The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 5, 1917, Page 4

Recruiting in Several States Members Tell of Many Meetings and Success of Speakers in Counteracting Enemy’s Poison Indorsements of House Bill 44 where- ever League meetings are being held, show the principles of state ownership and the desire to have them financial- ly sustained, were not killed by the action of the Old Gang senate in de- feating that bill. Throughout North Dakota discussion of this measure is going hand in hand with re-enrollment of members. In South Dakota and Minnesota organization meetings are bringing out numbers of interested farmers and new members for two- vear periods are being enrolled. Be- low are some accounts of meetings, and letters from the field. P. J. Green of DBattleview, S. D, writes: “The meeting held in Battleview on March 22 had an attendance of 40 farmers, some of whom walked four or five miles on account of the bad roads. Mr. E. F. Wood addressed the meeting and gave a very interesting lecture on the merits of House Bill 44. There were four new members put on and five renewals. Most of the old mem- bers here are very willing to rejoin the organization, for they see the necessity of keeping up the fight, so that the people may be allowed to rule. WARMED THEM UP AT FRANKFORT Extracts from the following letter by Art Lawrence, Doland, S. D., shows the South Dakota spirit that is rapidly filling the ranks in that state: “Mr. I'ox certainly warmed them at the Frankfort meeting, March 15. We entered the hall at 2 p. m. found the janitor with a good warm fire, and farmers to fill every seat. At 2:30 I called the meeting to order and from the attention and applause Mr. Fox received, one would judge every one was interested. Just to prove the question at the close of the speech, I asked all those who were members to raise their hands. I thought every hand went up, but I called for the hands of those not members and two hands went“up, but they won’t go up again as Mr. Fox caught them as soon as they showed up and they too joined. So let the good work go on until the producer and consumer get justice that will de- stroy the pirates on the commercial sea. “The Doland meeting on March 14 was not as well attended as we were in hopes it would be, but Mr. Fox was on hand to give the information sought by those who were present. He did it GET READY FOR SUMMER PICNICS NOW The Nonpartisan League is going to hold a large number of picnics this summer. This is especially true of North Dakota. We want to hold at least an average of one picnic to each county. These pic- nics will start as soon as the spring work is over and will con- tinue throughout the mid-summer season. In order to route the picnic speakers to the best advantages we will have to make up the routings from the head office. We can not give you a picnic speaker on the special date you prefer unless it happens to agree with the rest of the routing. Speakers cannot jump from one end of the state to another. They will have to go from county to county. Theréfore, all counties which want picnics must get in their application early so the routing can be made up and the advertising prepared in advance. Send in your application imme- diately upon seeing this notice. State the place you want the pienic, Better state a first and second choice place, so they can be .ar- ranged so as not to conflict. In or- der that there may be no confusion send all application for picnies to | National Headquarters, Nonparti- [ san League, Box 294, St.- Paul, | Minn. From there your applica- tions will be distributed to the proper state offices. If you want a rousing picnic in | your county, with a good speaker and a fine time, write at once. Do | it now. in a very convincing manner with his chart talk, and showed clearly how the farmers lose millions by the present method of distribution. The farmers of this locality have wakened up to the call of the Nonpartisan movement as I can testify by my own knowledge. I was out with some of the organizers and know the farmers took to it like a duck to water.” ENEMIES TEAR DOWN LEAGUE NOTICES E. E. Kurtz, a League legislator from the forty-first district, sent in the fol- lowing report, showing the enthusiasm at a meeting at Watford, and the un- derhanded attempt of the Leagues enemies to prevent a meeting at Schafer: “J. A. Williams spoke here March 22 to a fair sized crowd of farmers in spite of bad roads and an auction sale which kept many from attending. Mr. Williams is a good forceful speaker, and held the crowd spellbound through- out the meeting. He touched briefly on Senate Bill 84 and why it was veto- ed by the governor. From the applause that followed I took it that all present approved of the veto of the terminal elevator bill. At the close of the meet- ing several new members were signed up. I happened to have my “secret caucus” picture with me and many were interested in seeing our night school as some of them termead it. I billed the town of Schafer for a League meeting but noticed the follow- ing day that many of the bills along the road had disappeared. A PRETTY SMALL TRICK. STUTSMAN FARMERS WANT HOUSE BILL 44 C. B. JGos found the farmers of Pingree strong for “sticking” to the League and putting the principles of “44” into law. “About 650 farmers attended the Non- partisan meeting at Pingree March 24, and every one seemed intensely In- terested in Mr. Behren’s explanation of House Bill 44 and a few of the bills passed by the last legislature. The sentiment of the meeting seemed to manifest the necessity of sticking to the League and continuing the fight for the Nonpartisan League program and House Bill 44, It was also ap- parent that every one was sorry.that Mr. Behren’s time was so short and expressed the desire to have another meeting later, and no doubt if time had permitted, quite 2 number of mem- bers would have signed up for another two years.” Reporting a meeting from Warwick, N. D, F. R. Brown, wrote, March 15: “Mr. P. H. McConnell, one of the gatling guns of the Nonpartisan League, held forth in effective fashion this afternoon here before an audience of 100 farmers and business men. Mc- Connell has a staccato enunciation ac- companied by Jerky gestures and he ripped wide open the facts about the struggle of the late House Bill 44. As a prelude he invited anyone who cared to attack “44” to take the platform for 20 minutes but the invitation was not accepted. He then undertook it's de- fense in such a telling way that one of our town bankers confessed friend- ship to the League’'s terminal elevator program, and as a mark of such friend- ship, signed for membership. Can you beat it? “The meeting was big with inspirz.