The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 21, 1917, Page 5

it e iRt TP s e T A - go Cheers League Speakers NQ Disturbance Develops at Big Meeting at Which Fargo Forum At- | A part of the great Fargo audience that sat over three hours listening to Frazier, Townley, shown in the picture, were packed to the roof and standing room was at a premium. FFORTS of newspapers and interests that are fighting the farmers’ movement, notably '{._"mg the Fargo Forum, fo stir up o mob violence at the Fargo meeting of the Nonpartisan league last Baturday failed. . Thousands of North Dakota and Min- nesota farmers flocked into Fargo to " hear President A. C. Townley of the National Nonpartisan league, Governor Lynn J. Frazier, John M. Baer, the farmers’ candidate for congress in the First North Dakota district, and other - speakers. Probably a thousand resi- dents of Fargo also attended the meet- ing. The attempt of papers fighting the League to fan up a mob spirit to at- tack the speakers Was largely respons- Ible for the presence of these Fargo citizens, who wanted to learn the truth. For more than three hours the city res- fdents sat side by side with the farm- ers. They heard President Townley ex- plain the League’s attitude on the war, which is.that organized wealth be com- pelled to give up its enormous profits due to war conditions, just as the young men of the country are compelled to give up their lives. They heard Gov- ernor Frazier give an account of his stewardship in state affairs and heard him urge support for John Baer for congress in the special election of July 10. They heard John Baer himself in an honest, straightforward statement of what he proposed to do when elect- ed. FARGO FOLKS APPLAUD {THE LEAGUE SPEAKERS' And the Fargo citizens, repudiat- ing the leadership of the papers that are attempting to line up the city residents against the farmers, applauded President TFownley and Governor Frazier and John Baer just as vigorously as the farmers did. At no time was there a sug- gestion of any violence or attack upon the speakers, The Fargo Fo- rum’s advice to interefere with the speakers fell flat, The Fargo meeting was one of the largest gatherings of farmers ever held in that city. Between 3,000 and 4,000 persons were present, filling the big ¢ity auditorium to capacity. This brought the total attendance at the ser- jes of eleven meetings held in the state the past two weeks to a point between 25,000 and 30,000, This is a larger at- tendance than at any other series of meetings of any kind ever held in North Dakota. The farmers- who drove into Fargo from every surrounding section of the state and in many instances from dis- fant Minnesota points, started march- ing toward the auditorium shortly after 1 o'clock to the strains of patriotic mausic from a brass band. By a-quare- ter to 2 every seat on the main floor of the big building was taken, the gallery was nearly filled and standing room came into demand. Vendors of small American flags had done a good business early in-the day, tempted to Prevent Talks Being Made and hundreds of flags were scatteréd throughout the audience. On the stage was a great banner and several smaller ones, ‘Women and children were much in évidence in the audience. Many of the farmers had brought their families in to hear President Townley and Gover- nor Frazier and many Fargo women were interested enough to come to the meeting. The crowd sat, patiently enough, awaiting the arrival of the speakers. They waved their flags in time as the band played national airs. Finally Townley and ®ther members “of the party appeared and made their way to the stage. The crowd recognized them and started cheering. A little behind the speakers came a man in costume with a gun bearing the legend, “I'm out for Baer.” .So the crowd cheered him. Then the band swung into the Star Spangled Banner and everyone rose and remained standing until the last notes had died away. PROUD OF PEOPLE, SAYS THE GOVERNOR After the speakers had taken the platform there was another ceremony before the program-began. A picture of the great crowd was taken, and everybody looked pleasant and held still until the moment when the flash was sent off, at which point they jumped and blinked unanimously. Then the real program started. Governor Frazier was received with cheers from farmers and city residents alike as he was introduced as a “real, on-the-soil, honest-to-God farmer.” He talked of the patriotism being shown by North Dakota residents at this time in spite of reflectioqps being cast upon them by Minnesota bankers connected with'the Minneapolis Chamber of Com~ merce. “I am proud of the people of North Dakota; they are doing their patriotio duty just as well as any in the coun=- try,” the governor said . He quoted army officials as rating the North Da- kota national guard as among the best in the country. He told of the marked Impression that the feeling\ shown by northwestern farmers had made upon Secretary of Treasury McAdoo