofthe 'Nonparhsanlmgueanythmgmmrd ,tathegmnge,bntfwfllpmmxseyuu this one thing right now, that every granger that I have met in the state has - on his own initiative, this mformatxon, thathexsnghththflw And, without - The League is putting . through the very things that the grange and other farmers’ organizations have been advocating for years. The grangers want lower rates of interest; the grang- ers demand better market facilities; the grangers have lobbied for state hail in- surance. Now the League idea of co- operation ‘and union of all farmers’ clubs and societies to put through this political program, is a scheme of success. League by various candidates for office. Mr: Hjort, running for secretary of state, and others, claiming that the Leagne is populistic ‘and”savors of the" da; movement of the last century has been the iitial impulse of moral legislation. Popaulists, they call the Nonpartisan League, do they? We accept that statement for argument sake.. What was the populist platform of 1892? In- come tax, eight hour day law, reclam- ation, government ownership of: rail- roads, popular election of senators, in- itiative and referendum. Eight years -Jater the same platform added on to it; : abohhon of child labor and convict _- labor, employers’ hab:hty law, and regu- mfluss&beagamst‘theNonpuhsan' latmnoftrusfi. 1868 from the lack of just railway laws. The bureau of commerce and labor at Washington was established in 1893 by the aid of the national grange. The farmers’ grange was the beginning of the campaign against intrenched priv- ilege in the last forty years.. So says the encyclope(ha. All these remarks and lgnora.nt news- paper articles are just samples of the unfair news that the press of the state are giving in regard to the Nonpartisan -League. movement. “ The grange, and other farmers’ organizations ‘of the atate,sofaraslmleam, wzththe -Every one of these planks of the - N platform of the populistic political pa.rty of 1892 are either laws or. sxlls in the - platform of the leading the grangers. That is an odious eom- panson, they say. They claim that the - € | S lway,likethegmgm ot~ thi?aknxhtm‘!’ what ys - of grange passed away? We are “today. A .rather- aehve C not defending " no defl Iftlw,lagne,