The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, April 18, 1921, Page 10

Editorials by Leader Readers LETTERS FROM LEAGUERS What Farmers Are g Thinking About Corn and ‘““Gas” How Férmgrs’ Prices and Trust Prices Contrast DITOR Nonpartisan Lead- er: Received a letter from my brother, W. A. McCulloch, of Coopers- town, N. D., yesterday and he quotes some fig- ures which should be of interest to the producers of America. His figures are based on the price of corn, but I pre- sume they would apply also on a wheat basis. He says that last year corn was $1.25 per bushel and one bushel would buy five gallons of gaso- line. Now corn is worth about 30 cents per bushel and will now buy one gallon of gasoline. Last year six bushels of corn bought a ton of soft coal. Now it takes 40 bushels of corn to pay for the ton of coal. Last year 40 bushels of corn bought a $60 suit of clothes. Now it costs 200 bushels of corn. If the price of clothing had been reduced in proportion to the price of corn $60 suits would now sell for $12. Last year 10 bushels of corn would buy a $15 pair of shoes; now it takes 50 bushels. Last year one cowhide bought a good pair of shoes. Now it takes six cowhides to buy a cheap pair of shoes. . I shipped a steer hide to the James- town tannery and received in return a check for 89 cents. Last year I re- ceived $7 for a similar hide. Mr. Rockefeller would, if on a par with the price of corn, sell gasoline for 6 cents per gallon instead of 30 cents, and the coal trust would sell a ton of coal for $2.50 instead or $12.50; the clothier a $60 suit for $12.50; the shoe dealer a $10 pair of shoes for $2; the hatter a $5 hat for $1. Wheat at $1.30 per bushel made into puffed wheat brings $28 per bushel. Now the main question is just what is the cause of this condition. This is the way it looks to me. First during - the months of October and November the large banks of the East took from North Dakota, in liquidation, $2,000,~ 000. Then as North Dakota farmers must be squeezed and taught a lesson, the same bankers withheld from North Dakota the extra or surplus money to which we were entitled for the pur- pose of marketing our products, and which, judging from our per capita federal reserve loans, from the Ninth district federal banks, which was only $8 per capita, should be $7,000,000 or $8,000,000 more than we were allowed. Thus by gathering in the money at this end and sending it out of North Dakota and by curtailing the natural inflow at the eastern end, this game works both ways and so caused the present panic. Remedy: Take the money -control out of private hands and place it in the hands of our gov- ernment. : ! JAMES A. McCULLOCH. Fargo, N. D. THANKS, MR. CHANDLER Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I have been a member of the Nonpartisan league and a reader of the Leader for the last four years and have never written you a letter to say how I have appreci‘ate/ad it. But I'_think I have re- ceived more information from reading your paper than I could if I had read all of the kept press papers in the United States. I am surely glad the favor that William Langer and Krazy XKarl showed us when they caused the good old Bank of North Dakota to be audited; now they have shown every farmer and I. V. A. that the Bank of North Dakota is not broke or in any bad condition. I have passed my Leader around here to my neighbors so much that they are just about worn out when they get back to me. I sure- ly am always glad when I get my Nonpartisan Leader so I can read some truth. Keep the good work up. ARTHUR J. CHANDLER. Cashmere, Wash. “LET’S GET BUSY” ° Editor Nonpartisan Leader: Inclos- ed you will find some clippings taken TEXAS NEEDS ACTION Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I have been reading your .interesting sheet for more than a year now, and wish to commend you for the stand you have taken in behalf of the advance- ment of the downtrodden farmer and laborer. It is presumed that your ‘paper was primarily founded for and dedicated to the interests of the wheat farmers and in general defense of the Nonpartisan league, but it has gone beyond, far beyond, such a limited sphere. Judging from the Iletters from the people, one would think that from a lying sheet published at Staf~—you have a foothold in each and every ford, Kan., and I want you to know right now that I am not furnishing the ammunition to keep that gun firing at me, as a neighbor handed me the article. . : : I will suggest that the Leaguers not only stick but work to get more members by sending their Leaders to WHAT RIGHT HAVE You 70 RIDE [N AN AuTO? NO WONDER 0SS CiTY FOLKS HAVE A HIGH COSY OF LIVING- YOU OUGHT Yo BE RAISING MORE CROPS FOoR us, INSTEAD OF RIDING~ IN AN AUTO., AW \ someone not a member, any place in the U. S. A. I'll say fishing is good right now in any state, so let’s get busy. : Yours to redeem our government, Fruita, Col. A. E. SUEDEKUM. PEANUT GROWERS ORGANIZE Editor Nonpartisan Leader: The farmers of this section are in the midst of .a vigorous campaign to ex- tend the, usefulness of their peanut exchange, organized a year ago. A very interesting and effective meeting was held in this county last Saturday. It is surprising how rapidly the great food value of the peanut'is being rec- ognized throughout the country, though the “drive” is but a few weeks old. I hope to mail you a copy of our official organ, the -Peanut -Grower, when my next number arrives. ... 