The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, May 10, 1917, Page 2

~ / THE OLD GANG ARGUMENT Grafton, N. D. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: ‘What will the Old Gang-talk about since Townley has left the state? Who ever heard of merchants bucking the farmers, the only resources that we have in the state, when they are try- ing to better themselves, and have more money for home industries? The farmers of North Dakota have paid $30,000,000 more to catalogue houses the past year than ever before, on ac- count of the towns kicking on them. ‘Why don’'t the big business interests send out speakers if their cause is right? No, they haven't any argument. They have the “Herald” do their dirty work. "Whe Old Gang has a big kick on House Bill 44, but they will have to swallow it in two years from now. It would be dessert compared to what has been stuffed in them for the past vear by the “Herald”. The thirty-eight pound rejected wheat which the Nonpartisans and Prof. Ladd has dug up, will make the farmers of North Dakota millions. The Minneapolis chamber of commerce and big milling interests kept it up their sleeve for thirty years. That “joker” in Senate Bill 84, when it reached the Governor for his signature, got it where the chicken got the ax. Oh no, we are not slopping pigs, all the .time. : . @ I served in the Civil war three years helping to free the megro, and will put in the rest of my life to free the farm- ers and laboring men from the middle- men and “Big iz". We'll all join together and will pull the teat from them so the common people will at least have milk for their coffee. Farmers, stand firm, and vic- tory is yours. North Dakota is setting the pace for other states to follow. Some time you may see Lynn J. Frazier president; stranger things have happened. Yours without a struggle, H. A. BALL. NOT EQUITY SENTIMENT Thief River Falls, Minn., March 26. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: Being an Equity friend and a Non- prartisan booster I read both the Co- operative Herald and the Leader. Needless to say I looked back to make sure I had the Herald when I saw the article attacking Governor Frazier for his veto of the terminal elevator bill Now it appears to me that it is plain to any man that that bill was a flimsy excuse to give the Old Gang something to prate about, and I don’t think the Herald voiced the sentiment of the rank and file of the Equity men in its attack either. We all know that any- thing started by the farmers is going to encounter all the obstacles that Big Biz can possibly roll into its path hence an elevator without a flour mill would merely give the big mills and grain "gamblers something to ridicule the farmers’ movements by. I say ‘three cheers for Governor Frazier” and stick boys. When the elec- tion of 1918 is over we Minnesota suck- ers will join hands with you and make the old standpatters of the Big Biz Octopus lock for new hunting grounds. T. H BJERKE. THE LEAGUE IDEA IN ARKANSAS Piggott, Arkansas, April 17, 1917. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: = I think the ILeague one of the greatest movements for the farmer yet. - The farmers here are interested. They wanted me ‘to explain the move. I- took the book and paper you sent me and made them a little talk and ex- plained the public owned elevator at Seattle, told them the cause of it be- ing built, also gave them the reason the League started. I have been called as far as seven miles to give an ex- planation and I just took the book and papers and went by them. I explained the move to a crowded house Friday night and asked them -which plan they liked the best, the new plan or the old plan. One man suggested to take a vote on it. I gave the old system the advantage by calling on them to vote on it first and not a hand went up. Then I called for the vote on the new system and there wasn’t but one man that did not vote. I will make a talk- on the subject Saturday night. S."A. HARRIS. ome ITruth Fro ‘“We need to educate the farmers of the state,”’ said one of the men at the anti-farmer meeting at Grand Forks a few weeks ago. That’s the old-time politician’s view. The farmer doesn’t know anything ; he must be taught. So they talk ‘‘carrying the truth to the farm- er.”’ He is not expected to know the truth unless his politician friend tells him what is the truth. Here are just a few letters to show that they are wrong; that the farmer does know something after all zation which gets results the thing to do is to stick to it Dahl Hits the Nail Editor Nonpartisan Leader: The Standpatters’ only hope now seems to be the sowing of the seed of distrust in our ranks. They have already been doing so for some time and expect to see some great havoc amongst us. Fellow farmers and laborers of all classes, now is the time to show the world what metal you are made of. Shoulder to shoulder we should fight the beasts, that for long and numerous years have fattened on the fruits of our labor. Let not the slimy tongued monster create any dis- trust among you of our leaders. Whom can you trust to fight your battles if not men, whose interests are identical with