- tion and the determination of the farmers to Te-sign and stick for two years more. Your hum- ble servant in accepting a commis- sion to help with the work of signing up the old membership, has found so far that the Leaguers are coming in for the two year fight almost to a man “and that new signatures are appearing by about 25 per cent over the old mem- bership list in each township. Speak- ing for myself, I would rather be a door keeper in the work of our League than to sit in the councils of the bloated OLD GANG.” SOUTH DAKOTA MEETING GETS NINE MEMBERS. J. M. Drinkwine of Danvers, S. D, sent in the following account of a South Dakota meeting: “We had a pretty successful meet- ing here on Saturday, March 24, but owing to the bad condition of the roads there were not more than-three dozen farmers able to attend. Mr. Fox opened the meeting with a 30- minute talk explaining to the farmers some of the important doings that took place in the legislative session at Bis- marck, N. D, last winter. His address was well received and the audience learned by his explanation that the farmers were able to make laws about as well as the other fellows. “Following the address of Mr. Fox, ‘W. H. Talmage gave a very forcible talk outlining by charts the actual cost of memberships and yearly dues in 10 leading organizations, thereby prov- ing to the farmers that their member- ship and dues are very much lower than other organizations. He then discussion of House Bill 44, and the way a few hold-over senators used their power to block the will of the whole state and a majority of the leg- islature. Grover Thompson, who at- tended the meeting at Barney is al- ready asking for a series of meetings to be held when the new consolidated school house is completed, emphasizing the fact that they want them before the next state election. Mr. Thomp- son said: “Next summer we will have a con- solidated school house and I would like to see at least three such meetings held there before November 1, 1918.” Fifty farmers at Yucca, March 24, listened to Organizer Evans discuss the merits of House Bill 44, and the governor's veto of Senate Bill 84. There was much enthusiasm and the farmers showed they were in accard with the governor's action, by their applause, and by the fact that 12 of them signed up for two years additional member= ship at the close of the meeting. STILL FOR H. B. 44 Crocus, N. D., March 13, 1917 Editor Nonpartisan Leader: The League meeting held in Crocus on March 13 was a decided success. The speaker, Mr. J. P. Craig of Grand Forks, proved to the people in facts and figures how the farmers are being robbed on all sides. Every man pres- ent, about 70, expressed his determin- ation to stand by the League and its Prograrm. The farmers and business men around here are not going to lay down their arms just because House Bill 44 was put to rest for two years. We outlined the ‘prices paid, and prices~ hope that in 1918 we can send enough sold in one month and in one year on the different grades of wheat showing the actual loss in dollars and cents un- der the present grading system. Mr. Talmage closed his address by singing one of his latest compositions en- titled “The Farmers’ Battle Hymn,,’ after which we got three new members in the League and the promise of half a dozen more and the League goes marching on with great success.” A large crowd attended the meeting at Barney March 23, and listaened to a honest men to the legislature to carry out our program and work for the in- terest of the people they represent. ‘We are informed that one of the foremost in opposition to House Bill 44 was A. 8. Gibbens, the farmers’ senator from our district, in whom we had so much faith. And now we wonder why. When the meeting came to a close they all decided to stick like leeches. All old members signed up for two yvears and several new members were taken in. Just stick and we'll win. H. A. COE. Think This Over Editor Nonpartisan Leader: On my way home from Bismarck as a legislator, I was compelled to stay in Glendive a couple of days on my stay, I visited some of the business men here and, account of poor train service. During of course, talked Nonpartisan League to see how the people in this community felt about such a movement. I was somewhat surprised to learn how well they were posted and how enthusiastic they felt about the League. The business men seem to realize that the League will soon be in control in Montana and are not at all worried over it. One gentleman ex- pressed his view in this way: “Do you know,” he said, “that your opposition in Bismarck had no more right to oppose you in bonding the state and trying to limit you than .the farmers in this community have in limiting us in bonding our city for water works and other improvements? Although t.hey are eventually the ones to pay off not only our city bonds but also the state bonds. “We organize to better our condition in the cities at the farmers’ ex- pense and we are willing they should organize to better their conditions. The farmers have built up these states and made it possible for the busi- ness class. “We are with you” A.nd so am L ‘Why not let them go on with their good work? E. KURTZ. League Meetingsand A nnouncements WATCH THE DATES League members should look over the list of meetings every week, because new ones are added to the list weekly and often changes and cancellations are made. NORTH DAKOTA mfirg%s Important business meetings of the Nonpartisan Ieagmbflorflnbako&mmke&nfl«;dforthefd- = : are o lo laces., These meetings great impor- tmcewmgagd League members should not fail to be in attendance: j Alamo, April 5, 2 p. m. Jarrington, April 5, 2 p. m. Brinsmade, April 5, 1:30 p. m. Medina, April 6, 2 p. m. Sykeston, Apnl 7, 2p. m Hamlet, Apnl 7,2 p m Jamestown, April 7, 2 p. m. McGregor, Apri] 9 2 p. m Olekwdandschoolnwfidwwsmm 12, 7:30 y. 18,2 p. m. Calio, April 19, 2 p. m, TWO A Io_‘, "q.‘ = i L R e —— 13 P e e e