0. J. SCHUSTER.- Spring Grove, Va. A AR O ‘\\'\n‘O R PAGE TEN state in the Union, which I sincerely hope you have. Speaking of the grain farmer, I re- -joice that the League has been of such great benefit to them. Now what we want is_that more effort be put-forth to have the League dominate this cot- ton-growing state. The farmers have A N o) \\\\m 4 p (O ) \ N / X \‘3‘." ==\ \ . —_— - = - (oS —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris. been high-jacked and absolutely rob- bed out of their very skins on cotton. More co-operation is needed and -must be forthcoming if we are to avert an inevitable calamity. Please do what you can to stimulate us in the South to greater organization. I would be .. glad to assist in increasing your sub- scriptions in the South to the extent you could allot us a portion of your editorials and other space for benefit _of southern products. W. A. CANAFAX. Weatherford, Texas. THEY’RE STICKING Editor Nonpartisan Leader: I hope North Dakotd officials stick ‘to their program and do not let Mammon play a majority part in ruling a common- wealth. My idea of money is and al- ways was that it was created to be a servant of the people, not their master. Touchet, Wash. = W. E. YAGER. for us: main, . s Monkeys or Hogs?' Colorado Farmer Wonders About Origin of Profiteers DITOR Nonpartisan Lead- er: Some time ago you asked the readers to sug- gest how to make the Leader more interesting. .I have been thinking about making some suggestions for quite a while. I believe if you would do away with the state papers and use the money for the Leader and print the Leader every week it would be more satisfactory, and have a corre- spondent in each state to report state news. _ | I like the Leader better than any paper I have ever read outside of a religious paper I like. I think it would be a good idea to make special offers to get new subscriptions in; states where the League is not organ- - ized. The bankers met at Stirling the other day and here is their remedy If a tenant wants to borrow money to buy machinery the landlord must sign the note too and then he. must produce all he possibly can at the least expense, which means put the wife and children in the fields, give up our machinery and do more hand work. They didn’t tell us to go afoot and save the money and gas for them to ride in their big cars, but it must have been an oversight on their part. How does that sound for advice to a free American from a 200-per-cent American? It might do for an Irish- man in old Ireland. Darwin thought the human race de- scended from the monkey, but if he lived now and could see some of our bankers and commissioners I'm sure he would think they originated from _the hog family. Wishing the League success, 1 re- U. T. YOST. Willqrd, Col. WANTS TO LEARN Editor Nonpartisan Leader: In- closed find clipping from our local paper. It is trying to say something to the farmers in regard to keeping Townley out of Wisconsin, but no rea- »son for this is stated. As I am inter- ested T would like to know what kind of animal this man Townley is. I send you check for $2.50 that will pay for the paper one year and through its columns I expect to find out when this menace arrives. At present I am getting 25 cents per bushel for potatoes and the same for oats. I have been told that you can not borrow money. Hundreds of dollars’ worth of taxes are unpaid and petitions are afloat all over northern Wisconsin today to do something to cut down expenses in the country and state. This being the case I don’t see how Townleyism can make it any worse. ALFRED HANSON. New Auburn, Wis. THE WINNING SPIRIT Editor Nonpartisan Leader: We. . have two men down here from North _ Dakota and Michigan. They are your organizers and they -surely do hit the nail on the ‘head. This has all been - in my mind for years. Almost every man here is with us and I expect to = explain it to every man that will-lis- ten. I will stump speech the whole county before next election if possible. Things here have been getting worse steadily for 85 years. : JAMES WILLIS. - Mason City, Neb. = =~ © =0 % N % vi:'-r - t. R 1 .iun‘l-:»xw 4 < A ¢ P fl’ g » 1