The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 5, 1917, Page 18

Mr. McHugh Catches a Tartar Several of Them in Fact, When He Tries to Clear Record of Chamber of Commerce Before Washington Farmers HE fight which the Minneapo- lis chamber of commerce has been conducting against the farmers of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Mon- tana, has been carried across the Rocky mountains, and an effort has been made in the state of Washington, to discredit Dr. E. F. Ladd, and be- smirch the character and purpose of the Nonpartisan League. It was Secretary J. S. McHugh of the chamber who was sent to attempt to poison the minds of the Washing- ton and Idaho farmers against the League, and to “to put in a plug” for the grain gamblers, at a grain grm\ ers’ convention at Pullman (seat of the Washington State college) in January. Jut there were college professors there, who had read Dr. Ladd’s bulle- tins on wheat; there were farmers who had compared the chamber of com- merce tricks with the tricks of the Pacific Coast grain exporters; there were farmers who had been reading the Nonpartisan Leader, and were in touch with what the League really is. Secre- tary McHugh's effort failed completely, and when those who were posted an- nounced they would answer him, Mr. McHugh left the convention, and caught an early train out of Pullman. He refused to return for the evening session, where he knew his attacks upon Dr. Ladd and the Northwestern farmers’ movement would be answered. MR. M'THUGH FAILED TO LEAVE “RIGHT IMPRESSION" Mr. McHugh left Pullman, but did not leave behind him the kind of an impression he intended to leave when he traveled over 2000 miles acress the United States to deliver one- little speech against the united farmers, their leaders, and Dr. Ladd. The Washing- ton citizens are wondering what influ- ences brought this particular enemy of farmers, this particular champion of Big Biz so far to deliver to strangers a scorching denunciation of men who stand well in their own state, and have succeeded so well that they have cap- tured an entire state government, su- preme court, and almost an entire leg- islature at the first trial. After a skirmish, Secretary Mec- Hugh made his first thrust in this fashion: “The chamber of commerce of Min- neapolis has been assaulted by dema- gogic politicians in North Dakota and Minnesota who are now carrying their campaign into Montana. Aiding these irresponsible demagogues, we find the shameful spectacle of a professor in one of our colleges, Dr. E. F. Ladd, as- serting that “Feed D” wheat makes just as good and as much flour as No. 1 Hard. - “When this bulletin of Dr. Ladd reached Minneapolis, all the people did was to give it the ha-ha. Not knowing the real situation, it is easy for the farmers to be deceived, and be made to believe that they are the victims of a plot on the part of millers and commis- sion men to rob them of what is their own, not knowing they are getting all that is coming to them already and that if they are mnot satisfied with Minneapolis, they can go to Duluth or Chicago. It is a fact recorded by the daily quotations, that in Minneapolis, the market where, according to Dr. Ladd, these farmers are robbed of mil- lions annually, the prices were always above the market in Duluth.” WASHINGTON FARMER CALLS M'HUGH’S BLUFF At this juncture, the fun started, for the farmers could not stand that line of argument. C. B. Kegley, state master of the Washington grange, asked if Mr. McHugh would yield for a question. He yielded. “Mr. McHugh, is it not a fact,” asked Mr. Kegley, ‘“that the same parties, men, and organizations control the Duluth board of trade, that control the Minneapolis chamber of commerce?” “Yes, I believe that is largely true,” admitted Secretary McHugh. “Well, then, what good would it do John Smith to ship his wheat from Minneapolis to Duluth, when it has been graded by Joe Jones at Minnea- polis and was again to be graded by Joe Jones at Duluth? Does it look rea- sonable that Smith would get any bet- ter grade in Duluth?” Mr. McHugh stammered out some- thing and evaded an answer. Then L. C. Crow, past president of the Farmers’ Union of Washington, a.sked a question. “Does the gentlman representing the chamber of commerce of Minneapolis deny that many millions more of No. A farmer who keeps his eyeé open was on the job when McHugh, the “prize beauty” of the C. of C., tried to slip something over in the state of Washington. The Leader also was represented, and there were some scientist friends of the farmer present. Read this story. You will enjoy it. 1 Northern were shipped out of Minne- apolis or sold in that market, than were received or credited to the grower in Minnesota or the Dakotas?” ‘0, yes, that was no doubt true—but not as Dr. Ladd said.” “Well, then where: did they get this large amount of No 1 and No. 2? Of- ficial figures show that much D feed and low grade wheat was received, but little of it was ever sold.” “0O, according to Dr. Ladd that is true, but we do not take the professor seriously,” interrupted Secretary Mc- The picture shows C. B. Kegley, master of the Washington State Grange, giving a talk on agriculture to a group of Washington farmers. Mr. Kegley gave the emissary of the chamber of commerce a rude jolt at Pullman. Laws for the Power Trust Invisible Government in Montana Uses a Club on the Cities (By Leader Correspondent) Helena, Mont.,, March 31.