The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 5, 1917, Page 16

the construction of the second cold storage plant and ice plant now near- ing completion, the fish trust and allied interests, who foresaw the breaking up of the monopoly of the fish trade by these public utilities, brought suit, at- tacking the right of the Port commis- slon to proceed with the project. A disgruntled property owner was used to make tdis legal attack. The courts enjoined the commission from: pro- ceeding with the work until the case could be heard, and the fish trust has been amply paid by the eight months delay in the work the injunction caused, although the Port commission won the final decision. PORT TO BUILD BELT LINE RAILWAY The Port commission’s wharves, warehouses, cold storage plants and grain storage facilities are located all around Eliott bay, the harbor of Seat- tle. No one or two railroads serve all the properties owned and operated by the people. Five or six railrcads own the tracks that serve the various pub- _lic wharves. From the start the rail- roads have grossly discriminated against the public wharves and their patrons in switching charges for cars that must move from wharf to wharf, or witich come into Seattle by one road consigned to a-public wharf on another road’s line. In vain the Port commis- sion has appealed to the interstate commerce commission, the state public utilities commission and the federal trade commission for relief from thig oppressive discrimination. The com- mission finally got a franchise from the Seattle city council for a belt line railroad to be operated by the people and to skirt the harbor, con- necting up all the publicly owned and operated terminal facilities. The commission then submitted to the people a proposition for a new bond issue to build the belt line and forever do away with the railroad discrimina- tion. 'Such a railroad, owned and operated by the people, would throw the public utilities open to hundreds of shippers who in many instances can not afford to stand the extra switching charges imposed by the railroads and who must still use the private docks. Three times the people of Seattle by 8 majority vote have favored these bonds at as many elections, although all the force of the public press, the chamber of commerce, the private harbor interests, the railroads and the rest of the opposition have opposéed them bitterly. At three elections a majority was obtained for the bonds, even with this opposition but the leg- islature in its wisdom provided that no bonds could be voted for the Port dis- trict unless 60 per cent of the voters favored them. At these three elections Jjust under 60 per cent of the voters Some of the small fishing and farmers’ boats operated by small independent fishermen and farmers who bring in produce. These were at the mercy of the fish and food trust before Seattle took control, through a bond issue by the peo- ple, of its own terminal facilities. ~- have given their approval, defeating the bonds by a few votes. In vain has the commission tried to get the legislature to amend this part of the law. But the legislature, while it has passed bills to cripple the com- mission, has steadfastly refused to pass any bills aiding and facilitating the building and operating of these publia terminals. Among other bills the legis- lature defeated, are bills providing for small salaries for the Port commis- sioners, who now serve without pay, and who are neglecting their private business to conduct the public busi- ness. SEATTLE STAUNCH FOR PUBLIC OWNERSHIP Lately a fourth election was held on the belt line bonds, but this time the newspaper opposition succeeded in cutting the vote down to below 50 per cent in favor of the proposition, the first time, in the four times it has been up, that less than 50 per cent of the voters were in favor of the project. At the last election, however, the people also voted on whether or not they wanted to give up the franchise the Port commission holds for the belt line. A railroad is seeking this fran- chise, because it is a most valuable concession. The people, while they voted against the bonds to build the road, refused to authorize turning over the franchise to a private corporation. The newspapers and the chamber of commerce have succeeded so far in scaring the people out of voting any more bonds, but the vote on the giv- ing up of the franchine proves that they are still back of public owner- ship and operation. The Port commis- sion is going to proceed with the build- ing of the belt line nevertheless, con- structing a portion of it at a time, as funds that can be saved from other work are available. Besides the confidence shown by the people in their projects by the vote finally quashing the private syndicate deal and refusing to turn the belt line franchise over to a private corporation, the election -and re-election twice of Robert DBridges as commissioner, the last time without opposition, shows that all the undermining that has been done has not shaken the faith of the voters in public ownership. The details of all the opposition pub- lic ownership of terminals in Seattle has encountered and is still encounter- ing would fill many volumes. Only the high places have been touched here. I intend to cover in a more personal way more of the methods used by the opposition in the story of Robert Bridges, which is to come. The League Answers Kansas’ Call Many Letters From the Sunflower State Show the People Want Political Power to Safeguard Their Economic Life The call of Kansas for help from the National Nonpartisan League, which has been coming in an increasing volume for nearly a year, was answer- ed last week. Leon Durocher and W. H. Talmage were sent from the St Paul national