The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 21, 1917, Page 6

— el wupplies, which the farmers are being counted upon to do. He went on to show that other surpluses than those of food and clothing and ammunition were being produced, especially the surpluses of wealth. He read to the audience statements showing increased war profits of large corporations, com- paring the year 1918 to 1916, showing that Armour’s profits had increased from $6,000,000 to $20,000,000 per year, the Dupont Powder company from $4,- 000,000 to $82,000,000 and the U. S. Steel corporation from $81,000,000 to\ $271,- 000,000, He showed that just as the autocracy of Germany was in the war for power and gain, so the autocracy of America might hope for power and gain through the war unless it were eurbed. WILLING TO STAY A DAY TO HEAR Members. of the crowd were leaning forward in their seats and letting no word escape by this time. Mr. Town- ley suggested that if he kept on citing war profits the members of the audi- ence wouldn't be able to get home, and & voice from the crowd rejoined: “We'll go home tomorrow.” But it was not only the duty or the nation to produce a surplus, Mr. Town. ley said. “It is ten times more your duty to sce that the surplus is put where it be- longs after you produce it.” He cited the possibilities, if control of food is left in the hand of speculators, of farmers being paid perhaps $1.50 a bushel for wheat and contributing their money, through the government, to buy the same wheat back at $4 per bushel for “the boys across the water.” “The first patriotic duty of the gov- ernment in this crisis,” President Townley urged, “is to take over the busines of the transportation and dis- tribution of the foodstuffs and necessi- - ties of life.” PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE SURPLUS OF WEALTH This, the first principle of the Non- partisan league, was applauded vigor- ously. Then the speaker developed his second theme, that just as the surplus of food and the surplus of other neces- sities now being purchased, were taken by the government, so should the sur- plus of wealth, made possible by enor- mous war profits, be taken over by the government for war purposes. This is the principle of “conscription ) of profits” that has caused charges of treason to be made against the League by papers and interests opposed to the farmers’ movement. The big crowd which heard Mr. Townley’s presenta- tion evidently did not rate it as treason, if almost unarimous cheers and ap- plause furnish any criterion. Proposing that since the youth of the country is to be drafted by selective conscription, surplus profits should also be drafted by the government, to go as far as possible toward financing the war before calling upon the common people for aid, Mr. Townley summar- ized his argument thus: “Let those pay who can in life; let those pay who can in wealth; whatever they lack in wealth we will make up without price.” OTHER SPEAKERS ALSO GIVEN FINE RECEPTION A. E. Bowen, J. W. Brinton and O. M. Thomason also spoke to the big crowd, Mr, Thomason also singing *The Soul of Forty-four.” Every speak- er was received with applause and cheers, The speeches were essentially the same which had been delivered throughout the state by the same speakers during the preceding ten days. They were the same speeches which reactionary papers, controlled by big business interests outside the state, were branding as “treasonable” in an attempt to set the city people against the farmers. T But the big crowd of Fargo residents who attended the meeting didn’t find anything treasonable in them, any more than did the residents of Minot and Devils Lake and Williston and other towns, who had heard the same speakers before, The Fargo citizens applauded and cheered, just as the farmers did, and just as the citizens of Minot and Devils Lake and other towns had done at previous meetings, The Fargo meeting was the climax of the second week of League meetings, most of which were held in the south- western portion of North Dakota. The first meeting of the week was held at Beach, the old home of President Townley and of J. M. Baer, the farm- ers’ candidate for congress. From miles around the farmers turned out to see their old fellow farmer, the former “flax king,” and the reception that they gave to Townley put to rest any idea that anybody might have had that the president of the League wasn’t popu- lar in his old home. After the farmers had seen Governor Frazier and Presi- dent Townley they wanted to know From T ownley’s Fargo Speech We have been charged with being for autocracy. But I repeat what I have said a dozen times over the state of North Dakota, that the members of this organization are as patriotic as any citizens of this country ever were; and more patriotic than a very large part of the citizens of this state— (Applause) —who go blatantly over the state— (applause)—shielding their evil doing behind the folds of the flag. More patriotic than some of those