—“Well, the farmers weren’t alone in getting theirs at the hands of the last legislature— the city chaps got theirs also. The cor- poration Nonpartisan League didn’t play any favorites.” This sarcastic summary has just been made by a well known politician, who always keeps close tab on Montana politics, and who was provoked into this comment by the veto by Governor Stewart of one of the bills fought hard for by the Munic- ipal league. This bill took from the State Pub- lic Utilities commission all authority over public utilities ow:ied by the cities of the state. Many ¢ities own their water plants, and quite a few their lighting plants. Four years ago these were all puf under control of the State Public Utilic ties commission, the purpose ‘being t( prevent the rates made by municipally owned water and light plants from making too startling a contrast with the rates charged by the corporation owned plants. Persistently the com- mission has kept up the rates of the municipal plants, so that the corpora- tion owned plants, by changing similar- ly high rates, could pay dividends on immense issues of watered stock. After a strenuous fight, the legis- lature passed the bill relieving the cities of the strangle hold. But evi- dently the Invisible Government—of which the public utility corporations are a part—knew better what would happen to the bill when it reached the governor, than did the Municipal league folks, for they never worried a bit, although the rejoicing of the league was great. But the rejoicing was short lived, for the governor used the ax upon the bill in due season. This was only one of the instances where the city folks got theirs. Death also came to another important city measure, but in the senate instead of in the executive office. This bill would have been the opening wedge for the municipal ownership of lighting and heating plants in many of the princi- pal cities of the state. The passage of this bill would have been of enormous benefit to the people of the larger - cities. But it would also have put a crimp into the swollen revenues of the Montana power monopoly, so it died the death. The Municipal league had another measure of importance that went down to defeat. It was the so-called “home rule bill,” that would have given cities authority to have engaged in munici- pal activities covering a wide scope. In fact, had this bill become a law, the cities could have taken up many prob- lems that vex because of legal limita- tions under the present law. Of course the cities got something. The corporation Nonpartisan league wasn't utterly heavtless, after all, A bill was passed and signed by the gov- ernor allowing incorporated cities to pay Zor the upkeep of lands, and for lard contracts out of the tax moneys collected for that purpose. So the cities got their tin whistle! TEN Hugh—but he sidestepped Mr. Crow's question, and tried to carry the discus- sion beyond the point where this em- barressing matter would be in order. But Farmer Kegley put in another question. HERE'S WHERE MR. M'HUGH GETS IT GOOD AND PLENTY “Mr. McHugh,” he said, “you have made the assertion that all this agita- tion as you call it, has grown out of irresponsible demagogic agitators. I hold ne brief for the defense of Dr. Ladd, neither for any of these you characterize as demagogues and irre- sponsibles, but when you attack farm=- er leaders and farmer organizers as such, I believe that I, as one of these, have a right to interpose an objection, Either I have read Dr. Ladd and Mr. Collins, the author of the magazine article you attack, lightly and incor- rectly, or you have misquoted them. “I want to say that I had no idea this subject was to be injected into this convention, or I certainly should have brought those bulletins and magazine articles with me. I shall get them during the recess hour and de- mand that time be set apart for the discussion and answering the charges and attacks made on this floor this afternoon. The gentleman from Min- neapolis has branded these men as demagogues. “] count one who, will deliberate- |y misquote a man like Dr. Ladd, in his absence, the prince of dema- gogues. | shall be ready to present the other side of the argument at the evening session. “If this man comes here with the purpose of fostering, aiding and en- couraging the orgamzatlon of a similar chamber to that in Minne- apolis, we want to serve notice here and now that he will have a fight on his hands.” BUT M’HUGH DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE ANSWER But he didn’t come again. Hugh left the convention at recess, and took the first train out of Pullman. After recess, Mr. Kegley procured Dr. Ladd’s bulletins from professors of the ~Washington State college, who were indignaftt at McHugh's attack, and magazine articles exposing the grain combine, which Mr. McHugh de- clared were not true, and answered the chamber of commerce booster. He showed that what Dr. Ladd’s bulletins asserted was that the D feed wheat contained qualities absolutely assential in making flour; that on an average the D feéd made almost as much flour, and almost as good flour as No. 1 Northern, not No. 1 Hard; that the millers were buying it at a low price, and using it to make flour which they were selling at top prices; and Mr. Kegley reviewed the magazine articles which exposed the inner workings of the Minneapolis grain combine. Pacific coast millers and exporters came to the defense of their Minne- apolis brother who had retreated, but the discussion was closed . when Former President E. A. Bryan, for 22 years head of the Washington State college, himself a farmer and student of economic conditions, put the Minne=- apolis chamber of commerce in the toll-taking class. Dr. Bryan said: “All this discussion is enlighten= ing and helps us to understand the other fellow’s problem. But | am reminded of an incident of last summer when on a trip to Port- land, Ore. After driving all day we came to the Des Chutes river. Following this for several hours we inquired how far to a crossing, and were told we would soon reach a bridge. In due time we reached the bridge, but to our surprise found sitting at the approach, a man who had a gate across it, and who told us we would have to pay $1.00 before he would open the gate. We protested but he assur- ed us he had a license to build and operate this bridge. Be- ing a full half day's drive to another crossing, we reluctantly paid the $1 and went on our way. But 1 have been wondering ever since, if, after all, it was not an antiquated method. “Yet we escaped some of the sys- tem practiced in Minneapolis, for we only had to pay one toll; while - the Northwestern farmers who go to market by way of aneapohs have to pay a toll to get in and a' toll to get out.™ Mr. Mc-.