The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 17, 1921, Page 3

IN THE INTEREST OF A SQUARE DEAL FOR THE FARMERS _ Entered as_second-class matter at the postoffice at Minneapolis, Minn., under the act of March 3, 1879, Publication address, 427 Sixth avenue 8., Minneapolis, Minn. Address all remittances to The Nonpartisan Leader, Box 2072, Minneapolis, Minn. Tonpariin Teader A MAGAZINE THAT DARES TO g ‘PRINT THE TRUTH a One year, $1,50. Classified rates on classified page; other advertising rates on application. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations. 8. C. Beckwith Special Agency, advertising representatives, New York, Chicago, St. Louls, Kansas City. VOL. 138, NO. 8 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 17, 1921 WHOLE NUMBER 283 Why the North Dakota 1. V. A. Is Insincere and the farmers of North Dakota occurs in that state Octo- -ber 28, the date of the recall election, when the I. V. A.’s new initiated laws. also will be voted upon. The I. V. A., which in 1918 superceded all other organizations opposed to the farmers’ movement, failed to unseat the League in that year, failed in 1919 ; lat‘r'alrgfgrendum_ electitosclhonLlaws passed by ths egislature carrying ou e League program, an ;l;lhfhg(filgf:: failed again in 1920 at the general election. The I. V. A. at this time is therefore going before the League State people for the FOURTH time, with THREE fail- ures behind it. If it is beaten at this recall elec- tion it can not recover. That seems to be certain. The I. V. A. is therefore making a superhuman effort. It de- pends for success largely on the fact that North Dakota has not had a good crop in several years, and that, along with all agricul- tural states and districts, is suffering at this time from the general depression and starvation prices for farm products. This makes the farmers, poor financially, unable to contribute adequately to a "I \HE final test between the Independent Voters’ association campaign fund. The 1. V. A. also believes that the farmers are - discouraged on account of the agricultural depression general all over the country, and on account of the long, up-hill fight they have had to make in North Dakota to get their political and economic program carried out. However, in counting on the discouragement and despair of the farmers, and their consequent apathy and “what’s-the-use” attitude in this campaign, the League opposition is doomed to a rude awakening. The campaign has progressed far enough to show that the North Dakota farmers will fight to the last ditch, with all their money and energy, and that the battle to ?ol(tl their gains will be as hot as any ever staged in the state. In act— : “what’s-the-use” attitude. It, not the farmers, has forced this election on the state in an off-campaign year, when the people wanted to rest from political strife. The I. V. A. couldn’t wait for a test in the logical course of events next year, when the regular general state election is held. Despite opposition in its own ranks and in its own press to an election this year, it circulated the recall petitions and forced the issue. Much of the League opposition in the state was convinced that success in unseating the farmer gov- IT IS the I. V. A. that-has to contend with apathy and the ernment was more certain next year in the regular elections, than in this year at a recall. The anti-Leaguers will therefore have difficulty in keeping their own ranks intact and delivering their own full vote at the polls, while everything points to the fact that the farmers, as in the past, will go to the polls solidly and vote 100 per cent for their state government and program. An aspect of the campaign that is well understood in North Dakota but not as well understood elsewhere, especially among the anti-League press, is that the I.. V. A. goes to the people in this recall ell\?ction, as in 1‘che past, expressing ilts beli::af in the Nonpartisan league program and desire to !° ‘lf{ i'kBreak carry it out. The I. V. A. does not propose, in its AL S S public announcements, to repeal the laws carry- Is Serious ing out the League program passed by the legis- : lature, nor to stop work on the farmers’ and work- ers’ industrial program. On the contrary, it professes to believe in the program and promises to see that it is given a “fair trial.” It’s initiated laws, to be voted upon at the same time as the recall, pre- tend to enable the carrying out of the League program in a more fair and efficient manner than the existing laws adopted by the farmer legislature. It claims its candidates, if elected, will carry out sooner and more effectively the industrial program which the farmers’ own state government is working upon. This dishonest and camouflage position of the I. V. A. has dis- gusted at least one of the leading anti-League dailies, the Bismarck (N. D.) Daily Tribune, which is now out against the recall and the 1. V. A,, and which declares for a straight out-and-out fight against the League and its program, without any trimming or bait to League voters. The Tribune is honest enough to say what every one in North Dakota knows—that the I. V. A., backed financially and morally by the great interests which oppose the League pro- gram, is trying dishonestly to compromise with the farmers to get votes. Now— THERE is no question but that the I. V. A. initiated laws, while they purport to assist in carrying out the farmers’ program in a little different way than the present state government is carrying it out, and that their candidates, while they profess to want to give the program a thorough, fair trial, are both really hostile to the program. The initiated laws will create complications that will at least delay and may eventually kill the l IT’S ALL RIGHT TO FEED THE COW, BUT LOOK WHO GETS THE MILK! I WHo SAYs - \'M NOT A FREEND Yy - /;g-? P> o PAGE THREE