upon the occasion of his recent visit to the Twin Cities and said he felt sure that the national authoritles did not believe the libel that the farmers of this state were less patriotic than the residents of the east. Then the governor launched into a discussion of the need of citizens pay- ing more attention to political matters to see that they are fairly represented. INDORSES BAER FOR. SEAT IN CONGRESS “It has been true In the past and it is true in many cases now that law- makers are elected to the state legis- lature and to congress who do not rep- resent the voters who sent them there,” said the governor. “It is time to elect men to con- gress who will realize that they are elected, not by the few, but by the majority, men who will realize, when they are sent back to Wasa- ington, who elected them, “That iy why the farmers of the First district have indorsed a man for congress. J. M, Baer has been indorsed for congress in this dis- trict. When he goes to Washing- ton he will not go to represent his own personal interests, but he will go to represent the desires of his district. When J. M. Baer goes to congress he will do his best to see that the farmers’ rights are pro- tected.” POWER OF BALLOT TO SOLVE ABUSES Governor Frazier went on in praise of the nonpartisan ballot. Baer, alone of all the candidates in the First dis- trict, has chosen to cut loose from par- ty bondage and run as a nonpartisan. “The intelligent use of the nonparti- san ballot is the greatest power in this country today,” said the governor. “The unbought, independent ballot is the greatest weapon in the hands of the intelligent voter of this state and na- tion. It has power to solve the prob« lem of the distribution of food supplies, the transportation problem, the prob- lem of securing an honest and repre- sentative government, and every oth« er problem that faces the American people. Through its use this govern- ment may be made truly a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” After they had heard from the man . that had been selected, a year ago, as The Fargo League meeting, ending the North Dakota series that brought out nearly 30,000 people, was ‘“big stuff.” It was a continuous ovation for Governor Frazier and Presidént Townley. - The hall was packed to the roof. This is the kind of meeting that makes the anti-farmer press froth at the mouth. .Can you blame them? Baer and other speakers last Saturday. The galleries, not their’ candidate for governor, the audi« ence was given a chance to hear from the man they had selected, in the sama manner, as their candidate for con= gress, to be elected at the special elec« tion in the First North Dakota district July 10. John M. Baer was introduced and gave a brief, crisp talk of what he proposed to do in his race for congress and after elected. Baer, known through his cartoons to every person present and known by many of them person- ally, was given a great ovation. An account of his remarks will be found on another page of the Leader. TOWNLEY’S FATHER INVITED TO STAGE Baer also.drew cartoons of Big Biz, Crafty, Hiram Rube and other charac- ters that he has created, to the ap- plause of the big crowd which appreci- ated the truths that the pictures drove home to them. President Townley was received with a tumult of applause and cheers when he was introduced for a discussion of what everyone in the big crowd was waiting to hear—the League's attitude on war questions. Mr. Townley told the farmers of his own early life on a farm in Minnesota, of how his father, F. Townley of Parkers Prairie, Minn., had driven in more than 100 miles to hear his son speak. “l want him on the state now,” said Townley. “Where is he? Is he in the audience?” I'here was silence for a moment, then cries of “Here he is” came from one corner of the hall and the elder Townley, protesting, was . forced from his seat and escorted to the stage, to the accompaniment of applause. President Townley launched into a discussion of the aims of organiaztion and the purposes of the League. He summarized them as, “Liberty, {free- dom, democracy—that has always been the battle of the common people and it is our fight today,” and the audience applauded and cheered. AGAINST AUTOCRACY WHEREVER FOUND The speaker went on to say that the League had been unjustly charged with being on the side of foreign autocracy. “We not only stand against autocracy in Europe, but against autocracy in Phe United States,” was his reply. “We are as patriotic as any other citizens of the United States; we have taken on more territory, that is the only dif- ference.” From this he went into a .more de- tailed study of war problems. Vigor- ous applause and cheers greeted his statement that whatever the ideas of the people before war was declared, their present aim “is to abide by the decision of the majority and of the government of the United States.” The main purpose of the nation today is to produce a surplus, Mr. Townley said, surplus of food supplies and other o