headquarters to take up temporary state headquarters at Tope- ka, the capital of the Sunflower state, and open the way to League organiza- tion there. Many of Kansas' problems are the same as those in the other Northwestern states in which the League is now organized; it raises about the same quantity of wheat as North and South Dakota; it is the great corn state; it is overrun by monopolies who fatten on its natural resources; its people have made them- selves famous as fighters of Big Busi- ness control. By its enemies it has been called a “political laboratory’— which merely ' means that its peopls have been looking for a way out. Here are extracts from some of the many letters that shows Kansas means business and recognized the Nonparti- san League'as the best instrument: PEOPLE NEED COURTS AND LEGISLATURE ‘I understand that you are organiz- ing branch Leagues in other states. If g0, I would be pleased to entertain and route one of your best organizers throughout the county. I can secure at least six good points where there are good locals of the F. E. and C. U. of A. containing influential members of the organization. ‘We have a co-opera- tive business association with nearly 300 members, having four elevators and one gco-operative store with further developments in sight, the paid up capital stock being about $40,000.” —M. L. AMOS, Ellsworth, “I would like to help in this work as I have been in favor of the things you are advocating for years. We have farmers unions here, but are beginning to find that we must organize to get control of the legislatures and courts.” —J. H. BUREK, Soldier. “The Farmers' League, of which you are president, interests me very much, and I would be pleased to have a let- ter from you, stating what encourage- ment we farmers of Kansas would re- ceive and what help we could expect from you if organization was started in this state.” —C. 'W. CHRISTENSEN, R. 1, Box 186, Merriam. “T’d like to learn more of your League. Can yon send organizers to help. us in Kansas? I'd be glad to help. Kindly send me literature.” —JOHN W. NELSON, Woodston. “The Eagle was much interested in your campaign in North Dakota and is still more interested in the carrying out of your efforts to secure a more scien- . were simple, well meaning idealists. _ . THE CREED OF THE OLD GUARD The rule of the few over the many, is a long established law of the world dating back to Pharoah’s time. It is a sacred right. * ®* ® It is an ancient, time-rooted, olti:-as-the-ages custom, watered by the bloody millions of slaves, that the many shall pay tribute to the few. : They who wrote it into the constitution of the United States thaf this was a nation where the will of the many could through voting ‘become law, It ig all right as an ideal, but danger- ous to practice as are all things which are opposed to sacred rights. * % = The sacred doctrine of blue blood still holds; a “hold-over” senator should not lower himself by entering into debate, on these sacred subjects, with a low farmer, or anyone of the breed that believes in the anarchistio doctrine of the rights of the majority, debate only with a stool pigeon, that has been picked and planted by some, safe, sane, conservative member or members of loya}, sacred rights organization. tific system of distribution for the farmers of your state.” —R. M. M’'CLINTOCK, The Wichita Eagle, Wichita. “I want to join the movement.” —THOMAS DAHI, R 1, Montrose. RAILROADS AND BANKS FIGHT THEM “I have read something of the Non- partisan movement and would like to learn more. If you have any litera- ture on that line would be glad to get it. We have the F. E. and C. A. Union here in -Philips county. But we have a fight. on our hands. The banks and the railroads are not trying to help us any, but are putting everything in our way that they can. Any information will be gladly received.” —FRANK FREELAND, Phillipsburg. “I read of North Dakota’s Farmers Revolt in Cappers Weekly, .and under- F J. SULLIVAN. stand you are one of them. Like Bryan, I say you've grabbed my thunder, but go ahead.' I'm with you and want to be one of you. Put me next to your, movement, maybe I can help.” < —D. L. HARDIN, Scranton. In Kansas Mr. Durocher and Mr. Talmage will meet the leaders of the various farm and co-operative organi- zations, and others interested in the League movement. They will arrange for a series of meetings in the towns and rural districts where lecturers will set forth the simple facts of the League’s success farther north. A state committee for Kansas will be formed to push the organization in that state. This preliminary survey will be followed by the introduction of a few experienced organizers who have been in the trenches in Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, and a corps of Kansas organizers familiar with conditions there will be formed. This task will require several weecks .ahd’ when ‘it is under way there, Mr. Durocher and Mr. Talmage will begin pioneering in Nebraska, Okla- homa; Colorado, Idaho and ‘Washing- ton’ ‘each in turn, following similar methods. Before the end of the sum- mer it is expected that most of the states west of the Mississippi river will be ‘rapidly pushing organization work. PREVENTING HORNS Horns can.be .prevented from grow- ing on a calf by rubbing caustic potash on the little nubs that develop into the horns. A good time to do this is when the calf is a week or two old. ‘Wrap one end.of the stick of caustic in paper to protect the fingers, moisten the other and rub on the nubs. Be careful that it does not run down the face and into the eyes. Removing the hair helps. Make three applications, allowing it to dry between each application. The calf should be protected from rain to keep the caustic from spreading.