The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 29, 1919, Page 9

- “laws in North Dakota . has finished a most suc- ~whelming for the League the covenant “practically .MONTANA EVER have prospects for ousting the cop- per company and Montana Power company political domination of the state been so bright- as now. The Montana Labor league, recently organized, has given its unquali- fied indorsement of -the League program. This means certain victory in the 1920 elections. The farmers and the Labor league workers now are pre- paring petitions to refer the bill passed by the recent special session of the. legislature which killed the open primary. An emergency clause was attached to prevent the people from seeking relief through the referendum. Petitions will be circu- o lated, however, with the hope that the supreme court will not permit the emergency clause to smother the voice of the people. A broad compen- sation law will be initiated at the same time, which will receive the united support of the farmer-labor combination.” Just as soon as the fate of the pri- mary referendum is determined, a state convention will be Hheld and a full state and congressional ticket placed in the field and full county tickets in every county in the state. Nothing illustrates better that the farmers are in earnest than the avalanche of letters received and published in the Montana Nonpartisan. These letters the kept press find hard to combat. The letters contain hard, cold facts that can not be denied, and the determination shown by the farm- ers cause the greatest apprehension in the camp of the opposition. ; R No state has greater natural wealth than Mon- tana. Its copper and precious metals, great water- falls and. timber have invited capital and it was easy for the big corporations which resulted to dominate the state until the Nonpartisan league started organization. The protest of small .indi- vidual groups was unavailing, but with 26,000 members -enrolled in the League and the labor league working hand in hand with the farmers, following the lead of the workers in North Da- kota, Minnesota and other states, the mnatural - wealth will soon be distributed fairly among the people. The masses understand this and no con- trolled press campaign nor slush fund can turn them from their purpose. EDITOR MONTANA NONPARTISAN. SOUTH DAKOTA OVERNOR NORBECK has indicated that "' he will call a special session of the leg- islature. Among matters to be consid- ered are the reports of the “investigating” committees on public ownership amendments, adopted at the- last election, and providing for state-owned industries .similar to those in North Dakota. The legislature failed to carry them into effect. They now fear the wrath of the people and it is believed they will make a pretense of carrymg out their pledges at the. special sessmn It'is not to be expected that an honest effort will be made, as it is known that Norbeck - contrib- uted $200° to the slush - fund to defeat the same and his political organs are continudlly denoumc- ing the state ownership program as “socialistic.” * * £ Walter Thomas Mills cessful series of meet- ings.” He has spoken to thousands of farmers and finds sentiment over- program. * k3 * Governor Norbeck has “flopped” on the league of nations. At Presi- dent Wilson’s meeting in Sioux- Falls" he indorsed 'WHAT THE ORGANIZED FARMER IS DOING QOO - DOO® 0000 QO® Short Notes About the Activities in League States Last winter his legislative machine - voted down a resolution favoring the league. * ES B3 The state tax commission has made its annual as it stands.” report. ‘'The valugtion on “general property”—the people’s property—has been raised nearly $400,- 000,000, while corporation property valuations have been left untouched. EDITOR SOUTH DAKOTA LEADER. MINNESOTA ROUSED because League speakers were reminding the soldiers of how the old-gang legislature had double-crossed them on the bonus question last spring, the Burnquist machine introduced numerous bonus bills at the 'speclal session just closed. One was enacted and will give the veterans $15 for each month in the service. B % * ° Tonnage tax was scheduled to pass the legisla- ture in the closing hours. It passed the house by 101 to 22. The bill passed, however, provided for only 5 per cent tax on iron ore production while the League measure provided for 10 per cent. ¥ * % The first -Minnesota women’s auxiliary of the Nonpartisan league was organized at Eagle Bend by farmers’ wives last week. = * ¥ £ Eleven League speakers are talking to picnic crowds. All are reporting enthusiastic audiences. EDITOR MINNESOTA LEADER. IDAHO YEAR ago gang politicians of. Boise en- gineered a mob to break up a meeting at which A. C. Townley and others were to speak. - The mayor of Boise refused to pro- vide protection for the speakers, and but for the - efforts of a fearless sheriff who believed in law and order and the presence of farmers determined to support him, violence would have ensued. To- day, due to the aid of the votes of organized labor, Boise has a mayor who believes in free speech and peaceable assemblage for Nonpartisan leaguers and all others who desire American liberties. It is a portent of what is ahead in Idaho. £ £ £ The $100,000 libel suits of Ray McKaig against former Governor Frank R. Gooding and Boise newspapers will probably be set for trial early in October, despite dilatory tactics of the defendants. The cases grow out of false and malicious charges made in the effort to beat the League in the last campaign.. ; % % * The Idaho Leader has exposed the fact that lum- ber dealers are making a practice of giving short: measurements in sales of stock and demand is be- ing made for an official investigation. EDITOR IDAHO LEADER. | ' NEBRASKA FARMERS DEMAND' RIGHTS | | This is a delegation of 75 League farmers of Nebraska who appeared before Governor McKelvxe re- cently to demand that their rlght to hold meetings, free from mob violence, be vpheld by the state authorities. PAGE NINE 0000 NEBRASKA * EPORTS of League organizers indicate a steadily growing interest in the League and its program. Several new organizers have gone to work in the last two weeks and are meeting with good success. Among them are returned so]dlers, one of whom signed up 15 new_ members in one day. * * * Reactionary politicians have begun to reorganize the Republican party machinery from precinct committeemen up, to “crush the Nonpartisan league,” as the secretary of the state commxttee put it. ; ES ES £ After considerable delay the Lincoln Commercial club has invited the League to supply a speaker for one of the club noon lunches. John A. Currie, League lecturer, probably will speak. An assist- ant attorney general of North Dakota recently spent” an hour misrepresenting the League to the club members. * . ok K More than 2,000 persons attended a League pic- nic in Madison county September 7. It was one of the most enthusiastic gatherings held by the League in the state Farmers drove 100 miles. to attend. Mr. Currie, League lecturer, spoke two days at the Cherry county fair at Valentine to big crowds. George Homby, returned soldier, is the League organizer in that count:y Leaguers report petty annoyances in Randolph, Neb., such as banners being torn off their cars and nails and tacks strewn in the road to cause punc- tures. Randolph apparently is seeking the same notoriety that has been given Beatrice, Clarks and Wahoo. 5 E3 s ; The two most reactionary newspapers in Ne- braska praised Governor McKelvie for his refusal to bring proceedings against Beatrice officials who refused to enforce the law August 9, when a League meeting was broken up. EDITOR NEBRASKA LEADER. ‘COLORADO T YUMA, Labor Day, 4,000 farmers heard . League speakers. This was one of the largest gatherings of farmers the move- ment has known in the state. "At Truck- ton schoolhouse, in El Paso county, 1500 heard the League message. ‘Two years ago organizers found hard sledding on the western slope. This year the organizers are gettmg 95 per cent of the farmers and frult grow- ers in this tetrltory 5 % * £ A John Morris, master of the state Grange and a member of the state executive board of the League, ‘brought in a truckload of tomatoes a few days’ ago for which he was of- fered 25 cents a crate. On the same day toma- toes were selling in Den- . ver to the retailer at $2.10 per crate. T L one of the largest in the state, declares its inten- tion to join political for- tunes with the farmers. Other unions are plan- ning to follow this lead. % * * Many meetings -and picnics are being planned for this fall.”A statement from national headquar- ters shows that Colorado ered. EDITOR COLORADO LEADER s_» . i The machinists’ union, leads in organization - _work, everything consld- < i i ST B RS £ A AT