The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 29, 1919, Page 3

In the interest of a square deal for the farmers VOL..9, NO. 26 “Prosperity and Progress” Their Motto Nlonparfisén Teader Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League A magazine that dares to print the truth ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, DECEMBER 29, 1919 WHOLE NUMBER 223 North Dakota Legislators Decide That Help, Not Advice, Is What ' Better Farming Movement Needs Bismarck Bureau, Nonpartisan Leader. INE of John Baer’s most success- he became a congressman, showed a North Dakota farmer, busy in his field, while a bunch of bankers, business men, newspaper editors and the like sat idly on the fence, giving him advice. Some urged more corn, other more potatoes—all of them wanted the farmer to work harder then he .ever had before. And to all of them the farmer made reply, without * stopping his work: “It’s HELP I need, not advice.” This cartoon fairly represented the attitude of the North Dakota farmer to the “better farming” movement, prior to the organization of the Non- partisan league. . Bankers and commercial clubs had long been preaching: “Plant corn; get dairy cows; get hogs.” Comparatively small results came from this preaching. The farmers pointed out that when they went into dairying they were robbed of most of ‘their profits; the big centralizers drove the co- operative creameries out of business; freight and express rates were manipulated so that North Da- kota cream and butter could not compete with Min- -nesota and Wisconsin dairy products. . freight rates also discouraged livestock production. The “back haul” made feed, ground from North Dakota wheat, cost more on the farms where the wheat was grown than it did in Minnesota. The farmers were getting advice. They needed help. But with the coming of the Nonpartisan league the better farming movement is looking up in North Dakota. Convinced that the state is going to see that producers get a square deal, more farmers are going into other lines than ever before. The dairy products of North Dakota in 1919 were worth 100 per cent more than the dairy products of 1918. The corn crop of North Dakota in 1919-gave the largest vield in 20 years and was of the best quality ever produced in the state. In seed production, farmers for the first time are realizing the possibilities of careful selection. Irvin Small hauled into Bismarck the other day a load of 5,220 pounds of alfalfa seed, for which he receiv- ed a check for $2,088. P. S. Peterson, a farmer of Mekinock, hauled in a load of clover seed for which he got $2,447.50. FARMERS - AGAIN MAKE HISTORY The special.session of the North Dakota legis- lature, just ended, has done more to aid the bet- ter farming movement than a single session of any other law-making body in. the United States. One of the laws it has passed, the dairy association law, is worth particular notice. The author of this law is Senator A. A. Leider- bach. Senator Leiderbach operates a dairy farm at Kildeer, Dunn county, N. D. He has a herd of 30 milking shorthorns, uses . mechanical milkers ful cartoons, drawn long before . Oppressive - of the federal suffrage amendment. nor Frazier is shown signing the suffrage bill. The special session of the North Dakota legislature at Bismarck has ended. The farmer legislators - again have done much important work-—too much to be told in a single issue of the Lead- er. In the next few weeks we will try to cover the main points of the ses- sion in a number of separate articles. On this page are given the facts about some laws of }nter— est to ev- ery farm- er every- where. o oot The like mess of the author of the “dairy associ- ation” bill, Senator A. A. Leiderbach, which is described in the article this week, is presented herewith. .a;nd has his farm equipped throughout in up-to- date style. : Dumn county is in that section of North Dakota in which wheat crops have beenq‘ virtual failure for four successive drouth years. 'The state of North Dakota has come to the rescue of these drouth- stricken farmers, enacting the county feed and seed bond law, allowing the counties to issue and sell bonds, léending the proceeds to farmers to buy seed and feed for next year's crop. 4 Senator Leiderbach and such of his neighbors a: have raised corn and kept stock, however, never have had to appeal to their county for help. Other farmers, depending entirely upon wheat, have had to come back, year after year,-and borrow enough money to make a fresh start. Senator Leiderbach’s bill, in brief, proposes that instead of merely lending the farmer money for another crop that may be a big success or a total ] GOVERNOR FRAZIER SIGNS SUFFRAGE BILL | One of the accomplishments of the special session of the North Dakota legislature was the ratification If 15 more-states ratify this amendment before the next election women will be given the vote throughout the United States at the next election. In this picture Gover- The picture also shows a few of the thousands of North Dakota women who expect to cast their votes for the farmer candidates next year. - PAGE. THREE e e failure, the county may start the farmer in another line of business, giving him a small herd of dairy cows, .so that there will be virtually no chance of a complete failure. Leiderbach. wants to take the gamble out of farming. The Leiderbach bill provides that any 10 farmers =" may organize a “dairy association.” Upon petitfon of 50 or more freeholders, the county commission- ers may issue 6 per cent bonds. The proceeds of these bonds may be used to buy milch cows for members of the association, not more than five cows, to cost not more than $1,000, for each member of the association. MEMBERS OF ASSOCIATION TO SELECT THEIR BREEDS The members of the association are to decide, by a two-thirds vote, what breed of cows is to be purchased. The stock is to be purchased through the office of state dairy commissioner. It is intend- ed, of course, that grade cows of good quality are . to be purchased. In addition, however, for each 50 cows one purebred sire is to be purchased, and its cost prorated against all members of the associa- tion. The bonds are to run from five to ten years and are to cover the cost of the cows and sire, the cost of shipment and actual expenses of securing them. To take advantage of the cow-buying act every member of the association must sign a contract in which he agrees to these terms: J To keep the cows and their increase until his obligation is paid off. (Special provision is made that “boarders”—that is, cows that are shown by test to be costing more than they produce—may be sold ahead of time, and that after three years the increase may be sold if the farmer is running short of pasture.) To' plant five acres of corn.or other cultivated fodder crops for each cow purchased. To be responsible for 10 per cent “surplus liabil- ity” in case of loss sustained by the association. To insure all animals against loss by fire or light- ning. The 10 per cent “surplusliability” clause is in- serted to protect the county against any possibility of loss. As there will be at least 10 farmers_in each association, a complete failure on the part of any farmer would be cav- ered by this assessment. It is hardly conceivable, of course, that any farm- er should suffer a com- plete failure, involving the complete loss of his entire herd. It is prob- able that no farmer ever will be called on to pay an assessment on account of a neighbor’s loss. The clause was inserted to make each farmer take a friendly interest in his neighbor’s welfare, so that all will be working together instead of against each other. One breeding and cow- testing. circle in North Dakota already has made a signal success and points out the possibil- ity of much greater suc- cess under the.new state plan. At New Salem a breeding circle was first (Continued on page 13) -