that have been charging us with treason because we not only stand against autocracy in Europe, but against autoc- racy in the United States. (Cheers and applause.) * * * * But I want to say right here that just as the farmers of the state of North Dakota are not fighting the farmers of the state of South Dakota, just as the farmers of the state of North Dakota are not fighting the farmers of Minnesota, so the farm- ers of the northwest, and I believe the people of the United States, are not going to battle with the farmers of Austria or Germany, but to battle with the autocracies that use them to make slaves both of them and of us. (Applause.) * * * * We are engaged in war; whatever we may have had in mind about the war before we entered it, there is only one thing for us to do today as citizens of these United States, and that is to abide by the decision of the majority and the govern- ment of the United States; and we are going to do that. (Ap- plause.) That is the attitude of this organization, and the merg- bers of this organization, this afternoon. We may disagree in some measure with some or many of the things the government proposes, and in so far as we have a constitutional right to dis- cuss and debate those questions we are going to discuss them and debate them— (Applause)—because only thru open debate and discussion can democracy live—THAT IS THE LIFE OF DEMOCRACY. (Applause.) * * * * Wherever in these United States, where I was born and have lived and have a right to live and will live—wherever in this country I find that the controlling power of government has so far gone into the hands of an autocracy that would rob the people—has gone into the hands of moneyed power that would use that power not for liberty but for despotism—when- ever I find that the power of government has gone into the hands of an autocracy outside of the state of North Dakota, and represented inside of the state by publications like the Grand Forks Herald, the Bismarck Tribune and the Fargo Fo- rum—wherever I find that I have not the right of free speech, I will go to the gallows, or I will go to Russia where I can get it. (Cries of “That’s right!”—Applause and cheers.) * * * If these ten million young men now coming as a last resort into this world conflict, if they by giving half their lives, if they by giving ALL their lives, can accomplish world peace, it will be worth a thousand times the sacrifice. This is the hope of war. This is what we go to war for. But we do not go to war to give an autocracy of America, al- ready a thousand times too strong, power to destroy an autoc- racy of any other country; we go to war to DESTROY THEM BOTH; and we WILL DESTROY THEM BOTP{ ! (Applause.) how John Baer was getting along in the race for congress, and when they were told that everything indicated that the farmers would stick together and make Baer’s election sure, they would say: < “That’s fine.” FROM MILES AROUND FARMERS TURN OUT The Beach meeting was followed by a meeting at Dickinson. At both places the halls were packed to capacity. Then came one of the most unusual meetings “of the series. This was the first annual picnic of the Bowman county Nonpar- tisan league, held at Buffalo Springs, out in the middle of a wind-swept prairie, seven miles from Bowman, the county seat. Bowman is one of the comparatively few towns in the state where the local business men persist in an unfriendly attitude toward the League. By a boy- cott they recently forced out of exis- tence the Bowman Citizen, which had been fighting for the farmers’ cause. So the farmers set out to do two things: One was to organize a new paper of their own, with the stock all held by farmers who will control its policies. The second thing they set out to do was to organize a monster meet- ing at Buffalo Springs as a protest against the unfair attitude of the Bow- man businessmen. MEETING A PROTEST 5 BY THE FARMERS » It was a monster meeting at Buffale Springs. Tn spite of gne of the heavi- est gales of wind that has swept North Dakota this season, that threatened to overturn automobiles driving along the roads, hundreds of farmers began arriving early in the morning from every direction. The farmers shipped in a big tent from Aberdeen, S. D, large enough to accommodate a thou- sand persons under its top, but by the time the League speakers arrived for the morning session there were enough to fill the tent. At the afternoon ses- sion, when the principal speeches were given, the crowd had grown all too large to be accommodated in the tent and the meeting was adjourned to a great lumber shed. There nearly 2000 people remained for hours, packed in like sardines or roosting in scores in the loft on the lumber piles. CRAWFORD INSULTS LEAGUE AT BEACH The next day the speakers went to Mott, where the Hettinger county courthouse, where the meeting was billed, proved too small to accommo- date the crowd and an outdoor meet- ing was held in the city park. The following day speakers went to Man- dan. A