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

In the interest of a quare deal == Jlonpartigan Teader A magazine that dares t» print the truth Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League VOL. 4, NO. 14 FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, T HURSDAY, APRIL 5 1917 WHOLE NUMBER 81 - CRACK THE WHIP AND 'ROUND HE GOES AN N N = = § N = ,Z/W ‘ % =1 // = ///00-' P = = /é/ We have lots of modern machinery for raising crops and grinding wheat into flour, but when it comes to marketing and politics we are still back in the dark ages. The boss cracks the whip and round and round we go pushing the load of the world, just as the slaves did in this crude old mill you see here, where the grain was crushed under the big stone as it rolled around. Chained to our jobs we go drilling along, ap- parently never thinking of a way to break loose. We call ourselves free men, but we’re not. What we raise doesn’t belong to us. We give it up to our commercial masters and we get back less than half value. A thousand parasites are riding on our backs, and what are we going to do about it? Would you like to get twice as much for your wheat and other products, get off this deadly daily grind year in and year out, enjoy some of the pleasures of life and give your children a chance? It can be done. The world can produce plenty of good things for all. Let’s organize and get our share. “The Sky’s the Limit” in North Dakota T Grand Forks last Friday a strange and unexpected thing A happened. We found out what the Nonpartisan League was worth to the farmers of North Dakota. = President "A. C. Townley, founder and head of the great farmers’ movement, now look- ed upon as the political leader of all the farmers of the United States, was making a speech. He was trying to find out whether the farmers there really valued their League, the League that after two years of work swept a state and captured an entire state government, whether they considered the organization worth to them what they had put into it. He pictured to them the willingness of the big interests opposing the League to buy it off if they could. Why shouldn’t they buy it off, if they could? They are spending thousands to fight it. They will spend millions before they are through. ¢T,et’s be serious about this, I can get you the money,’’ said President Townley. ‘“Will you sell for a thousand dollars apiece?’’ And what do you think? These thriftless North Dakota farmers wouldn’t accept the offer. They talked about their “duty to the " state,”” the ‘“‘future of their children,’”’ and ‘“‘the good of posterity.’’ Quecr things for ignorant, hardworking farmers to be talking about, aren’t they? Especially when they are under the lead of ‘‘Socialist agitators?’’ ; : ¢“‘But surely you will set some figure,’’ said President Townley. ““¢T,0t’s hear what it is. There must be some limit.”” It was then we found out the figure. ¢The sky’s the limit,”’ shouted a farmer in the middle of the hall. And all the house applauded. He had given the answer ap- proved by all. : 5 ; So now we know the meaning of ‘‘the sky’s the limit.”’ IS THE LEAGUE ‘‘BREAKING UP?” “THE farmers will never stick long enough to do anything.”’ ““The League is breaking up.”” You remember those two expressions, don’t you, farmers of North Dakota? They have done great service. They have been used every time some disap- pointed politician has announced that he has ‘‘quit the League.”” They have been blazoned abroad in the controlled press every time the League or its representatives struck an especially telling blow. This story has been very busily peddled sinee the North Dakota legislature adjourned. ‘‘The farmers are disgusted; there is dissen- sion in their ranks; the League is breaking up.”’ This is the story the controlled press is telling in Minnesota, in Montana, in South Dalkota, in Kansas, even in far-off Washington. It’s easier to tell falsehoods where the truth is not known. And why are they telling it just now? Why, because this League movement, the moment to obtain through political action relief from robbery -of the farmers, is spreading like those fires which used to sweep across these prairies in the late summer many years ago. It is invading these other states and self-satisfied exploiters and self-ap- pointed managers of the people’s business and the people’s future are anxious to backfire it. That’s the reason.’ 3 ; / So they’re saying: ‘‘The League in North Dakota is breaking up. The farmers are dissatisfied.”’ ‘We don’t need to go into détails to answer this. Every North Dakota farmer knows it is not true. Every North Dakota farmer knows that the League is ten times stronger in the affections of the producers of this state than it ever was before. It is ten times stronger now because its worth has been proved. Its effectiveness and the sincerity of its leaders has been proved. They