The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 1, 1917, Page 3

In the interest of a square deal for the farmer VOL. 4, NO. 9 Tlonpartisan Teader Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1917 A magazine that dares to print the truth WHOLE NUMBER 76 It’s Just a Matter of Transferring the Club to a New Individual ISMARCK, N. D.,, Teb. 22— The Nonpartisan League sen- ators and representatives will stick. Expressing supreme confidence in' A. C. Townley, as president, and branding suggestions of reorganization as attacks against the League by powerful enemies who, un- der present conditions are exploiting the farmers of the state of millions of dollars each year, the Nonpartisan League senators and representatives at a caucus held this morning passed and signed resolutions pledging to stand steadfast. The resolutions were signed by all the Nonpartisan league senators and representatives at the caucus. They were unanimously adopted. The resolutions are as follows: TRY TO FOMENT LEAGUE DISCORD “WHEREAS ever since the Fitteenth Legislative Assembly convened -at Bismarck, there have been persistent efforts made to create discord among the senators and representatives elect- ed by the Nonpartisan League, and to destroy their confidence in the lead- ership of President A. C. Townley, with the purpose in view of prevent- ing their united action on legislative measures; and ¢ “S\VHEREAS, These underhanded at- tacks of the enemies of the League have recently taken the form of a sug- gestion for a reorganization and legal incorporation of the Farmers Non- partisan League, so that it may be more easily attacked by cunning law- yers and prejudiced courts at the com- mand of the wealthy and powerful exploiters of the farmers and their families; and ; “WHEREAS, The ' Grand Forks Herald has-become the publicity agent for such attacks upon President Town- ley, and has persistently and brazenly misrepresented and ridiculed the legis- lative work of the League senators and representatives, for the purpose of creating distrust among the member- The farmer is trying to put up the bars, but how can he do it w! tion is to disarm this gentleman with the club and transfer that weapon s ship of the League thruout the state: therefore be it Z “RESOLVED, By the Senators and Representatives who are members of and supporters of the Nonpartisan League and its program, in meeting assembled this day, that we brand such attacks as being those of well organized and powerful enemies who, under present conditions, are exploit- ing the farmers of North Dakota ot millions of dollars each year, and who see- their special privileges of power and wealth endangered by the success of the League, and have been able to block temporarily the League legis- lation through their agents occupying seats in the state senate. And we warn the farmers of the state against such attacks. Be it further “RESOLVED, That after a careful and thorough examination into the af- fairs, objects, and methods of opera- hen the gentleman with the club continues on the to the farmers, who can then put up the bars and keep the pigs from eating all the farm profits. A NEW TRICK NAILED tion of the League, we say to our con- Stituents, and to the members of the League thruout the entire state, that it is neither necessary nor desirable to change the plan of organization. Nor is there any more need of its legal incorporation than that of any political organization. “And that the best interests of every member are best served on the basis of the present organization of the League, and best safeguarded against the attacks of the enemies who would * destroy the League and leave the farmers and their families helpless against their organized exploiters; and be it “RESOLVED, That we express our supreme confidence 'in the honesty, sincerity, and ability as a leader, of President A. C. Townley, and Qur trust in the executive committee of the League and their associates and ad- The federal grain grade hearings last week in the hard spring wheat belt were of the utmost importance to farmers of the Northwest. The grades to be fixed will supplant all state grades. The farmers expected that in some small measure at least the new government grades would correet existing abuses in the grain markets. They were intensely interested. They knew the now famous wheat tests of Dr. Ladd, showing the present dis- crimination against producers, would be presented. Yet the only publication in the states of North and South Dakota, Montana and Minnesota that had a representative at these hearings to re- port them in detail was the Nonpartisan Leader, The Leader reports also appeared in the Fargo Daily Courier-News, the only daily paper in the hard spring wheat belt to print the detail of the meetings. Because of the importance of these hearings the Leader is devoting a considerable part of this issue to the news reports and to the conclusions of its representative who attended the hearings. At the Fargo meeting no newspaper had a man present to cover the proceedings except the Lieader. At the two Minneapolis hearings no newspaper representatives appeared ex- cept the Leader’s representative and a reporter for one of the Minneapolis dailies. The latter ‘spent a half hour during one afternoon listening to the proceedings. THREE P job? The purpose of'the farmers’ organiza- visers, and urge every member to rally around them in this time of bitter de- nunciation and misrepresentation; and be it “RESOLVED, That we denounce the Grand Forks Herald as the agent and mouthpiece of Big Business and the organized enemies of the League in this state, as evidenced by the de- liberate misrepresentations of the work of the League senators and represen- tatives in the present legislative ses- sion, and the bitter and unjust attacks being made by it upon President Townley, and we warn the members against the destructive influence of this publication. Be it further STAND STEADFAST, SAY LEGISLATORS “RESOLVED, That we urge every member, to stand steadfast with us in faith and confidence in the League and its leaders, and their ability to accomplish the great work of emanci- pating all of the people from the heavy burdens put upon them by trusts and corporations and thejr political tools and newspaper advocates, so that the pgople may enjoy the full fruits ot their labor and the advantages of mod- ern civilization; and. be it further “RESOLVED, That, in testimony of our confidence in the league and its leaders, and our sincerity in adopting the above resolutions, we hereby affix our signatures to the same and send a copy of these resolutions to the Non- partisan Leader for publication, and also ask that the friendly press thru- out the state publish the same. “Dated at Bismarck, this 23rd day of February, 1917. “Respectfully and sincerely signed, Resolutions commuittee appointed by - the meeting: F. W. MEES, of Heil. .C. F. DUPUIS, of Temple, W. J. CHURCH, of York. Approved and endorsed by the League members of the Fifteenth Leg- islative Assembly, | | s } ) | y