i ^k**fe COUNTY ORGANIZES Unit Directors Met at Milaca Satur- day and Organized County Farm Bureau Association. Articles of Incorporation Approved, Officers Chosen, Normandin Elected President. The directors of 13 larm bureau units in the coumy mat at Milaca last Saturday afternoon to leorganize the county association 8 B. Cleland, assistant county anient leader, repre sented the state agricultural depart ment and assisted in the work of re organization. Besides the 13 direc tors there werj 20 *the members of the farm bureau present. LeRoy Up tagrafft presided and d. Doughty acted as secretary. Mr, Cleland read the articles of in corporation of the county association, and when discussion arose in regard to the wording of any article the ques tion was submitted to the vote of the directors present. The articles of in corporation approved at the meeting Saturday will be printed in next week's issue. The first discussion arose in regard to article IV concerning those persons eligible to membership in the Farm Bureau association. This article in the former organization read: "Any farmer or property owner in Mills Lacs county, Minnesota, or in ad jacent territory in the neighboring counties Minnesota, interested in the work of this organization and in sympathy with its purposes may be come a member upon payment of an nual dues J. W. Reising was the first member to object to the arti cle in this form. His objections were sustained by C. L. Freer of South Harbor and Louis Normandin of Greenbush. All the members present seemed to be of the opinion that only real dirt farmers should be eligible for membership in the association. The point was taken that this farm bureau is a farmers' organization and as such should be composed of real farmers only. By a unanimous vote this article was changed to read: "Any bona fide farmer in Mille Lacs county. This action of the dele gates cannot in any way be inter preted as an expression of unfriendly feeling towards any business or pro fessional men The delegates, in limit ing their membership to actual farm ers, were only following the practice of other similar professional or busi ness organizations. The men of a cer tain occupation have interests in com mon and in recognition of this fact we have scores of associations in this state, each one of which is composed only of the members of a certain occu pation or profession, such as the vari ous associations of bankers, lawyers, doctors, editors, dealers in hardware, et cetera. The farmers aTe perfectly capable of managing their own asso ciation and in limiting the member ship only to men engaged that occu pation they took a long step pro moting harmony in their organization Article states that no township or community unit with less than ten members shall bo entitled to a direc tor. Borgholm had only seven mem bers, but J. H. Nelson, the representa tive from that township, was granted the privileges of a director ir the meet ing, it being understood that more members would be secured in Borg holm. The three bodies that will transact the business of the county associa tion are the board of directors, execu tive committee and auditing commit tee. There are now thirteen members on the board of directors, each of whom is a township or community di rector. The board of directors is to act on all the most important business of the association, each director being entitled to one vote except in a de cision upon some important question, when each director may vote in terms of the exact number of farm bureau members in his unit. The board of directors must meet at least once a year and as many other times as shall be necessary to act on the important business of the association. The executive committee is a small er body of seven memberspresident, vice president, secretary-treasurer, county director to state federation and three other directors. This committee will transact the business of the asso ciation, of course always keeping in 'dose touch with the directors of the thirteen units so that the action of the committee may be an expression of the will of the majority of the mem bers of the county association. The duties of the executive committee will involve the raising of funds for the support of the organization, approving contracts and bills, advising with the board of county commissioners and the representatives of the state de partment of agriculture. The auditing committee consists of the president, vice president and sec retary-treasurer. This committee shall meet each month providing the executive committee does not meet to transact the routine business of the organization. The board of directors elected the following officers of the county asso ciation: Louis Normandin, Greenbush President C. L. Freer, South Harbor Vice President LeRoy Uptagrafft, Milaca Secretary-Treasurer O. R. Elms, Milaca County Director to State Federation Geo. Hatch, Hayland Director Wm. Hamblin, Wahkon Director Harry Mattson, Page Director It was somewhat difficult for the directors to elect these officers be cause many of the delegates them selves had never met before, but the utmost good feeling and friendly spirit was shown throughout the whole meeting. The elections wer3 characterized by anything but a rush for the office by the candidates nomi (Continued on page 8.) EASTERN STAR INITIATION. Twenty-Three Candidates Admitted to Eastern Star ChapterState Officers Present. On Monday evening the Kedron chapter of the Eastern Star initiated 23 members, the