The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 3, 1918, Page 5

never before, largely to fight the Nonpartisan farmers and their progressive plans. A letter to the Leader from Henry P. Richardson of Worthing- ton, Minn., makes this plain: “In the Minneapoljs Tribune, May 15, I read an item on page 13 which follows: “ ‘Representatives of farm mortgage firms in Minneapolis will meet at the Athletic club Monday, when a constitution for a new state association will be presented for ratification. The following officers have been elected: : “‘President, J. W. Wheeler, president Capital Trust & Savings bank, St. Paul; vice president, W. M. Hecker, manager mortgage department, Wells-Dickey company, Minneapolis; secretary- treasurer, W. H. Cabe, vice president S. J. Murton & Co., Minneapolis. “‘It is the intention to bring all dealers in this class of investments-into closer co-operation for the better working out_ of problems confronting the farm mortgage business in the Northwest. Any corporation, firm or individual engaged in the farm * mortgage busincss in Minnesota will be eligible to membership in the association and are invited to attend the meeting.’” This farmer’s letter continues: ; “I desire to place in contrast to this everyday incident in the kept press of the doings of asso- ciations of exploiters-in time of war, the dope that I daily encounter, told to me by farmers of the Nonpartisan league that is handed to them in town by bankers and other business men. This is to the effect that ‘This is no time to organize. It stirs up trouble when our boys are bleeding in France.’ WHAT EVEN THE MOTOR OWNERS DO “One farmer today told me that he replied to this outburst of his own banker in this manner, at the same time showing hin. the clipping from the Minneapolis paper: “‘Mr. , if the financial interests, the mann- facturers and the commercial profiteers in America will show me one instance in which they have fol- -lowed their own advice to the farmers, ‘That this is no time to organize,” I wiil head a memorial to the officials of the Nonpartisan league, urging that the League, which was started almost three years ago, before our war with Germany, disband until the war is over. This, provided the bankers, mort- . gage sharks, land sharks, lawyers, doctors, com- mercial clubs, merchants and manufacturers’ asso- ciations, chambers of ' commerce and stock ex- changes will abandon their activities during the war. “As a matter of fact, the only two groups of ex- ploiters named above upon whom the heavy hand of the United States government has lightly fal.len are the stock exchanges and the grain gambling aggregations known as chambers of commerce and boards of trade.” ez Here is the Automobile club of St. Paul in its new year book urging automobile owners to organize: “For the de- 5 feat of all unjust laws and unfair leg- islation affecting automobile owners, which can only be done through the concentrated action of a powerful or- - ganization such as this.” Its membership fee is $256 a year. That’s a good deal more than the $8 a year dues to the farmers’ Leagug. But the Automobile club explains it in this way: “Suppose every automobile own- er refused to join our organization because of the war. What would happen? - Crazy, dras- tic, straight-laced laws would be put through against us. YOU WOULD NOT HAVE AN ORGANIZATION TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS.” Who dares say that the farmers of the West have not the right to ORGANIZE on the same plan as other in- terests: are ORGAN- up ORGANIZING. In fact, they are organizing as: ~ GANIZED! Yet he writes: - way to support our armed ) to use its ORGANIZA- TION to" fight the farm- ers. You bet he is OR- “At the outset The Tri- bune wishes to declare that it is wholeheartedly in sympathy with every movement, the purpose of which is to better con- ditions for the farmer— whether the channel through which it operates is political or economic. The American farmer has been the plaything of pol- itics and the victim of price manipulation for so many years that almost any method which prom- ises relief is eagerly wel- comed and blindly sup- ported. “But The Tribune does not approve of organiza- tion activities at a time when every man should be either carrying a gun or helping in a material forces in Europe. It does not believe in contributing money to carry on propa- ganda work while all the available resources of the nation are required for the financing of this war. It does not believe ablebodied men have any right to employ their time and their talents in this man- ner while the very existence of the government is at stake. : “Beyond any manner of doubt the vast majority of Nonpartisan league members are patriotic men;’ a large ntmber of them have sons now fighting in France. It is not conceivable that they would consciously do anything to increase the dangers or multiply the hardships.these boys must face.” If this editor is sincerely for the people, he will be fair to the League and at-least not lie about it. ‘WHAT EVERY FARMER KNOWS Is the farmer fooled by all this hue and cry? Well, just read’ this letter: : “Concordia, Kan. “Editor Nonpartisan Leader: “Enclosed find a clipping from the Kansas City Times in regard to the investigation of the League the Wichita Rotary club has undertaken. Am glad to note the special interest they have taken in the Kansas farmers all of a sudden. I can only speak of the attitude of the farmers in my home town- ship here. Our township service flag of Norway, Kan., shows 17 stars and in