yours? Comrades, chip..into our campaign fund by reenlisting as members of the League. There is an old saying that talk is cheap but it takes money to buy whiskey. Just so with reform of any kind. To take it is wvery easy and cheap but it takes work and money to push it to a successful conclusion, Thereforé come into the ranks of your class, one and all. Put your shoulder to the wheel and help to the best of your ability and victory will be ours at the next election. Do not any of vou fear that prosperity will be more than we can stand. I grant that the relief will be great but not so shockingly great that it will affect a person’s rea- son. —MARTIN DAHL. The Ancient Creed of Sacred Rights Editor Nonpartisan Leader: The rights of the few to oversee and govern the many was an old estab- lished sacred right in Pharaoh’s time. If the hold-over senators had per- mitted House Bill 44 to pass, it would have been easy to have caused the mummies of Egypt to crumble to dust. The traditions of the mummies of Egypt must be preserved. Noble 0Old Guard (some fresh air please). The idea that public officials should be servants to the inferior people who elected them and do the will of the majority is pleasant to hold as a theory but is dangerous in practice.. That great upholder of “sacred rights” the Czar of Russia, has sent multi- tudes to Siberian mines for the mere mention of this rebel idea. Sheep can not shear themselves — they need shepherds. The people need to remem- ber that they are like unto sheep and should remain sheepish and confident- ly rely on the Ol Guards who are experienced shepherds. The farmers you elected are leading vou into untried paths and had they been successful would put the re- sponsibility and care of elevatars, packing houses, flour mills on your minds, whereas the 0Old Guard only places them on yvour backs, thus saving your minds from financial cares. What is the world coming to when the sanctuary of the political Brahmins is invaded by the “lower caste” and its high priests have to brush elbows and debate with the “unholy”? The farmers did not seem to know that the opinions of the political Brahmins have a high professional value, and did not observe established etiguette of a gentleman’s agreement to regard said Brahmins’ opinion as sacred. ' : But.the “hold-over” senators stoutly defended “sacred rights” which it is to be hoped the voters will not overlook next election. Your for the preserva- tion “of the canning process” of the 0ld Guard. f‘ J. SULLIVAN. Politician Lee Answered Sauk Centre, Minn. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: In regard to the Randall-Lee debate that was held at Long Prairie, March 24, 1917, and over which the big daily papers are having such a time about trying to protect the poor farmer from going bankrupt by disrupting his or- ganization, T ask for space in your paper to make a reply to several arti- cles that have come to my notice since the debate. The main argument in stock by the agents of Big Business is that the men doing the work of organization, or some of these, are Socialists. I want to call your attention to the fact that if anybody wants to do organization work for this League he is not asked “Are-you a Socialist, Republican or a Democrat”? Nobody cares. This js a Nonpartisan League and nothing else. Brother farmers, you are all welcome to our fold. Most everybody contends the farmer should be organized and that organization pays in all kinds/ of industries. No man will dispute but what all organizations use their poli- tical power to get legislation favorable to their economic interest. Then why should not the farmer? Mr. Lee says he should, but Social- ists are doing it. 'We would like to ask Mr. Lee if he would object if the Re- publicans of Todd county were doing the job. Have mot the Lees been the leading Republicans of Todd county for years? Why did they not organ- ize the farmers in the right kind of a way? They knew what the farmers ‘wanted. They knew how it should be done. If they had done this they would not be in fear that the state of Minne- sota will be rnined by Socialists. By the Minneapolis Journal in its issue of March 28, 1917, T see that the Long Prairie debate dissolved the sugar-coating from the Nonpartisan pill and hereafter if the farmers of Minnesota take Socialist medicine they will take it straight. I take that to be one of the worst insults that has been handed the farmer for many a’moon. - Are we to understand that the farmer is so stupid that he must have the wool pulled from his eyes before he can see what g the League is composed ‘of? The planks in this League platform are absolutely necessary to the farmer and his welfare. Mr. Lee knows that if he was to build a house or ‘do ‘any kind of work where he had to employ a large number of men, he would not in- quire whether they were Republicans, Democrats or Socialists, just so they did the job in a satisfactery manner is all he would care about. In North Dakota the same men di- rected the work there is here and it was so satisfactory to the Republican party that the natienal and state or- ganization of the Republican wparty embodied the program