The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 15, 1917, Page 15

Phlllpplne Hemp a Solution Montana Member of League Suggests Way to Beat the Yucatan Sisal Monopoly Chinook, Mont., .Jan. 27, 1917. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I have,just been reading in the last issue of the Leader the report of the committee that has investigated the gisal and Manila hemp situation, and as I read the report, this question came to my mind: Why doesn’t the United States government develop the Manila hemp fields of the Phjlippines? We have been spending ten to fifteen mil- Hon dollars a year on those islands ever since the battle of Manila Bay, and will some one please tell me what we have received in return? I spent six months in the Cotabatto river valley and saw enough hemp there going to waste to make enough twine to bind all the grain that has been grown in the Northwest in the past ten years. And that is only speak- ing of one valley. Along all the rivers and all over the Islands hemp of the very best quality grows wild and only needs to be harvested. Surely the Yucatan government can’t control that. Can’t the Leader start something? I can give you a full description of this Philippine hemp if you want it and how it is obtained; also how this great crop is neglected. I spent two years in different parts of the islands and saw hemp all over wherever I went. And to my judgment there is no reason why this twine prob- lem could not be solved. Why not es- tablish a combing plant at the mouth of the Cotabatto river (Mindinas Is- land), send the natives up the river under good bosses and let them cut the hemp trees 30 months old, roll them into the river and send them down to the plant, just as the lumber company floats their logs to the mill. The hemp plant grows from eight to fourteen. feet high and from eight to twelve inches in diameter at 30 months old and is very porous and light, easy to cut, and I see no reason why the Fhilippine Islands can't supply the American demand. If they can why should not the government develop this immense natural resource of those is- lands? Will some one please be kind enough to give the League members a little information on this twine situa- tion? If the twine consumers must be fleeced, let our own government do it not the government of Yucatan. Here is hoping that the Leader will expose every unjust and unfair scheme now in the operation or that may come into operation for the next three thousand years. MEMBER NONPARTISAN LEAGUE. P. 8. You may publish this if you wish. I would like to see something started, but prefer not to have my name used. CAN HE DODGE THEM? Timber Lake, S. D., Jan. 25, 1917, Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I have been reading the articles writ- ten by your correspondent on the con- ditions prevailing at the South St. Paul stock yards. I have had some experi- ence similar to that the correspondent related. I am or will soon be in the market for a load of cattle. Is there any way . by which the Nonpartisan Leader's friends and subscribers can dodge the St. Paul gang? Could you not select some competent man to do the buy- ing; let him advertise in the Leader, and I feel sure he would soon_have 8.1] he could do. F. L. MARTIN. LEAGUE IN SOUTH DAKOTA (Editorial in Edmunds County (S. D.) . Democrat) The Nonpartisan League now has 60,000 members in North Dakota and the claim is made that nine out of ten farmers that the original organizers saw and talked to gave up a fee of $9 each and joined the League. The League now has one of the leading daily newspapers and a strong week- 1y paper in North Dakota and the na- tional headquarters have been movecd to St. Paul. South Dakota will be well organized by the next election and the League will nominate and elect the majority of the county and state offi- cers. The political bosses will try hard to get a twist on the leaders of the movement and wreck it but the farmers are getting wise to them. @ N ¥oxewusta Tampering With Shipments It is daily coming to our attention that Railroad Agents are urging upon ship- pers who want to bill to us that they shall consign their cars to some other firm on the organized markets. don’t care to which firm it goes. They BIG BUSINESS is what they are boosting for. PLEASE REPORT ALL SUCH AGENTS TO US. Remember that we can get every penny the market af- fords for both grain and live- stock shipments. Use order Bill of Lading on all grain shipments. The Equity Co-operativeExchange St. Paul, Minn. Superior, Wis. LIVE STOCK DEPARTMENT South St. Paul, Minn. Mention Leader when writing advertisers Six Days a Week ‘(Bvery. day. except Monday) - Two months ...: .. $l 00 Six months .. ...¢c.. 2.25 Twelve months oz 400 THE COURIEI] THE NONPARTISAN DAILY THE BEST NEWSPAPER YOU CAN GET The Courier-News is not only the best newspaper you 5 can get, but it will reach you with all the news, markets and sports twelve hours earlier than any other good newspaper can reach you. and It is YOUR Newspaper Subscribe to It FIFTEEN The Courier-News is now published on Monday morning. You can subscribe to it for gix days a week (the old way), or seven ‘days a week (the new way), whichever you please. Here are the rates both ways. Take your choice, but subscribe one way now. The Courier-News Fargo, North Dakota -NEWS Seven Days a Week (Every day including Monday) Two months ,........$1.20 Six months ........ Twelve months . .-.-.... 5.00 2.75 Mention Leader when writing advertisers