largest number of (candidates ever admitted at one time into this chapter. Two state officers were present, ^Claude E. Hamilton of St. Paul, worthy grand patron, and Mrs. Mary C. Taylor of Minneapolis, grand sec retary. Mrs. Claude E. Hamilton, worthy matron of Macalaster Park chapter, Mrs. Ella Loudon, deputy of district 2T and past worthy matron of Jasmine chapter, and Mrs. Minerva flixson, past grand Esther and past' worthy matron of Jasmine chapter, were also present. The following candidates wore ad mitted to Kedron chapter: Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Peterson, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. .GramerrJ)r. and Mrs^Stacey, Mrs. Herdliska, Ruth Herdhska, Mrs. J. A. Nyberg, Hilma Nyberg, Mrs. R. C. Dunn, Grace A. Dunn, Mrs. A. M. Davis, Mrs. Swan Olson, Mrs. Emma Orstrum, Mrs. Maud Holm, Mrs. C. W. Wehrend, W. H. Smith, H. Stohnke and George Ross. After the rites of the initiation had been completed a most delicious sup per was served. The old and now members, being thus greatly refreshed and strengthened, departed to their respective homes. FIRE IN THOMAS RESIDENCE. Starts on Roof by Cinder From Chim- neyFlames Soon Under Con- trolDamage Not Great. Saturday evening fire threatened to destroy the residence of W. J. Thomas. In the early evening a chimney burned out and about an hour later a small blaze was discovered on the roof. The fire spread quickly and the house un doubtedly would have been destroyed if Mr. Thomas had not done some quick and effective work. He scaled the roof and the voluntary fire brigade supplied him with pails of water which kept the flames fairly well under control until the fire de partment arrived. The firemen with the hose and chemicals soon had the blaze completely extinguished with comparatively little damage to the house. Plans to Honor Soldier Dead. General Pershing, Major General John A. Jejeune, one of the comman ders of the second division, and Secre tary Baker have approved the plan of bringing from Flanders fields the body of an unknown American soldier and interring it in the Arlington amphi theater. General Pershing appeared before the house military committee and approved this plan. He said it would be a fitting tribute to all Ameri can soldiers who had made the su preme sacrifice in the great war and suggested that the ceremony be per formed with every honor next Memo rial day. Airplanes in Commercial Service. The automobile has practically revolutionized the traveling and trans portation facilities of this generation and the airplane holds just as great promise. The British commercial air plane service was established in Aug ust, 1919. During the next fifteen months this service carried exports and imports valued at $1,676,097 and $3,329,362 respectively. Up to the present time the trade has been most ly with France but it is planned to ex pend the airplane service to British possessions in Africa and Asia. STATE LEGISLATURE Bonds Sold to Minneapolis Syndicate and Bonus Board Begins Pay- ing the Soldier Boys. Senator Hamer Introduces Bill Pro- viding $7,500 for the Family of Late E. H. Foley. Payment of the soldiers' bonus claims has started, following confirma tion by the bonus board of the sale of $4,538,000 in state bonds to a Minne apolis syndicate. Governor Preus signed tthe bill authorizing the sale of these bonds below par and they were sold at a discount of $206,208, which makes the interest rate 5.95 per cent. The bonus board says it wilt make the outstanding payments at the rate of $1,500 per day and plans to clean up all claims so far approved by March 1. Under the compromise plan proposed by Governor Preus and rati fied by the legislature, claims not covered by the bond issue will be paid out of current funds. It is estimated that about $3,000,000 more will be needed. The boys who have been waiting so long for their money will be mighty glad to get it. Senator Hamer has introduced a bill asking for an appropriation of $7,500 for the wife and family of E. H. Foley, who was slain by a bandit about two years ago near Elk River while per forming his official duties of deputy sheriff. Mr. Enger introduced a simi lar measure in the house. The appro priation should be granted. A bill has been introduced by Sena tors Hamer, Nord, Swanson and Mc Garry providing for experiments in agriculture on. sandy land by the state department of agriculture. Sever criticism of telephone service i eenersl developed in the house ap propriations committee when Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner F. W. Putnam presented a request for $1,800 salary for a telephone inspector. Vari ous members told of experiences with companies'. Mr. Putnam said lack and inefficiency of help was the reason. His request was taken under consider ation. An appropriation of $50,000 is asked to experiment with peat as a fuel for heating and steam plants and ore smelters in a house bill which went to the public domain committee. A bill introduced by Representative Serline provides a compensation of $5 per diem to county commissioners for each day necessarily occupied in the discharge of their duties. The bill was recommended for passage by the house elections committee. Election judges and clerks will re ceive 40 cents an hour in the future under a bill passed by the senate. In cities of the first class power is given to make tthe pay 65 cents an hour. Members of the legislature are re ceiving letters from irate constituents about tthe Nimocks bill, raising