The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 22, 1919, Page 14

“Burnin ADVERTISEMENTS g the ~ Midnight 0il” 910 S. Michigan Avenue, THAT, literally, is the reason why the American has won the proud distinction of being the best educated man in the world. Because a cheap, dependable, illuminating oil made from pe- troleum was developed first in the United States, the people of this country had the opportunity of studying late into the night long before such luxury was possible elsewhere. The petroleum industry, in which the Standard Oil Company was a pioneer, has made it possible, even in remote places, for man to read, study and acquire knowledge in comfort, after the day’s work is done. The tremendous development of America shows that the American has “burned the midnight oil” to good purpose. The seven_men who manage the Standard Oil Company (Indiana), the 19,568 men and women who carry on the business, and the 4623 stock- holders, all are proud of the fact that their Company has been, and is, such =2 potent influence in the development of the nation. Today the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) operates the greatest and most complete refinery in the world, together with several others of lesser output. Throughout 11 States the Company distributes the refined products so thoroughly that even those in the remote corners are able, at all times, to get their requirements at a low price. - Thus is shown another marked benefit accruing - to all from the activities of the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) as a public servant, Standard Oil Corfipany (Indiana) Chicago, IIL 1791 The Leader—Four Years Ago and Now " (Continued from page 4) handled. Because he ddared make this statement, and thus uphold the con- tentions of the League farmers, Doc- tor Worst was shortly afterward dis- charged. as president of the college. This covers some of the big events during the first year of the Leader. The second year of the Leader was from September, 1916, to September, 1917. The first big event of the year was the general election of 1916, at which the League ticket, headed by Gov- ernor Frazier, was swept into of- fice by a tremendous majority. The next big thing was the legis- lative session. An unbiased ob- server would have thought that the legislature would have ac- cepted the verdict of the people and given the farmers what they wanted. But a group of holdover senators prevented any important part of the League program from being enacted into law. Next there "'was a special congres- sional election. This same John M. Baer, Leader cartoonist, was put up by the farmers as the League candi- date. He ran against a standpat Democrat and a whole field of stand- pat Republicans and got more votes than all his opponents combined. So the organized farmers had their first representative in congress. About this time the Leader began to carry some news. from other states than North Dakota. The fact was that farmers in South Dakota, Min- nesota, Montana and Idaho, seeing the success that the organized North Dakota farmers were having in their elections, wanted to be organized too. They sent in calls for help and the League responded and became a na- tional organization. National head- quarters were established this year at St. Paul by the League, although the Leader was still being published at Fargo. During this year the Leader published a series of articles on the big publicly owned and operated utili- ' ties of the country; like the Seattle and New Orleans port systems, the San Francisco municipal railway and the like. It was the first comprehen- sive series of articles on publi¢ own- ership printed in the United States and attracted much attention. OFFICES MOVED TO ST. PAUL IN 1918 The third year of the Leader was from September, 1917, to September, 1918. On January 1, 1918, the Leader moved to St. Paul, because. of the greater convenience of mailing from St. Paul to members of the League outside of North Dakota. There were by this time more Leaguers outside of North Dakota than inside the state. The League was beginning to mak its power felt. . This was the “war year” of the Leader. In editorials and cartoons the Leader aided the cause of the gov- ernment, especially in securing Red Cross subscriptions and subscriptions to the Liberty loans. The Leader was further aiding the American people and the government alike by demand- ing that war profiteering be stopped, by government price-fixing so far as that was possible, that remaining war profits be taxed at a heavy rate and that-this country and the allies make statements of their war aims, to aid in the conquering of Kaiser Wilhelm’s military ‘machine. Due largely to the insistence of the farmers and work- ers, as represented by the Leader and other- liberal papers, the government made a partial step in the direction of price-fixing and war profits taxa- tion, and President Wilson enunciated his 14 points. : Because the League and the Leader were growing stronger, both in and out of North Dakota, the Migfigrests_ that feared the organized farmers raised the cry of “disloyalty” against the League and the Leader. Files of the Leader were stolen and spies sent to all League meetings. But there was no “disloyalty” to be found. There were mobbings and arrests of League leaders, not one of which has resulted in a League man spending a day in prison or paying one dollar in a fine. Hot primary campaigns were held in North Dakota, Idaho and Minne- sota. In North Dakota the League .. again nominated all of its candidates easily. In Idaho, also, the. League candidates’ were nominated on the Democratic ticket. In Minnesota the League candidate for governor polled the enormous vote of over 150,000 in the Republican primaries, a vote that in any other year would have meant his election, but election frauds and the voting of thousands of Democrats in the Republican primaries resulted in the renomination of Burnquist, old- gang Republican. T FARMER VICTORIES RECORDED IN LAST YEAR . The fourth year of the Leader, just concluded, is too recently in the memories of readers to need much repeating. One of the first big “stories” covered. by the Leader in this. year. was.the great election viec- tory of the League in North Dakota, which gave the farmers control of ‘both houses of the legislature as well as state officers, and sent two more League men to congress to join John M. Baer. s = In Idaho a combination of Democrats and Republicans beat the League ticket, but in Minne- sota, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota and Nebraska the League elected minority members to the legislature. In both Min- nesota and South Dakota, League candidates, running independent- ly, beat Democratic candidates, but were in turn beaten by reac- tionary Republicans. The big “stories” ccvered by the Leader during its fourth year have been the laws passed by the North Dakota legislature. Heretofore the Leader has had to say to members of the League: “These are the laws that will be passed when we have the power.” Now we can say: . " “These are the laws that have been passed. What do you think of them ?” What the people of North Dakota think of them was told plainly enough at the referendum election when every measure called into question was in- dorsed by the people of the state, with the biggest vote that was ever called out for a special election, the more important measures” getting majori- ties running up to nearly 14,000. The Leader now begins its fifth year. In the years to come ‘we hope to be able to keep on pointing out what the League HAS DONE instead of what it is GOING TO DO. We hope to be able to write about laws, just .as good as the laws of North Dakota, in every League state. MUST MARK MEAT WEIGHT Wrapped meats inclosed in paper or other material, including hams and bacon, coming within the jurisdiction of the federal food and drugs act, must be labeled to show the net weight of each package, by the pro- visions of an amendment to that law incorporated in the agricultural ap-: propriation act for the current year. Congress has - specified _definitely. that from the date of the passage of the amendment, July 24,1919, a state- ment of the net weight will be re- quired’ on all wrapped meats, includ- ing hams and bacon, coming within th?i _jurisdiction of the federal food