of the League in their platform in that state. Why didn’t Mr. Lee tell about that in Nerth Dakota, not a Socialist was elected to a state office. "Why not mention this fact Mr. Lee? You over looked some things. Now about your charge that the League had sold out the farmers twice in the North Dakota legislature; once on the two-cent railroad fare and once on the I. W. W. legislation. This railroad bill was not intended to get any reduction in the passenger fare as there was a joker in the bill that pro- vided that all roadw affected by this bill must show a net earning of $1200 per mile. Upon. investigation it was found mone of the roads would have to reduce their fares.. The reason the so-called I. W. W. bill was mot passed it was found upon investigation that there is a law already upon the statue of North Dakota which covered all the principal clauses of this bill. In the Country Gentleman, one of the Curtis publications, and also in the April number of the Delineator are articles upon the work of the League in North Dakota, claiming this is the greatest movement for good government and better conditions for those who toil that theq world has ever seen and so say the farmers of Minnesota. On with the work boys. We must do this ourselves and if we are not at- tacked by the enemies of the common people we are no good for the common people. Being a farmer, a member of the League and an organizer for the League in all sincerity, I am, yours for a greater Nonpartisan League. ¢ JOS. G. M. BOTZ. ~ the People He knows his friends and he knows that when he has an organi- FARMER FOR CONGRESS Milnor, N. D., April 16, 1917. Bditor Nonpartisan Leader: Dear Sir: % Being a"member of the Nonpartisan League and being well satisfied with the doings of our League and proud of our farmer Governor, I am strongly in.favor of electing a real farmer to fill the late Mr. Helgesen's chair. There are many real farmers who would make .great congressmen for North Dakota, and I believe the League members chould and can elect a good real farmer congressman. How about it boys? Let's do it. MARK STANLEY. STICK TO THE FINISH Editor Nonpartisan Leader: Members of the League and readers of the Leader, let me say to you don't fail to stay by the League until you bave accomplished what you started out for, particularly this, the terminal elevator for our state and flour mills, and they should be within the borders of our state. ‘The opposition experience last pass- ed should not be entered into again. Nobody should or will pay any atten- tion to the Grand Forks Herald as the Herald has failed to offer anything better in its place. JThat organ is mot: controlled by the real farmers’ in- terests. ‘C. J. SUNDAHL. - 'NO MORE LINDSTROM Cottonwood Lake, N. D. Bditer Nonpartisan Leader: As it is very seldom I see anything - in the Leader frem the Northwest cor- . ner of our state, thought a few lines The people out here with a few ex- ceptions are members or friendly to- ward the League and giving it their support. My brother joined the League last sommer so ° your valuable paper visits our home each week. The or- ganizers have missed a few who you ] can count on later—I for one. 3 It was interesting to mote what Dr. Ladd had ‘to say about his tests of our 1916 light weight wheat and I am sure we are all grateful to him for his king efforts in trying to get a square . deal for the farmer in the way of test- ing and grading the wheat. We have watched with interest the “doings” at Bismarck in the legislative halls—the struggle that has been going on and the bargier that censisted of those hold- over senaters. The senator from this district, a.l hold@-over senator, stood pat with the bunch: I sent in-a petition with thir- teen signers asking his support for Bill 44. Of course, that was -an unlucky number so he. didn’t heed it. On ac- count of the ‘severe cold and stormy weather which has existed this winter the work of getting around with peti- tions was not very well attended to. However, judging from some of the statements of some of those senators, petitions were of little avail anyhow. Hope we can put them all on the re- tirement list for 1918. This disfirct was strongly in favor of the League pro- gram being carried out. ‘With best of continued sucocess for the League, T am, CHRISTIAN BRAA. SO R THEY STICK AT CHARLSON Charlson, N. D., April 27, 1917, Bditor Nonpartison Leader: I wish to reply to R. C. Timmerman of Wimbledon in which he ‘states some are falling out of the Leagne. Appar- ently he is stating that because seme have not re-signed but I want to say that if they are at Wimbledon we are not in this part of the state. The ©O1d Guard only got 4 votes in Frisk pre- cinct and will get less next election, and from local predictions will say that a few of Paulson’s and Divet’s character will get an invitation to “go away back and sit down”. z No, farmers are not dropping out. ‘They are not going to, either. They are too well aware of the dangér of falling asleep at the switch (polls). The West is solid and to speak here against the League is to call forth a dozen retorts. p Yours forever in true Nonpartisan style, ‘GLEN SMITH.