The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, November 3, 1919, Page 5

. the admit it. If so I am the only crook in the state today that is not boost- ing for Bill Langer—and that goes to show that the old saying, that birds of a feather flock to- gether, isn’t always true.” Townley started to tell about the birth of the League — how the farmers came back after they had been told to “go home an'd slop the hogs.” “How many Nonparti- san league farmers here today? Raise your hands,” he called. All over the house hands shot up. Only a little group, standing at the back of the hall, kept their hands down. “And the I V. As all at the rear, as usual,” Townley commented. And then he told the story of the birth of the League, how they said farmers” wouldn’t stick, and how they did stick and elected Frazier governor. When he came to the magic word “Frazier” the cheers started again and the big crowd again leaped to its feet. “Frazier for presi- dent,” some one called, and the cheers doubled in ‘volume. “Frazier may be pres- ident of the United States some day, but he has more important work here in North Dakota for awhile,” said Town- ley. . The speaker went on to tell of the other fights that the League had met, and won, and how the program of the League finally was being put into operatlon “The bank is operating, the hail insurance law this year saved the farmers $5,000,000, and the old mill at Drake is grinding wheat,” he . said, “It is paying 20.cents a bushel more for wheat than the farmers used to get and it is making so much money that the governor tells me he’s had to sell bran and shorts for less than they’re worth to cover up the profit. “Now if the little state mill at Drake can buy wheat for 20 cents more than the chamber of com- merce pays and still make money think what a big mill would do! And think what it will mean when a farmers’ chain store system can take the'prod- ucts of the mill and the products of the Equity packing plant and hand them on to the consumers with the profit cut out! Think what will happen then! Why there’ll be the very devil to pay! WHY THE ATTACK ON THE BANK WAS MADE “Other gentlemen in the state have been think- ing what would happen, and that is why, just as the program -is being put into effect, the most vicious attack of all has been made. “From the start the biggest trouble we have had has been in getting finances for the League. Farmer after farmer I have called upon to sign notes to keep the League alive. And now that farmers’ banks have been organized, to lend us money on YOUR promises to pay, the powers that oppose us have seen théir last chance to stop us—to wreck the banks that stand behind us.” X Resolutions recommended by the state executive committee of the League were read to the audience by Townley, They recited the history of the fights that the League had been through and of this last attempt to break the League by cutting off - its credit. - After this preamble the resolutions said: “Resolved, first, that we call upon our fellow citi- zens, the people of the state of North Dakota, to stand fast in support of their institutions and the program of progress to which their state has com- mitted itself, to believe no false charges made against the state, to have faith in-their movement The crowds inside and outside the Fargo Auditorium. Except for the central aisle every foot of standing space was filled inside. The lower picture shows only part of the crowd that heard League speakers in the overflow meeting. The speaker, Tom Sullivan, isleaning over the sidewalk -rallmg in the center of the picture, and stand unfaltering, shoulder to shoulder, to answer back the enemies of this great movement by coming forward and making the Scandinavian American bank of Fargo the biggest bank in the state, both in capital and surplus and in business conducted by it. “Second, that whereas, in the face of the unfaith- fulness of Langer, Hall and Kositzky, in-the face of all their political trickery, and in the face of all the obstacles that have been raised, Lynn J. Frazier, . governor, and John N. Hagan, commissioner of agriculture and labor, have remained faithful to the cause of the people of the state and have made possible- the splendid success which the state is achieving in its progressive work. “Therefore, be it further resolved, that we tender to Lynn J. Frazier and John N. Hagan our most heartfelt thanks for the tireless, self-sacrificing fight they have made in spite.of heart-breaking op- position and that we assure them of our unbounded love and admiration for what they have done and pledge them our devoted co-operation in carrying through to a finish the work they have so“splendidly begun against such heavy odds, and, “Be it further resolved, that engrossed copies of this resolution be made, attested as correct by the secretary of this convention, and presented to Gov- ernor Frazier and Commissioner Hagan.” Townley explained further- just what the Lea- guers proposed to do to help the bank that had been attacked because of its friendship for the farmers, and thereby to enable it to lend still more effective - aid to the farmers’ movement. The capital is now $50,000 and the surplus $10,- 000, a total of $60,000. It is proposed to increase the capital to $320,000 and the surplus to $280,000, a total of $600,000, thus making the bank the big- gest in the state. Farmers who could afford it were asked to subscribe to shares at $220, of which $100 is to go to capital, $100 to surplus, $2 to the state guaranty fund which protects all depositors, and ‘$8 for reorganization expenses, with the pro- vision that any part of the $8 not needed for ex- _ penses is to be put in the undivided profits fund. Townley also urged deposits for. the bank, which Auditor Thatcher had shown to be in splendid finan- PAGE FIVE cial condition. Deposits for 12 months draw 4% per cent interest; depos- its for six months draw 4 per cent interest and every dollar is protected under the guaranty law, which many other states lack. “I am not asking you to give money,” Townley repeated. “I am asking those who can afford it to make an investment— the best kind of an in- vestment—to show where you stand for the benefit of the men who thought they could wreck the bank and the League.” HUNDREDS OF LEAGUERS MARCH This was at the after- noon meeting. At night there was a parade. Fargo has seen farmers’ parades before — Equity parades and League parades—but never such a one as this. There were three bands—the Fargo band, the Kilties and the University band. There were hundreds of Lea- guers, marching four abreast, shouldering pitchforks and signs. There was a big delega- auxiliary. There was Big Biz—big as life and twice as natural—leading two small boys with chains attached to dog collars around their neck. The boys were labeled “Norm” and “Jerry.” There was “the goat that can’t be got,” a very real goat that amused those on the stage at the Audi- torium later, risking in- digestion by eating copies of the Fargo Forum. And there were . the signs. Big s1gns, a yard or more square, bearing re- plicas, in red, white and blue, of the “We’ll Stick” buttons, led the.march and were cheered all along the route. One delegation bore a banner reading: We want to help, too; we’re from Alexandria, Minn, Another sign was a replica of a post-dated check. It was like this: January 1, 1921. Pay to Langer, Hall and Kositzky their just deserts in full with interest. A. LEAGUER. And still another read: I We’re $16 suckers and proud of it. I At night the afternoon experience was repeated. Before the parade reached the hall every seat was taken. But a.good many of the paraders managed to crowd in somehow, taking their banners up to the stage, and as each one was brought - up the crowd cheered again. Dozens of telegrams were read at the night meet- ing from Leaguers and sympathizers who wanted to be present but couldn’t manage to get there. Congressmen John M. Baer and J. H. Sinclair sent their greetings. One message came from Seattle, ‘Wash., and another from Equity farmers at Lamar, Col. Bankers at Minot wired offering to deposit $25,000 in the Scandinavian American bank, and farmers at Rexburg, Idaho, sent a telegraph money order for $100 and offered to send more if it were wanted. A group of Montana farmers at Great Falls wired that their crops were burned for the third successive year but that they would send on their Liberty bonds. Farmers of Burnt Creek and Hay Creek, Burleigh county, N. D., the home coun- ty of Auditor Carl Kositzky, sent a telegram urging that legal action be taken “to remove from office (Continued on page 18) tion of the Woman’s D ——————— B T A T 1T