mixup in securing a meeting place had occurred and the commer- cial clubroms, which had been intended for the meeting, were found insuffi. clent to accommodate the farmers. Al- though Mandan papers have been vicious in their attacks upon the farm- ers’ movement, the business men of Mandan showed no such bias. The commercial club authorities at once set about to secure accommodations for the meeting and secured the donation of the largest theater in town, the pro- prietor of the theater cancelling a show that he had billed for that afternoon so PAGE SIX Su that the farmers could have room enough for their meeting. All through the series of meetings the League speakers met just one instance of incivility from local business men. This was at Beach, at a meeting held following the League meeting, to boost for Liberty Loan bonds. Governor Frazier, throughout the trip has been urging all farmers who could afford it to buy bonds, but has also taken the sensible ground that farmers who need all their money to operate their farms should not be urged to cripple their farming activities to take the bonds. The governor was invited to speak at this meeting and accepted. A gross insult was offered to the farmers and to the farmers’ governor at this meeting. For this Lewis E. Crawford, banker of Sentinel Butte, and president of the Hanna board of re- gents, was responsible. Crawford is the man responsible for the ousting of President John H., Worst, the farmers’ friend, as president of the North Da- kota Agricultural college. He also is charged with conspiring to oust Presi- dent E. F. Ladd from the presidency of the college, because Ladd, like Worst, has shown his friendship for the farmer. With Governor Frazier seated upon the platform, Crawford, while not dar- ing to use the name of the man he re- ferred to, told the farmers: “All the enemies of this country are not in Germany. Men are going up and down this state, bellowing like the bull of Bashan, and inciting to treason.” GOVERNOR ANSWERS CHARGE OF TREASON Governor Frazier was given a chance to speak later. He did not resort to the tactics of Banker Crawford, the proved enemy of the farmers. Governor Frazier told the audience, instead, how the farmers of North Dakota were proving their patriotism with deeds, in~ stead of loud words. “When the war started I went on record for conscription of wealth to pay the expenses of the war, if the government adopted the policy of con- scripting men to fight the war,” said the governor. “The government has de- cided that the best way to raise funds immediately, however, is by a bond issue, and it is the duty of the man who can afford it to help buy bonds. It , is not too late to hope that the govern- ment will adopt conscription of wealth to pay these bonds. . “In regard to remarks that have been made here this evening I want to say I have been pretty well all over the state and I have not heard any treason< able utterances. I think we should re- member that there can be such a thing as an honest difference of opinion. “We also “should remember the words of Him who said: “‘Judge not, lest ye also be judged.’ “Free speech is a principle that has been well established in this country, but to charge any man with treason is a thing that should not be done with= out deep thought.” GOVERNOR APPLAUDED BY BUSINESS MEN The big audience, composed princi- pally of business men and residents of the city of Beach, applauded Governor Frazier’s statement vigorously. League speakers have everywhere made it plain that the farmers’ move- ment is not intended to fight the busi~ ness men of North Dakota, but that the business men will be helped more than any other class by the carrying out of the farmers’ program, which will keep in the state the $55,000,000 which Dr. Worst says is now being lost each year by the exportation of the farme ers’ product to the Minneapolis Cham~ ber of Commerce. As the result of making plain the attitude of the League the business men in most localities are growing much more friendly to the farmer than has ever been the case before. The attentions paid Governor Frazier, President Townley and other League - speakers were a feature throughout the trip. At Beach Sheriff S, A. Smith, & strong friend of the League, made the entire party his guests. At Dickinson, When it was necessary to drive by, automobile to reach the Buffalo Springs meeting, W. J. Mozley, a League can< didate for the legislature, donated his own time and his seven DPassenger car to take the speakers about. At Buffalo Bprings John Lenth took the entire party to be guests at his home at din< _mer. —_— OPEN THEIR EYES. Jerry Bacon, Frank Hyland, et al, and their standpat political ledgue, probably had their eyes opened Tues- day by the Nonpartisan league meeting at Devils Lake. This meeting demoa- . strated very conclusively that the League is still yery much alive. No Iesg than 200 automobiles went through Starkweather from the north to at- tend this meeting.—STARKWEATH- ER (N. D) TIMES.