The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 5, 1917, Page 27

-~ ADVERTISEMENTS BETTER PRICES BROADER MARKETS Part played in Problem by Trans- portation — National Treatment for a National Enterprise. the farmers are turning their attention to questwns relat- ing to the handling of their prod- ucts after they leave the farm. Transportation is a -part of this problem. The cost of reaching their markets and the ability to reach them promptly at the right time are important factors in de- termining the returns from their erops. IN every part of the country Low Freight Rates Fortunately the American farm- er has at his command the lowest freight rates in the world. It costs no more to move a load of wheat 500 miles by rail than it does to haul it five miles from farm to station by team. A ton of farm produce of any kind can travel almost twice as far for the same charge on American railroads as on the government-owned roads of other lands. The cheapness of transportation is not the whole issue. To meet the needs of the farmer transpor- tation facilities must be ample. There must be plenty of tracks and cars and locomotives and suf- ficient terminals. Billion a Year Needed The railroads are anxious to provide means to take care of all the business they can obtain. But a vast outlay of money is required. A billion and a quarter dollars a year for the next ten years or more must go into railroads to provide the necessary transpor- tation facilities. During the past few years it has become more and more difficult to obtain even in part, the money required for this purpose. This has been due partly to the poor promise of a satisfactory return on the investment; partly to the uncertainty created by numerous and conflicting regulations. Regulate For All the People Nobody seriously proposes that the public regulation of railroads shall be weakened. Certainly the railroads themselves do not. But it is a reasonable proposal that the regulation of this great national business should be handled by na- tional agencies, on national lines, in the interest of all the people, and not by local agencies to serve local or sectional ends. Regulation at cross purposes by 49 masters — 48 states and the federal government — now imposes upon the railroads an annual burden of many millions of dollars of wasteful expense, from avhich the public derives no berre- fit. It is of primary importance to the farmer to cut down this waste in order that his products may be moved to market at the least expense and with the greatest possible expedition. The farmer’s interest demands free trade among the states. Railway Executives’ Advisory Committee New York City Frank Trumbull, Chairman Francis H. Sissom Assistant Alfred P. Thom, Counsel B. F. Bush, Receiver Mo. Pac. Ry. A J Earling, Pres C. M. & St. P. Ry. Howard Elliott, Ch. N. Y. N. H. & H. R. R. ‘W. J. Harahan, Pres. SeaboardA.irLineRy. ‘Walker D. Hmes, Ch. A. T. & Sante Fe Ry, Hale Holden, Pres. C. B. & R. R. L. F. Loree, Pres, D. & H R. S. Lovett, Ch. Union Paciflc R. R. C. H. Markham, Pres. Ill, Cent. R. R. Samuel Rea, Pres. Penn, R, A, H. Smithi) ]fi’]re(s:.hNé Y. Cenfira‘l Lines. Frank Trumbull, 3 V. Underwood, Pres. Eri R. R. H Walters, Ch, Atlantlc Coast Line R. R. Daniel Willard, Pres. O. R. R. Mention Leader when writing advertisers 61 Broadway .they would favor discriminating The Lesson of the | Grain Hearings Leeds, N. D., March 10, 1917. Editor Nonpartisan Leader. Fargo, N. Dak. Dear Sir: In your paper of March 1, I read the report of the hearings which were held at Fargo and Minneapolis, by the Unit- ed States department of agriculture in connection with the establishment of new grades and it is a great satis- faction to note there is someone to re- port those meetings that the farmers may know how things.which are most vital to their interests are handled. That the new grades will be unjust we do not doubt. According to the statements of the department men against durum wheat that is slightly mixed with other varieties, by classing it as mixed wheat, thereby impressing upon the farmer the necessity of keep- ing it pure. The injustice of such grading is quite evident when we know there is a scarcity of durum wheat, in fact, the most of it will have to be used as seed for the coming crop and Mr. Duvel, of the department, admitted he thought it was true, that not one car- load of durum in 500 would pass the new proposed grades. That would mean almost all the durum wheat rais- ed next fall will be graded lower or classed as mixed wheat causing a great loss to the farmers. There is going to be some trouble ahead of the United States department of agriculture if they will condescend to explain to the farmers why. they should disapprove of Dr. Ladd’s mill- ing tests to. determine the grades of wheat, when the discrimination against ‘“red durum” and “humpback” is based on the fact that they make poorer flour than other varieties. It is a mighty poor rule that will not work both ways. The injustice we receive at the hands of the grain grading department and the influence of the large milling inter- ests, who 'seem to have the most to say about what the grades should be, is one of the main reasons why we farm- ers should support a strong central or- ganization to protect our interests and have it as a medium by which we can raise our voice in protest against the encroachment of interests that take undue advantage of our unprotected position. The dissatisfaction the farmers have shown in the last year at the un- scrupulous way they are robbed in the marketing of their produce is not a new awakening. They would have made their voice heard above that of the politician long ago had they an organ- ization upon which they could depend to fight their battles. It was with a feeling of relief that we welcomed the Nonpartisan League, as such an organ- ization and we are satisfied that our trust was not misplaced. . The legisla- tors we elected almost took our breath away by accomplishing the unprece- dentéd, which was making an honest effort to carry out the pledges after election which they made while cam- paigning. (You remember it was a standing joke to say campaign pledges were made to be broken.) We can not forget to thank those legisla.tors for the very commendable showing they made in spite of the fact that they were hampered by the tac- ties of the majority in the upper house which were mostly hold-overs. I am glad to see the League getting the support it deserves. The township in which I live has three members more than it had last year and from what I hear other townships are coming in strong. The farmers do not like to be dictat- ed to by that would-be farmers’ friend newspaper (?) which gets its first daub of ink in Grand Forks, and its financial support from God knows where. It has been caught with the goods too of- ten to inspire confidence. We see no good reason why we should not pay our eight dollars-per in support of an organization that has stood the test and not been found wanting. It is our one best bet of getting a square deal. Yours for a continuance of the pres- ent policy, JOHN R. CONWAY. COLORADO CALLING Arapahoe, Colo.,, March 15, 1917 Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I listened with interest to the talk given by Mr. Ray McKaig at the Farmers’ Union meeting at Denver. | certainly am pleased. with: results obtained by the League in North Dakota and hope it will spread to Colorado and other states. | would like very much to get in the field and do some work. Is there any school by which one could qualify? Will you please advise what steps to take? Yours truly, J. H. OWEN. ‘The Courier-News ADVERTISEMENTS The Courier-News of Fargo IS The Nonpartisan Daily AND The Best Newspaper IN BE Northwest It Stands for a Square Deal for the Average Man It 1s Your Newspaper If You Are Not Reading the Courier-News You Ought to be Reading It Subscribe Now The Courier-News gives all the news, all the markets, all the sports, every day. You can subseribe to it for six days a week (the old way), or seven days a week (the new way), whichever you please. Here are the rates both ways. Take your choice, but sub- scribe one way now. Six Days a Week (Every day except Monday) Two Months ........$1.00 Six Months. .. ........ 2.25 Twelve Months ...... 4.00 ., Seven Days a Week (Every day including Monday) Two Months ........$1.20 Six Months. ......... 275 Twelve Months .. ..... 5.00 Fargo, North Dakota s e et et s ee sommds: Mention Leader when writing advertisers i b -