The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 11, 1918, Page 23

Farmers Fight To Save Homes Eighty Montana Settlers Threatened with Loss of Farms by ~ Politicians, Says Correspondent to Leader Winifred, Mont. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: . As a member of the Nonpartisan league and having the fullest confi- dence in its fairness and goodwill for * the common .people, I am going to put this proposition up to them, that is agitating the minds of some 80-odd settlers here, north of Winifred, in townships, 18, 19 and 20, in the so- called “state reserve.” " This was set aside in October 1914 before there ever was a survey or any- thing to identify it. It was all unsur- veyed government land up until July, August and September 1915. Then it was surveyed, survey being filed and accepted in February 1917, and state officials then made their selections 80 days after, all of which was taken “from us settlers who came in here after October 1914. Those who were in here before that date were allowed their land, and the majority of them proved up at the present writing. State officials selected all our best farm land, each settler losing from 40 to 240 acres of his best. I said each settler, but there I'm in error, for if they had some friend that was friend- ly toward the cattle barons of this locality, it was left entirely alone where his land was as good if not bet- ter than where they made some of their selections. LAND OFFICIALS TAKE BEST FARMS If necessary I can give you the name of a settler that bought out a squatter in February 1917 and had never acquired residence on his land, and the state officials let him have all of his land, and he has 160 acres that are as good land as there is in the en- tire three townships; while they took 200 acres of my best plow land, leav- ing me 120 acres of rough, Missouri river breaks. ; ‘We have sent several delegations to Helena protesting against these out- rages and they promised the first bunch that met the state land board that bonafide settlers didn’t need to - have any fear of their land being molested, as they would get their lands without any trouble. But we found that we were grossly deceived, as they made no move so that we could get our allowance from the United States land office. Then we sent 10 more men up and had another hearing before Governor Stewart and the land board, Governor Stewart being -the chairman of the board. The governor seemed in favor of letting the boys have their land, and one or two of the board, but the state land agent, C. A. Whipple, and a member of the board stood squarely against it. This last delegation took a Lewis- town attorney with them to intercede for us, Charles Anderson. Finally the members of the board asked the boys how much land they would be satis- fied to get back. They being public officials and elected by the people- of the state, were bartering and dicker- ing with land that, was supposed to belong to the state. They were trying to barter and trade the same as two men would trade horses—something they had no right to do. / 'TRY BRAZEN PLAN TO SCARE FARMERS The boys of course thought if they could - get -some of their farm land back it would be better than losing it -all, so it was agreed between the- ' board and our attorney that each man that had land taken from him, would “ get about half back, the state -of course to retain the other half. So ‘they wrote to Washington, D. C., to the secretary of the interior to see if they could do that, and of course your Uncle Sam positively said no. There “are no half-way measures with -your Uncle Sam. A thing is either right or wrong. Officials with any brains should have known that, but these grafters up at Helena ‘were so used to that, that they forgot they were not dealing with the Amalgamated Copper company "and railroad attorneys. So that idea died aborning, and the graft- ers decided to keep the land, in spite of protests or contests of which there are two score or more. According to the government land laws governing state selections of land for indemnity, or educational purposes, a protest or contest must be tried the same as a contest between two indi- viduals, but it seems that the land board have appointed themselves as the judge and jury in this case, as none of us that have filed contests have even had a trial, and the board sent everyone that has a protest .against the land '‘an application blank to fill out, giving us the prior rights to lease this land, our prior rights to cease after 30 days. : . Such brazen effrontery as that I have never seen equaled anywhere. It looks like their idea was to buffalo us, and railroad their program through without a trial of any kind. Why spend $2.50 apiece to protest land, if the land board is to decide? We al- ready knew what their. decision was. Our contention is that we are with- in our rights, for when we squatted here, the survey was not yet accepted, and that the state had no authority to set this unsurveyed government land aside for indemnity or school pur- poses, in 1914 before there even was a survey. The government land laws say in the first paragraph, that al lands selected must be from non- mineral, unappropriated surveyed pub- lic land within the state or territory making the selection. This land is mineral, as’ there are coal mines on two creeks, good lignite coal, running through two townships and we have appropriated this land to our own use under a squatter or settler’s right. : SAMUEL B." ANDERSON. -SIEVE WON'T HOLD WATER . Manhattan, Mont. Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I am sending ‘you a clipping, an edi- torial copied from the Butte Miner by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, where the Butte Miner charges ‘the Nonpartisan league and the I. W. W. as organizing together. I think the Miner is weak in that point, because the League won’'t accept members without they own land, and the I. W. W. won't ac- cept members that do own anything. If the Nonpartisan league puts up any candidates in’ this state, I believe the farmers and laborers will elect every one. We are not saying much but will all act. You see we are onto the newspapers’ bluff. They . knock everything good that they are afraid of. =ik © 8. E. TAYLOR. OUT OF THE CORNER . The. Nonpartisan league has had a . phenomenal growth — upsetting all predictions of those who first sneered at it—and now its opponents are un- certain where it will stop. In two . years it has ‘developed from an “obscure agrarian agitation” in one corner of North Dakota to-a political party which swept that state at the last election, chose John M. Baer. con- gressman at a special election in May, 1917, and ‘now has a total- member- ship of more than 120,000 in twelve states—STRANDBURG (8. D.) TRI- . PAGE TWENTY.THRER ADVERTISEMENTS 000000800 000, 0000580000 000001 b Unnnrfiaf.fif,?,l,’,gqgg (AR j . The shortage of good seed corn, suitable for the Northwest, is most alarming. Lose no time in covering your wants. 1918 must be safeguarded. We offer limited quantities of carefully selected, cured, and tested seed corn suitable for your locality. Our seed is Minne- ‘sota and South Dakota grown. Germination on the different lots varying from seventy to ninety per cent, after repeated tests. Samples free on request. . Under the abnormal conditions prevailing this year, our usual high ger- _mination cannot be expected. Of greater importance is the fact thatt he corn we offer is strictlg northern grown, and will mature here in the Northwest. By planting a little heavier, a full stand may be assured even tho the germination 18 less than usual. The éom crop of Get our new catalog at once, giving full descriptions and prices, and let us have your order promptly. All corn sent with ten days’ testing privilege. If not as re resented, mptly and get your money back. Write today without fail, > AEs SAREL peo FARMER SEED & NURSERY CO. 130 First Avenue, FARIBAULT, MINN. Read What Some of Our Shippers Have to . Say About Our Sales and Service After Receiving Their Returns: R, No. 2, Pekin, N, D., Oct. 15, 1917. Equity Co-Operative Exchange, South St. Paul, Minn. ! 4 Mr. Ferguson—Dear Sir: Coming home from St. Paul, I remembered I had forgotten to say good-bye to you people there, and while I believe in criticism. when due, I am just as sure to praise any one when it has been earned, and the way you handled my shipment this time makes me believe that you are a lot of nice people from top to bottom, and I will boost for the Exchange whenever I get an opportunity. Sincerely yours, - (Signed) P. A. PETERSON. Litchfield, Minn., Nov, 16, 1917. Equity Co-Operative Exchange, South St. Paul, Minn. Dear Sirs: My car of cattle you sold today_far better than I expected. ‘Will- have a car of hogs for you to sell soon. Yours truly, (Signed) J. A. LaMONTE. Grey Eagle; Minn., Oct. 10, 1917, Equity Co-Operative Exchange, South St. Paul, Minn. - 3 Gentlemen: Have received returns on the car of cattle and hogs which I shipped you today, and am well pleased with the sales and the way in which my load was handled. You can expect our future shipments. Yours very truly, (Slgfled) C. A, WOOD, . . gr. Grey Eagle éhlpplng Assn, New&ort, Minn., March 22, 1917. Equity Co-Operative Exchange, South St. Paul, Minn. % Dear Sirs: Wish to say that I am well pleased with your sale of $9.36 per hundred that you got for the load of cattle that I had consigned to you and sold yesterday. I saw other cattle weighed up that were sold by other com- - mission firms, and was surprised that you got $9.35 for mine. Another thing I learned whfl_e there was that while other commission firms are bonded to the South St. Paul Exchange, the Equity is bonded to the State of Minnesota. Respectfully yours, (Signed) VICTOR MUNSON. A LETTER FROM RAY McEAIG : 1 Mandan, N, D., Dec. 1, 1917. Equity Co-Operative Exchange, South St. Paul, Minn. ) Dear Sirs: Having been a cattle raiser in North Dakota for a number of years, having had occasion to ship stock to South St. Paul and Sioux City, and knowing the tricks of the commission men and their treatment of the farmers, I welcomed the organization of your Exchange as one of the reliefs from an almost hopeless marketing entanglement. I shipped to g:)u this fall two carloads of stock, and was immensely pleased by the returns that I got. I found that you did not sell these beeves to the speculators, but that you made it a point to fiet the fairest and the best price ossible. You took care of them. You watched over them, and all I can say s that if any man wants to get the best price possible for his stock, he wants: to send it to the Equity Co-Operative Exchange, which is a place where the mm'r'filr (Al f be 111, and do so gladl s recommendation ve of my own free will, a 0 80 g 3 ; Yours verg truly, (Signed) RAY McKAIG, Sta{e Master, .Equity Co-Operative Exchange LIVESTOCK DEPT. SOUTH ST. PAUL; MINN. "READ THE LEADER CLASSIFIED AD COLUMN