The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, June 23, 1919, Page 5

the millers and the Minneapolis Chamber of Com- merce and the bankers of the Twin Cities. They laughed when the anti-farmer falsehoods were ex- ploded, and they nodded their heads in affirmation of Mr. Townley’s statements. But the dismay on some of the faces told plainly how some of them had swallowed the lies of their enemies. Mr. Townley gave examples of what the oppo- sition was doing in its desperate attempts to re- peal the laws of the farmer legislators. He ‘told how the tax assessors are being made the agents of these interests for spreading the lies. These men, who are under county jurisdiction, give farm- ers to understand that they are being assessed at a higher rate than before, on every stitch of cloth- ing, on every stick of furniture and every piece of farm machinery on the place. The truth of the matter is that it is likely that through exemptions on all these things, the average North Dakota farmer will pay lower taxes on the value of his holdings. . Another farmer, Mr. Townley said; in-another part of the state, had been told that he would have to pay a large fee for withdrawal from the hail in- surance act. No fee is exacted if a farmer does not want to come under its provisions, but with- drawal must be made before a certain date. These are examples of the means the League opposition is using to defeat the farmers’ program. But the farmers are not being easily blinded, be- cause they are already feeling the advantages of the new laws of the state. I saw several examples of that in my two days in North Dakota. - At Rugby I talked with several farmers, and the ¢ conversation veered to the grasshopper menace in that section. I learned that the new law under . which the state provides poison for grasshoppers and makes the use of it obligatory is rapidly check- ing the pest. In this district there is much vacant land—Iland held by speculators. sUnder the new law these speculators also must use this poison, with the result that these barren fields, which might have become breeding places for the insects, now. are a formidable barrier between the grasshoppers and the farmers’ grain fielde. One of the encouraging features of the North Dakota campaign is the solid backing of organized labor of the state for the farmers’ industrial pro- gram. They are “supporting it not only Jnorally - but actively. : Speakers-from organized labor are touring the state ‘with spokesmen of the organized farmers. Meetings are held for the labor men of the towns. Labor speakers explain the new laws, explain the farmer movement, and urge co-operation of the two great classes of workers in the coun- try—the farmers and the industrial workers. At the annual convention of the State Federation of Labor, a few days before I arrived in the state, resolu- tions were passed urging the forma- tion of a Labor party in North Da- kota to work politically in co-operation. with the farmers. 2 & LABOR RESOLUTIONS ASK SUPPORT OF LAWS Another resolution, which passed the convention,unanimously, after re- counting the constructive labor laws passed by the recent farmer legisla- ture .in Bismarck and pointing out that “during the past sessions the just demands of labor in the state had been cogtemptuously rejected un- til North .Dakota’s labor legislation -was among the most backward of all states, this one session raised our state to a place of leadership in la- ‘bor legislation,” the convention pledg- ed unanimous support “of all labor in. North Dakota to the organized farmers in the campaign now in prog- ress, to the end that,"on June 26, the entire program of laws enacted by- the sixteenth legislative asséembly may be ratified by a tremendous majority of the people of this state and that this splendid experiment in industrial democracy may be given a fair trial under a sympathetic administration.” ‘Another of-the methods being used by 'organized labor to push through the seven laws passed by the legisla- ture and riow being referred is the distribution of a pamphlet prepared by the legislative committee of the North Dakota Federation of Labor. This pamphlet recounts the Iabor legislation passed by the farmers; the most. constructive passed by any sin- state after June 26, takin North Dakota is saying: - The last ‘stand of the opposition in North Dakota will be made on June 26, when seven of the League bilis passed by the last legislature will be * referred to a vote of the people. Among these seven laws are the bank bill and the industrial commission bill. Under the latter act, both the bank and the State Mill and Elevator asso- ciation operate. If the opposition can, - by lies and money, kill these two meas- ures they will have delayed the League program for at least two years. But the farmers of the state are not dis- posed to permit this. They have adopted the slogan, “Vote Yes Seven Times.” Organized labor is urging its members to help the farmers, who gave them the most progressive set of labor laws ever passed -by-any:state in the Union. gle state in the Union, and points out that the total cost to labor in North Dakota for this legis- lation was, according to state union officials, less than $110. This is in contrast to the expenditures of the federations of other states. Kansas spent $8,000, Illinois workers spent $10,000, and other states similar amounts, and in the end have failed + to gain even a part of the legislation of the workers of North Dakota. The pamphlet closes with these words: “‘By their fruits ye shall know them,’ and by the . acts of those who in the past had unlimited power in North Dakota and who are now fighting the pres- ent administration, union men should know them. When they had that power, what did they do for labor? Nothing. When the farmers had power, what did they do for labor? Everything that la- bor wanted!’ “As union men, there is but one honorable course left for us; one sensible course; one course to manifest our sincere gratitude, and, we might add, one ‘safé course. - “Even if we as unfon men had no sense of honor and no gratitude, surely we have some common sense. We know by their acts who it was refused to do anything for us when they had the power, How 1 HATE ° YO LEAVE THE ‘oLD PLACE IT WAS EASY PICKINS WHILE| IT LASTED e =] 2 = Q COUPLA TICKEYS UP SALT CREEX — No REYURMN \ == 1 CORRyp o —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris. The grain gamblers and’all the rest of their kind are making their last stand in North Dakota. They are attempting to come back on June 26, but they them- selves are despairing of their chances. They are 'packing up, ready to quit the g with them the corrupt politics of the state. And “What’s your humy? Here’s your hat.” PAGE FIVE ‘and we know who it was that by their acts will- ingly granted our every request and did everything we asked. We have every reason to believe that these farmers who have proved themselves our friends will remain our friends, and we have every reason to believe that those who arrogantly re- fused year after year to show in any way interest in our friendship, would, if given the power, undo every worthy act and repeal every labor law passed by those who are beyond doubt heart and soul with us. “The farmers have stood by us. Let us in turn stand by them. They gave us our laws without whimpering or protesting. They need us now to protect the laws passed in the interests of the farmers and the great common people of the state, who are being assailed by a common enemy of us both. l“DON T BE FOOLED,” WORKERS OF STATE ARE WARNED “Shame on the union workingman or nonunion workingman who fails to vote for each and every measure to be voted on June 26. Ten thousand union men in North Dakota should vote ‘yes’ for all of the referred bills. Don’t be fooled into voting against any of these measures. Fifty thousand or- ganized farmers are asking 10,000 organized labor men to meet them halfway and form a cemented bond of unbreakable friendship and co-operation which will insure control of the government of North Dakota to those who produce the wealth of the state. “Workingmen, if you want to show the farmers you appreciate what they have done for you, vote ‘yes’ on each of the farmers’ bills to be voted on June 26 at the special referendum election. Let us show our gratitude, our worthiness as good citi- zens, and our common sense. The eyes of labor in every state are upon us. Let us make ‘it unani- mous. Vote ‘yes’ on all seven referred measures.” I talked with League organizers who at- tended the meetings,-and I learned that members are being signed ‘as they were never signed before. In a single week there were 1,602 members signed in the state.. And of this number. nearly a third were new members of the League. This grewth, in the face of the desperate fight being waged against them, is indicative of the spirit of ‘the state. On the train from St. Paul to Devils Lake I encountered one of the typical un- organized farmers. He told me he “thought it was a good thing to organize,” but he “didn’t like the League leaders.” When I asked him whether he had seen any of the League leaders or had heard them talk, he admitted he had not, but he “guessed they were a bunch of damned Socialists.” I spoke to him about several of the laws at Bismarck, and he gazed at me open-mouthed. “Well, do you know,” he said grin- ning, “I never paid any attention to the fool things they did up there in Bismarck. You see, I've gone and got -elected justice of the peace in my township, and I get copies of the law anyway after a while, so I didn’t bother.” And when I broached the subject of the industrial program, he said he guessed “they’d be all right if they got the right fellers to run them.” A few hours later, standing before the I. V. A. speakers’ stand, I heard my. train' companion’s arguments re- peated in almost identical language, of the laws. : : From end to end of North Dakota the speakers of the opposition are busy spreading anti-farmer propa- ganda. Despite the figures issued by are lying about taxes, lying about the hail insurance laws, lying about every law the legislature passed, about the state officials—and failing to make these lies stick. At Devils Lake and Rugby I learned what “government of the peo- ple, for the people and by the people” might be. I saw law-making back to . its supreme court. I saw the people ready to-exercise their right to make laws. I saw the machinery of demaoc- that the people of North Dakota wounld *on June 26 “Vote Yes Seven Times” for the seven League laws. : their own tool, Auditor Kozitsky, they. - and evidently with as much knowledge L racy, efficient, intelligent and earnest, and I left North Dakota not doubting f ¥ i f i