The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 15, 1917, Page 7

st R e e quity Farmers Jolt Old Gang At Big Annual Convention at Bismarck League Program is Indorsed \ and Senate Condemned for Killing Bill 44 | By Ralph L. Harmon, Leader Staff Correspondent ISMARCK, Feb. 10.—The North Dakota. Society of Equity at its tenth annual convention here Friday indorsed the Nonpartisan League, condemned the senators who voted to kill House Bill 44, particular- ly singling out Senator Albert Stenmo, who betrayed his constituents by vot- ing against the League program, promised the active aid of the Equity society in putting the League program before the people as initiative constitu- tional amendments at the next election, and urged every farmer in the state to sign one of the initiative petitions, which will be started soon after this session of the legislature closes. This resolution fell like a bomb shell among anti-League forces in the legis- lature, who for several days have been seeking to foster disunion among the farmers by promising to do co-opera- tively, according to what they declare are Equity principles,.the things that the Nonpartisan League is trying to accomplish through state industries. It has been known for two days that an attempt was going to be made to use the occasion of the annual Equity con- vention as a counter movement to the League program, and it is admitted to- night that legislation is ready if it is still believed there is any chance to utilize it, to set the Equity and the Yeague at logger-heads with regard to terminal elevators, mills and other in- dustries. The old gang thinks this would be a trump card. In addition to"the scathing denuncia- tions of ‘every individual who voted against the League program in the senate, and the League members who went back on their campaign promises in the house, there was a separate in- dorsement of the proposed Equity pack- ing plant at Fargo, with the provision that this plant be taken over by the state as soon as the constitution is amended so that that is possible. EQUITY PUTS ROLLCALL INTO ITS RESOLUTIONS This once and forever destroys the faint hope that anti-League legislators had of creating a breach between the organizations, and splitting up the movement of the people by denying' to the League what it demands by state action, and then promising to the Equity all the institutions they desired to be operated under co-operative management. e There was no dissention, no argu- ment, when these resolutions were pro- posed by unanimous vote. The con- demnation of Senator Stenmo is couch- ed in forceful language, and with him are grouped the four League represent- atives, BE. W. Everson, M. S. Lang, Charles F. Schick and L. D. Wiley, who - voted against the League program in the house. In addition to naming these men separately the resolutions carry the entire senate rollcall with condem- nation expressed for each one who voted against “44.” The fullest indorsement of the new League plan is given Iin subsequent resolutions in which the Equity prom- ised to “assist in circulating petitions and securing signatures for constitu- tional amendments that will enable the people to carry out the program of state-owned and operated industries, thus bringing about relief from the excessive burdens placed upon the farmers of North Dakota by the grain - gamblers, miling trust and meat trust.®* Every farmer in the state is wrged to sign the petitions. The present convention of the Equity was declared by President M. P. John- gon, who is a Nonpartisan League member of the railroad commission, to hat¥e “accomplished more than any other such meeting ever held in this state.” DELEGATES MARCH TO STATE CAPITOL % The Equity did not confine itself to its labors in convention. On Thursday the delegates formed in line and marched to the capitol carrying out the precedent established two years age when they were denied their demands for state-owned elevators by the legis- lature. This time they were met with courtesy and welcome. Instead of be- ing told they did not know anything about legislation, and should go home, both houses met in joint session to re- ceive them. Equity speakers were given the speaker’s platform, and for two hours addressed the joint assembly and a crowded gallery on Equity and Nonpartisan League subjects, at times sweeping the audiences to prolonged applause. L. P. Straube of Chicago, M. V. Boddy and J. M. Anderson all address-— ed the joint assembly, Mr. Straube say- ing in part: “Friends, did you ever stop to realize that not one of the legislative members is elected to represent his own personal opinions, but to try to satisfy so far as possible, the opinions and wants of the people; and that when we talk of the people, we invariably are brought face to face with the statement made by Abe Lincoln: ‘That God must have loved ernor is a man of the people and when I grasped his hand I realized that he looked the part, that he is not only of the people, but for the people.” In a stirring address that was much commented upon for its advanced ground, M. V. Boddy brought the League and the Equity together in this statement: “Some people ask the questions: ‘The Equity and the Nonpartisan League do not agree, do they? I can see no rea- son for any friction between these organizations. As I understand it, we all want to get to the same place; we submitting of a resolution praising the ' Kirk Commission company and thank- ing it for its services to the farmers, and at the same time indorsing for the future the Equity Livestock exchange, this difficulty appeared to have vanish- ed. This report was unanimously adopted. A movement to check the indiscrimi- nate use of the term “Equity” as ap- plied to stock-selling.concerns was carried through, and the farmers were advised not to purchase such stock in future until the particular project has been examined by the directors ot pre- e Attorney General Langer of North Dakota, placed in office through indorse ment of the Nonpartisan League. the common people—he made so many of them.’ There is no legislature which is entirely in favor of special interests, because at best I want to say that in the industrial fleld Big Business, even though it spells its name in capital letters, is dependent for its very exist- ence upon the worker. And-the worker in the towns and in the factories is in turn dependent upon the humble tiller of the fields. Those two constitute the ~real producer and they are the ones who are entitled to the greatest degree of consideration. PRAISES GOVERNOR, MAN OF THE PEOPLE “I often wonder whether it would not be wise for the average politician to show a certain amount of perspicu- ity, and by his actions demonstrate that he realizes that he is there not by the consent of a few, but by the votes of a majority of the people, and that he represents the people, and not special interests who possibly can af- ford to pay a fairer price than the peo- ple for the consideration expected. “I want to say to you that your gov- X ~ may have different ideas about getting there, but we all believe in democracy.” Mr. Anderson sketched the history of the people’s fight in North Dakota, and discussed the development of the Equity Co-operative exchahge in St. Paul, the construction of its new 500,000 bushel elevator, and the prospects for increasing the Equity handling of grain in another season. LIVE STOCK EXCHANGE CF EQUITY INDORSED The committee on live stock market- ing of the Equity brought in a report officially indorsing the establishment of the Equity Livestock exchange at South St. Paul, thereby laying another ghost, which for several months has been hovering over the Equity society. The Equity several years ago indorsed the Kirk Commission company at the South St. Paul stockyards as its selling agent, but last fall established its own selling pgency, and there were differ- ences of opinion, which at one time gave rise to rumors that there might be a split in the Equity forces. By ths DO NOT BE A QUITTER (Editorial in Bottingau (N. D.) Courant) A campaign of renewing memberships in the Nonpartisan League is under way all over North Dakota. In order to save the unnecessary expense of conducting this campaign every year, membership dues for two years are signed up at this time. - ‘While the campaign is meeting with every gratifying success, there ' may be those league members who fail to see the necessity of it A few appear to be smug and satisfied with what has already been accomplished and are willing to let “nature take its course” from now on. The League could make no bigger mistake than to lay down at this stage of the game. It would mean the rapid disintegration of the most splendid farmers’ organization the world has ever seen. The League can not run along on its own momentum for very long. The organization must - be maintained and, that this may be accomplished, it i3 essential that each and every member continue to give his moral, as well as finaneaial, support. If the League accomplishes only one-tenth of what it has set out to ao- complish, the small membership fee will be the best paying investment the North Dakota farmer has ever made. Do. not be a quitter} But it is not a knockout. The first round in the big battle has been won. sented for consideration to a conven- tion of Equity members. OLD OFFICERS ARE REELECTED The present officers of the soclety were re-elected and the choice of the next city for the convention was left with the board of directors. The officers are M. P. Johnson of Tolley, president; P. M. Casey, Lisbon, vice president; M. V. Boddy of Fargo, secretary and treasurer. The directora are Anthony Walton of Minot, A. la Maxwell of Turtle Lake, C. A. Swan-' son of Driscoll, A. H. Detmar of Velva and J. M. Anderson of St. Paul. The committee on legislation recom- mended quarterly medical inspection of all state institutions, public and pri- vate schools, and asked favorable ac- tion on Senator Drown’s bill pertain- ing to grain and grain grading and the establishment of a state marketing system. A resolution was offered by the come mittee on by-laws that wives and daughters of the members of the so- ciety be admitted to membership free of charge and that they have the right to vote on questions pertaining to the welfare of the order. This resolution was lald on the table, WILL WELCOME LEAGUE (From the Call to Action, Sturgis, S. D.) There will be little objection to the farmers running the state of South Dakota for a while. In fact, consider- ing that this is an agricultural state and yet the bankers and lawyers have practically run things to the exclusion of real farm interests, the farmers would have to hold possession of the state for about seventy-five years to even things up. There are thousands of people in the state who are not farmers who will gladly welcome a change; who will give the Nomnpartisan League encour- agement; and who will support politi- cally their effort to reduce the high cost of living by lessening the spread between the farmer and the consumern. fenra— {2 S