The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 22, 1917, Page 8

I.incoln—the Truth About Him Address of D. C. Coates on Lincoln’s Birthday Shows Up Shameful Attempt of Many to Line Him Up Against the People trayed as one who today would be considered a radical by big Interests, in the Lincoln Day address delivered by D. C. Coates before a Bis- marck audience at the Northwest hotel, Sunday, February 12. Mr. Coates de- parted entirely from the accustomed style of birthday and memorial day ad- dresses, and quoted frequently from speeches and letters of Lincoln that are not known to the average person today and do not occur in the most widely read biographies of him. Frequently throughout his talk he referred to the way Lincoln would face present-day political conditions in the Northwest, and, reading quotations from his speeches, applied them to the affairs of the 1917 N. D. legislature. That Lincoln was born in a great revolutionary period and was con- demned by the politicians and news- papers of his day was a point often emphasized. “An attempt was made only two weeks ago in the house of representa- tives,” he said, “to align the great Abraham Lincoln against the struggle you men of the Nonpartisan League are making for the betterment of the condition of the men and women of the state. I say that when that attempt was made, it was a misinterpretation of the character of Lincoln, and if he could have come into that house that day, he would have said, ‘Shame upon that lie upon my life and my efforts. I stand here in 1917 where I stood in 1834 in the Illinois house of representatives, and I would vote for House Bill 44 at this time, for the furtherance of hu- man liberty.’ LIES ABOUT LINCOLN CIRCULATED BY MANY 3 BRAHAM LINCOLN was pog- ‘“When you read the papers the day arter tomorrow and see the names of some of those who have delivered ora- tions upon Lincoln—men in public life in every state of this union—you will see, if you look into their public record, that they are standing for the things that are diametrically opposed to Lin- coln’s principles. They are standing for the things that are against the rights of the people, against the very princi- ples enunciated and believed in by Lincoln. Yet you will find them on hundreds of rostrums displaying their oratory, saying many things that are not true and praising him for support- ing many things that he did not stand for. “Let me show you what he said in his great warning to the people of the United States, at the time when the great wealth of the country was drift- ing into the hands of a few. He was a student of economic conditions, and 50 he knew exactly, in 1864, what would come to pass. “Lincoln said: “‘Yes, we may all congratulate ourselves that this cruel war is nearing its close. It has cost a vast amount of treasure and blood; the best blood of the flower of Ameri- can youth has been freely offered on our country’s altars that the nation might live. “‘1t has been -indeed a trying hour for the republic. But | see in Chamber Lobbyists Dine the “Farmers being the most numerous class,. it follows that their interests are the largest in- terests. It also follows that that interest is most worthy of all to be cherished and. culti- vated—that if there be inevitable conflict be- tween that interest and any other, that other should yield.”-ABRAHAM LINCOLN. and then after that reaping, know the bitterness of getting about half the price for the toil they have performed during the year? WHAT LINCOLN SAID ABOUT THE FARMERS ““Who is most liable to decide that question right—the men who are sitting in the shade in their palatial homes in St. Paul, Chicago and New York, or is it the men and women, the boys and girls of the farms of North Dakota, struggling to carry out the purposes From left to right: Otto Dettler, elected to the North Dakota legislature by the farmers; D. C. Coates, who deliv- ered a Lincoln day address at Bismarck February 12; Senator E. W. Sikes, not elected with the League indorsement but a loyal friend of the farmers; Frank Bloch, manager of the Northwest hot®l, headquarters of Nonpartisan League sena- tors and representatives at Bismarck; William Lemke, one of the legal advisers of League senators and representatives. the near future a crisis approach- ing that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. “‘As a result of the war, corpo- rations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to pro- long its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the republic is destroy- ed. | feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my coun- try than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless.’ “But if he were here today,” con- tinued the speaker, “he would see that his suspicions had not proven ground- less, and that the very thing he most feared has come to pass—the very thing that men and women of the Northwest today are battling against.” LINCOLN’S SPEECHES QUOTED BY SPEAKER Lincoln’s revolutionary spirit and support of the people in their right to throw off existing constitutions or forms of government where they be- come burdensome, were quoted from several campaign speeches and ad- dresses, among them being this one from a speech in congress in 1848: “‘Any people anywhere being inclined and having the power have the right to rise up and shake off existing government and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable, a most sacred right—a right which we hope and believe is to liberate the world.” Turning to the efforts being made to control North Dakota, and the fight of North Dakota people to throw off the yoke of outside political influences, Mr. Coates said: “Who is going to decide in this legis- lative session whether the Chamber of Commerce, the grain gamblers and the 15 per cent sharks shall continue on in their great prosperity, as the result of the toil of the farmers of North Dako- ta? Or is it going to be they them- selves .or the men who know what it means to seed, what it means to reap, of the Declaration of Independence of the United States? “I want to tell you that battle will go down in history,” said he, continuing. “It is a heritage you can leave with pride to your children. There is very little ever said about Lincoln’s attitude towards the farmers but he has shown what his real opinion was, and his words entitle you to a right to quote and act upon his principles. He quoted from one of Lincoln’'s addresses rela- tive to farmers as follows: “‘Farmers being the most numer= ous class, it follows that their inter= ests are the largest interests. It also follows that that interest is most worthy of all to be cherished and cultivated—that if there be inevit- able conflict between that interest and any other, that other should yield. Mr. Coates urged that all give their fullest support to Governor Frazier, declaring that “he is a man who has the conviction of principle and back=- bone; a man who will become a power in this state as he goes about telling the people of the doings of this legis- lature.” Farmers Representatives in Minnesota Legislature Seem to Have Been Affected by Patronage of Plutes By Special Correspondent T. PAUL, Feb. 17.—At the begin- S ning of the present Minnesota legislature, because of the strength of the Minnesota State union of the American Society of Equity and the fear of the Nonpartisan League, the farmers were allowed to select their own grain and warehouse com- mittee. In doing so they tried to be fair, and gave Big Biz due recogni- tion on the committee, yet retained enough positions for themselves to be able to report out any of the farmers’ measures. For a time they remembered that they were farmers, but one stormy Saturday, when all the railroads were tied up by snowdrifts and the farmer members had to remain in St. Paul, lonesome, homesick, tired@ and weary from their strenuous duties and look- ing for sympathy, they were invited by one Asher Howard to come. over and partake of his hospitality and visit the Chamber of Commerce, the termin- al elevators, flour mills, etc., in Minne- apolis; and not only that, but being farmers they could not hide their appe- tites at meal time, and their hungry look was noticed by one John Wash- burn, who charitably invited them to have luncheon with him (note: we sometimes make the mistake of calling it dinner) at the wealthiest and most exclusive millionaire club in the city, the Minneapolis club. MUTUAL ADMIRATION DISPLAYED AT LUNCH During the toasts that followed the farmers were lauded for their broad- minded fairness and in return Big Biz was told that it had nothing to fear from men like them. It seems the affair was just the right thing at the right time. It had the effect of chang- ing the attitude of several members of the committee, farmers who were sup- posed to be absolutely dependable, have forgotten their neighbors out in the snowdrifts at home entirely; and not only are they killing farmer bills in this committee, but even go so far as to ask to recall bills that had previ- ously been reported. to the house and had been placed on general orders. It was a severe test, and while some fell, some stood up like men. This is only told for the purpose of calling attention to the necessity of or- ganizing politically and sending men down here who have backbone enough to last them through the entire season, in spite of complimentary dinners. The tonnage tax bill seems to be the most feared of all. Steel Trust lobby- ists are swarming the capital. They are leaving no stones unturned. Ere this reaches its readers the question will have been settled one way or the other, as far as the house is concern- ed. The Malmberg university regent bill, EIGHT after being amended by the commit- tee on the university, has been recom- mended for passage. Answering Fred Snyder of Minneapolis, who appeared for the bill, Oscar Swenson of Nicollet, one of its authors, said: “You fellows can sit down on us as hard as you like now, but there will come a time when you will not, and I believe that time is not far distant, either.”” Repre- sentative Martin Odland of Fergus Falls made one of the strongest pleas for the bill. The concurrent resolution, memori- alizing - congress of the United States to establish, operate and maintain terminal elevators at all railroad and marine terminals of the United States where grain is extensively handled, was passed by a vote of 72 yeas to 26 nays, and gave a good opportunity to note and record such members as are fearless in their opposition to the farmers. b ot i o A 4 7 i et e Bt i AP