The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 19, 1917, Page 12

S e Farm Boys Want to Know In School of Agriculture They Find of Crop and Why Tenancy A graphic demonstration of what happens to the wheat the farmer raises. Out What Becomes is Growing . A couple of bags to the farmers’ elevator, several to the railroad, one to the chamber of commerce, a couple to the terminal elevator, a big bunch at the miil, etc. The farmer PAYS TOLL for the privilege of selling to the consumer. This is the demon- stration they gave at the farm school at St. Anthony. (By a Staff Correspondent) } T. PAUL, April 7.—The com- mencement exercises at the Minnesota School of Agricul- ture under the supervision of Principal D. D. Mayne have always been noted for being interest- ing practical demonstrations instead of futile attempts at lofty oratory. 3ut this year, besides such demon- strations as that of Lenora Torgerson of Dalton, on the use of whole wheat direct from the granary for breakfast food, as well as the use of the whole wheat flour ground at home for bread; that of Elmer Hanson of Faribault on Judging ~“the dairy cow and that of Olive Cunningham of Pipestone on dishwashing, the real head-liners were “The Farmer and His Wheat Market,” by Joseph Morley of Red Wood Falls, the parliamentary law demonstration led by Arthur Christgau of Austin and the Pantomine on the land question led by Victor Christgau, also of Austin. THE FARMER AND HIS SACK OF WHEAT In the wheat market demonstration, Mr. Morley begins by stating that “The farmer, through the production of his crops, feeds the world. These crops are due in part to his own abil- ity in combination with God's land, rain and sunshine. Therefore, he is entitled- to all the product of his labors.” A farmer is then seen to enter with a sack of wheat containing 100 lbs. of wheat. Mr. Morley explains to the farmer that the handling of his wheat is done by a number of different agen- cies which levy a tribute for doing so. He proceeds to tell Mr. Farmer of these different agencies and the amounts he will have to leave with each one of them, before he gets this 100 pounds to the house-wife or baker. Beginning with a local elevator, hes is compelled to leave 2 pounds there. The distance from this local elevator to the central market, is about 200 miles and for the transportation he is compelled to leave 6 pounds with the railroad company. = This brings him to the chamber of commerce where he again pays tribute. Some of this wheat is not to be used immediately and must be stored in the terminal elevator, for which he must deposit 1 pound. He then proceeds to the miller, where he is touched up to the extent of 7 pounds. From there he goes to the wholesaler, where 8 pounds is required to keep this agency in motion. The sack is constantly becoming lighter, yet very few buy their flour direct from the wholesaler and it is necessary to go through the retailer as well. Mr. Morley explained that this is often done by little groceries selling flour in small sacks and consequently there is considerable work connected with this, as well as waste, and he therefore has to deposit 11 pounds at this station, or a total of 36 pounds, leaving the farmer only 64 pounds to receive pay for. FARMER DOESN'T SEE WHY HE PAYS SO MUCH At times the farmer appeared to be discouraged and unwilling to pay. It seemed very hard for him to under- stand the function of every agency, yet he took his medicine and passed on. After leaving Mr. Morley went on to explain that most of these agencies are absolutely necessary. He stated that the divisions as stated above were cor- rect according to the best of authori- ties. The question remained whether or not some of these were not charging more than they ought to for the service rendered. He urged the study of this problem, not only to enable the farmer to know what his rights are, but also to broaden his vision, of giving him a proper idea of his service to the world, and the means through which that service is accomplished. The parliamentary law demonstration was in the form of a farmers' meeting to discuss raising the price of their milk and besides calling attention to the necessity of knowihg something of the usages of parlimentary law. It also brought out some of the argu- ments that are being used against the farmers in their fight for a reasonable price for their dairy products as well as the arguments for such a raise. THE UNINHABITED ISLAND AND ITS LAND LESSON The land question demonstration which was led by Victor Christgau consisted of some tanbark placed upon- a large canvas on the stage, which represented an uninhabited island, when along comes farmer No. 1 and discovers the island, finding it a fine rlace to live and conditions for farm- ing'ideal, he fences off about a guarter of it. Another farmer arrives shortly af- terwards and takes possession of another quarter. The third man comes along and is a city chap, who estab- lishes his