the third 4 Liberty loan has bought so far $19,500 of bonds and there are quite a few people here among the farmers with a two years’ membership in the Nonpartisan league. “But no doubt the Rotary club is com- posed wholly of angels. - _ “M. STENSAAS.” - The truth is that ever since the begin- ning of human society some degree of organization of industry has existed. The farmers have worked so long under various dis- abilities simply because they did not follow what the experience of every other - industry should teach. To meet his problems more intelli- gently the manufacturer has called in various ex- perts, who have devised methods of efficiency and economy which now pass . under the name of “sei- entific management.” Not all this system is adaptable to the farm- ers’ use. But its most important elements are. One of the reasons why the powers that prey are against the farmers organizing. The state capitol at Pierre, S. D. tisan league is planning to put real representa- tives of the people in office here in the next election. IZING? A COMMON DODGE FOR EDITORS Out in Roundup, Mont., the editor of the Tribune spills this prize piece of bunk., - Prob- ably he just got back " from a state ‘editorial meeting which’ decided The state capitol at Boise, Idaho. This building, still incomplete, makes a striking appearance, but nearly everything about it reeks with graft. Everywhere cheap materials were substituted for the materials called for in the contracts. What started as an exposure of graft in the capitol building resulted, three years ago, in exposing the theft of sums totalling more than $100,000 by the state treasurer, who is now in the state peniten- tiary. The farmers of Idaho are organized ; to clean up this place, teo. = . - Farming has lost its slip- shod and 'rule-of-thumb character, and is coming to depend upon scientific scrutiny of cause and effect, and careful meas- urement of outlay and return. Competition is growing ever keener, and the farmers are ‘now forced ‘to organize to PAGE FIVE O T S AN protect profit. The business of farming is not going to be immune to the more com- plex and more efficient types of organization which are being used suc- cessfully by the workers and exploiters of the cities. Idaho Grain Men Deceive the Nation Despite Evidence of Photographs, Food Administration Is Misinformed About Rotting Wheat (From the Idaho Leader) “Paytrioteering” with a capital “P” with the gov- ernment being wilfully misinformed by agents of a grain company has been uncovered in the Arbon val- ley section, near Pauline, Idaho. Representatives of the Nonpartisan league dis- covered in this section a huge wheat pile containing 25,000 bushels which had been exposed to snow, wind, rain and storms all winter with no effort made to protect it and save the food from rotting. Through the Nonpartisan league, the national food administration was informed of the actual conditions, with the result that an investigation was ordered through H. M. Houser of Portland, grain administrator for the Northwest and one of the largest ‘grain buyers of the West. This is what the representatives of the food ad- ministration reported: “Relative to your telegram, the following mes- sage was received from Houser, food administration agent at Portland, Ore.: ‘Referring to message from Ray McKaig about 25,000 bushels wheat being un- protected on farm 25 miles from railroad near Pauline. Our agent at Pocatello wires us Zearing Grain company reports this WHEAT TO BE PROPERLY PILED ON PLATFORM COVERED WITH LUMBER AND FULLY PROTECTED FROM ELEMENTS. THAT NONE OF THE WHEAT IS DAMAGED OR SPOILED. That the ‘wheat is being hauled daily from pile to mill at American Falls, Idaho, and that delivery of all will be completed May 15. Also that mills grinding wheat as rapidly as delivered. In day or two will receive and forward you detailed mail report but from information received apparently Nonpartisan league secretary badly misinformed.’ “United States Food Administration. Stream.” The agent of the grain company evidently wil- fully misinformed the federal food agent at Poca- tello. The League has printed photographs to show the untruthfulness of his report. There' is no platform, nothing but a few loose boards laid on the ground several inches apart, so that the lower tier of sacks are only fit for hog feed, all spoiled. 2 There is no protection from the elements. There is not a board, a tarpaulin, an inch of tar paper, and the wheat has been thus exposed since last Thanksgiving. . Only two trucks have been used in hauling, mak- ing one trip a day. At present rate it would take four months to deliver the crop. Over 5 per cent of the wheat is ruined. This means over 1,000 bushels. | The National Nonpar- Proved . (From the Aberdeen (S. D.) News) The members of the Nonpartisan league were for- bidden to hold a meeting at Madison, so they held one just outside the city limits, which is said to have been largely attended. Here at Aberdeen, the Non- partisan league held a meeting a short time ago. No attempt was made to prevent the meeting being held. Representatives of the different papers were on hand to report the gathering, and there was nothing said by any of the speakers that could call into question their loyalty as good Americans, or the loyalty of the considerable crowd that had as- sembled to hear them. The News questions the wis- dom of the authorities who prevent meetings of the Nonpartisan league so long as these meetings are as orderly and as loyal as the one held at Aberdeen. their margin of e ——— s s £