The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 12, 1917, Page 10

. gt g ;@mflm iy iy Hinses Perched high on his mountains of wealth the food monopolist is having an easy life and enjoying himself while the producers groan and sweat and some workers have not enough to buy their bread. Political control is the main prop of the exploiter of the people. Once that is knocked from under him something is going to drop and drop hard. -Already one ringing blow has been struck and the prop has begun to yield. Spit on your hands and swing again, old farmer! or two will do the busingss. What Is the League Worth to Its Members? A New Meaning of “The Sky’s the Limit“ Found know. what it did down at Bismarck. You know how much fun you had out of it! And how many sleepless nights some other fellows have spent because of it. The misery you have caused them! But it may be that you don't want to go on with this thing any further. I want to find out whether that is the case; whether there are some men in the house that don't want to go any further. . I think we ought to keep go- ing, but we age going to see what you think about it. Mr. Bohn told you that the fellows. that are making that $55,000,000 a year, more or less, on your wheat crop alone, and all the rest of the herd -of middle men, are willing to spend a million, or three million of four million, or what- ever amount of money could be used to advantage to destroy this organization. Now if they will use several millions to destroy it, there is no doubt that they would be willing to spend just as many millions to con- trol it; for it would be better, more useful to them, alive than dead. SOME WHO ARE WILLING TO “SELL OUT” FARMERS It would be better for them to have Sorlie, at the head of it, alive, than to have it dead. And if by any chance they could elect Jerry Bacon at ‘the head of 'it; they would not have to spend any money on it for the next 25 years. You boys would walk right in like sheep! (Laughter.) Now, I repeat, this organization is in your hands.. It is up to you. I have a compact with Mr. Wood here, and Bowen and the rest of the ’ League organizers, to this effect, that we will never sell out unless we take the membership into our confidence, antl let them have something to say about the price. And I want to talk to you a little bit about the price you might set on this organization. (Don’t be alarmed; it is not sold yet!) Perhaps there may be some people here who would take $44 for their share? You know that Hyland, one of the senators who 'voted against the League, got the farmers so balled up. out there discussing that new consti- tution, that whenever they go to his auctions now, he can not get them to bid anything over “44.” If he wants to sell a horge, they won’t bid higher than $44. If it a calf, $4.44. They can’t get past the figures “44.” (Laughter.) “IF YOU SELL OUT | WANT MY SHARE” Now I want to tell you frankly and freely, that if you want to sell this or- ganization, I can get a pretty good price for you. I can’'get a good price! And I would like to make a little deal with you. I would like to arrange with you—if you want to sell. 1 would like to have you fix a price, and then let me have all I can get over that. (Laughter and applause.) Really when all you fellows have been paying me is 5-8 of a cent apiece a month—wasn't that it, Thatcher? That is only about 13c apiece for the 20 months. That is not enough! (Laughter.) Oh, I am willing to go on if you are going to keep the machine; but if you sell I want my share out of it. That is fair, isn’t it? 3 So when you fix a price on it, figure in a little margin for me. (Laughter.)y I want to tell you right now to start with, that we could get four million dollars at least for this organization in cash. No postdated checks! The fellows have got the money. They have got the money because they have been taking it away from you _every year. They will pay you for it out of what they have been taking away from you. The money they will pay you for it will be a part of that $55.000,000 a year. ASKING FOR BIDS FOR NONPARTISAN LEAGUE. What about $100 apiece? And it doesn’t make any difference whether you have paid your $6, you will get your share just the same. We will even give Sorlie his share. Now Sorlie is willing to sell out. He will sell his share for less than $100, because he can get much more than that from somebody else. = (Applause.) I want you to be frank with me, and tell me how much you will take— whether you will take $100 apiece for your share. You know you only put $6 or $9 into this thing. And the in- terest on that would not amount to - “You are today the guardians of liberty of the people of the United States. Their guardians, —recognized as such—Dbecause they have laid down their little tools and are looking to you, with your great organization—greater than you know—to succor, to rescue them from this hell on earth where men starve in the midst of - plenty.” —President Townley at Grand Forks. more than $1.50 at the highest rate, would it Andrews? So really if you got $25, it would be a good investment. . Are you willing to start it at $100 apiece? Now I want to see the hands of those who are willing to sell at that price. Jerry Bacon—no, Jerry is not included in this. Nor any of his rep- resentatives! (Laughter.) How many want to sell for $100 apiece? Well, if you won't sell for $100 apiece, how much do you want? A man in the audience: Won't sell at all! Another man in audience: It is not for sale! Mr. Townley: Well, hold on here; you are getting all balled up! There is not a farmer here that would not sell his farm—now Junkin, I want you to get this! (Laughter.) SHOWING JUNKIN THE FOINT OF THE JOKE There is not a farmer—(Notice Jun- kin that this is a joke. Pretty soon I am going to spring a joke. (Laughter, applause and cheers. You «know some of these newspaper repre- sentatives can not tell a joké from a statement of fact; and I want to make this thing clear.—There is not a man here that would not sell his farm, or has his price, some price or other. There is not a farmer here would not sell some piece of his ‘land at some price. Now for the joke! It runs like this: Some of you would even dispose of your wife for some price! Time to laugh! (Laughter.), Don’'t publish this as you did before as an intended statement of fact. If you publish it at all, label it joke, so that the people will understand. (Applause and laugh- ter.) A NEW MEANING OF “THE SKY’S THE LIMIT” Do you mean to tell me that you won’t put a price on this organization? NINE Another blow A man in the audience: the limit! ) Mr. Townley: Sky's the limit, eh? (Laughter and great applause.) I knew that thing had a real mean- ing?! I want to suggest a motion here. I want to suggest that somebody move that “the sky’s the limit” means some- thing when it applies to this organiza- tion, because in that matter the sky is the limit! Man in the audience: Several other voices: T second it! Mr. Townley: It has been moved and seconded, that when it comes to setting a price on this organization, “the sky's the limit”, and we can’t reach it! (Upon being put to vote this carried unanimously, amid great en- thusiasm, and prolonged applause, cheering, whistling, and stamping of the feet.) Mr. Townley: anything on us! that thing means! The sky's I move it! The opposition hasn’t Now we know what (Laughter.) “'LL STAY WITH YoOUu” SAYS PRESIDENT TOWNLEY So vou mean to tell me that you won't give' me any chance to get any- thing out of this thing? Well, I guess I can get by on that 13c¢ for 20 months, or 5:8c apiece a month! I guess I can get along on that if you can get along on what is left after they take away that 55,000,000 a year from you; and I will stay with you just as long as you want me to stay; but I want to warn you that after we have changed condi- tion in the state of North Dakota— I have farmed out in the west part of the state, and as Thomason says, not to hear the sweet music of the lowing =cattle, or to hear the birds, or to see the first blush of the golden . sunrise creeping up the eastern sky— no, no; but for what I could make out of it! "And I want to tell you that if you will stick to me I will to you, till we so change conditions— . (A voice: You bet we will!) as to keep that $55,000,0000 a year in the state of North Dakota; but then, after that, I will not be satisfied with that thirteen cents a year! But up to that time I am perfectly satisfied, because I can live just as cheap as you can. I am used to it. Now let us get back to this thing. Do you mean to tell me that you won’t sell this thing? That you won't put a price on it? Is that your idea? A voice: Yes sir! Mr. Townley: Why? A man in the audience: to our posterity! Another man in the audience: We (Continued on Page 14) It belongs