right to the third quarter, but not wanting to farm nor to remain upon the island, he hires farmers No. 1 and 2 to fence it for him and he then returns to his home city. A fourth farmer comes along and while the remaining quarter is quite hilly, stony and quite unfit for farm- ing, ‘but this being all that is left, he takes that as his home. A fifth, per- son then arrives on the island, being a young man who has just graduated from an agricultural school and is looking for a place to farm. He does rot want a big farm; he would be satisfied with a few acres, but finds that there is no place left for him. He can not understangl how this con- dition can exist. -LAND LIES IDLE BUT FARMER CAN'T HAVE IT Here is one' quarter of the island lying idle, not being used nor does it produce anything, yet he has not'the means to purchase it from the city chap who owns it. It is suggested to him that he go to: work and save some money, but even this scheme seems to be an insurmountable barrier, because he finds that the wages are not such that he can save anywhere near the amount required to buy a farm with. He also. remarks upon the fact that tkis land is increasing in price so fast that he would never be able to catch .up with it. The farmers themselves admit that they: are mnot making ‘much money off from what they pro- {duce but mostly from the rise in this iprice of land. 1 Mr. Christgau then points out how ‘a‘young man with education, ambition and ability is prevented from becom- 'ing a successful ‘independent farmer, ‘due to the : unjust system of land ownership and control. -He points out ‘further how even'in our own state of Minnesota tenantry is constantly on the increase, how in one of the best counties of the southern part of the state 47 per cent of its farmers are in the tenant class. GROWTH OF TENANTRY SHOWS SYSTEM IS WRONG He questions if we have adhered to the Jeffersonian principle of equal rights to all and special privileges to none and questions the common sense used in making laws which have allow- ed God's earth to get into the hands of the privileged few. When we think of the constantly increasing tenantry, he continues, and the over-crowding of our large cities; of thousands of chil- dren brought into this world every day, we realize that a problem . of such magnitude will require the sincere thought, study and co-operation of everyone. The economists, he said, have offered us a solution, which will again enable young men to tread the paths of opportunity and secure for him all his rights, the most funda- mental of which is the right to the use of the earth. The solution which he refers to is none other than the exemption of im- provements from taxation. No. wonder that Big Business through the Big Biz board of regents of our state university has done every- thing in its' power to discredit.Prin- cipal Mayne, by discriminating against the schoal. of agriculture, giving him as teachers college students or “such professors as have not dared to shake hands with farmers without fumigat-. ing themselves afterwards and -who have time and again shown their ®on- tempt for the farmer boy and girl stu- dents; have provided a registrar who has discriminated against the hayseeds and in general done everything in their power .to make: it wunpleasant for Mayne, not to mention his threatened discharge from the institution all to- gether. Let us hope that the farmers of the state will realize the necessity of the retention of such a friend. WILL THEY BITE? If Minnesota farmers are caught with the bait thrown out by the demo-re- publican-old-line- politician - nonparti- san-league which has been incorporat- ed in that state “6 or nine-dollar suck- ers” will not begin to express their credulity} The corporation was launch- ed to counteract the real farmers’ or- ganization, gnd the .silk-stocking-tile- hat membership will be the most dis- appointed bunch of self-seekers in the state for many a year, or we miss our guess.—CRYSTAL CALL. z THEY HIDE FROM LIGHT Garrison, N. D., Feb. 18, 1917, Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I am mailing you a pamphlet which contains some of the highly perfumed poison that is being ' disseminated through the agency of Big Biz. It ex- poses one of the many under-handed, cunning and deceitful schemes of de- ception and trickery devised through the agency of Big Biz to poison the minds of the people against the League and the League program. You will note that the authors of the pamphlet did not sign their names. They, like the serpent of old, prefer to strike under cover of darkness. I do not believe that the columns of the Leader can be put to better use ‘than to expose the lying and deception and trickery contained in this pamphlet. ANTHONY WAGNER, The argument over the land question, putting in a clearer light the problems - of ownership and taxation of farm property and the need that the state should offer inducements to actual cul- tivation by owners: B P