house salaries from $1,000 to $1,500 and sen ators from $2,000 to $3,000. Counties that have spent money on roads in tthe Babcock trunk highway system since February 1, 1919, will get refunds from the state within the next 10 years, it is predicted by Sen ator Nord of International Falls. He is chairman of a subcommittee which is working on the question of refunds, and which has sent a questionnaire to every county auditor in the state seek ing exact information as to the refund claims of each county. Approval of the plan to build a state cement plant was given by the senate highway committee. The appropria tions committee will get the bill to de cide the monetary issues involved. The secret session bug hit the house last Friday, when three committees met behind closed doors. The tax committee, discussing the tonnage tax, the civil administration committee, considering repeal of the eight hour day for state employes and a subcom mittee of the highway committee all locked the doors. A Victory hall, costing $300,000, to be erected on the state fair grounds, is proposed in S. F. 353, fathered by Senator J. H. Hall. The building would be- dedicated to the Gold Star Mothers under the bill. Organization of a national co-oper ative selling agency to handle perish able farm produce may proceed under the co-operative bill, which became a law Monday with the signature of Governor Preus. The new law amends the provisions of the co-operative law passed at the previous legislative ses sion, extending the scope so that local co-operative associations may federate in state or intrastate bodies to .sell their products co-operatively. The Farm Bureau Federation proposes to -**K take advantage-of the law at once by organizing a national selling agency to handle perjifcable farm produce. The agency wil| be modeled somewhat along the linesVmade famous by the California Fru^ Growers* association. A constitutional amendment, ex empting agricultural co-operative as sociations' from taxation under cer tain restrictions, was put into the house hopper-^ by Representative Thomas H. Gurijjng of Robinsdale on Tuesday. Ji Nonpartisan leaguers almost caught the house napping with a motion to recall their bill imposing a prohibi tive tax on transactions in grain fu tures, taking ft from the committee on taxes and referring it to the commit tee on market*, Many members did not understand the motion and only about half the. house voted on it. The rising vote showed 40 votea for and 27 against the motion, but Thomas H. Girling raised the point that a majori ty of the whole house, or 66 votes, is necessrry to withdraw a_bill from a committee. The,speaker held this was the rule. The income tax amendment to the constitution, feaW at tine last elec tion, is before the legislature again. The house committee en taxes reported for passage Geotge Wicker's bill re submitting tine question to the pcopk. Mr. Wicker says it really should be called a "tax reform" measure, as it embraces more than the income tax, and rims to do away with present cumbersome and unprofitable personal property taxes. GIRLS' TEAM SCORES VICTORY. Local High School Team Defeats Girls Front Cambridge by a Score of 24 to 2. The Princeton girls' basketball team last Friday evening defeated the girls from Cambridge high school in a rath er one-sided game. A team is always at some disadvantage in playing on a strange floor but the girls certainly outclassed the visitors at every turn of the game. At the beginning of the first half the Cambridge girls made a basket, the only point they scored during the entire game. The ball was kept in the vicinity of Princeton's basket the .greater part of the time and the local team would have run up a bigger score if the Cambridge guards had not done some fairly effective work. The score at the end of the first half was 11 to 2r The first half was played with the girls' rules but boys' rules were adopt ed for the last half since the visitors were accustomed to playing that type of game. The change in the rules ap parently did not benefit the Cambridge team as Princeton scored 13 points during the last half. Thus the game ended with a score of 24 to 2 in favor of the home team. The Princeton girls had the follow ing lineup: Mary Ellenbaum Jumping Center Madge Chapman Running Center Mae Howard Left Guard Florence Miller Right Guard Blanche Oakes Left Forward Mildred Newton Right Forward During the latter part of the second half Dolores Grow played as right guard and Joyce Chapman as right forward. The boys and girls will play the Anoka high school teams tomorrow night. Both these contests will be worth seeing. Princetonians Hold Reunion. Two hundred and thirty former Princetonians now residing in the twin cities were present at the basket supper held in a hall on France ^ave. last Saturday evening. After the sup per had been served a musical pro gram was rendered. The orches tra organized by S. P. Skahen and Clyde Cravens played several num bers. There were also some vocal solos and readings which were much appreciated. The Princetonians are planning to continue these reunions which are so much enjoyed by every one present. The next meeting will probably be at a big picnic some time next summer. Verdict by Vision. A Missouri jury headed by a minis ter had a session of prayer before vot ing on the guilt or inocence of a man charged with murder. The minister told the other jurymen that while praying he had a vision of the alleged murderer surrounded by a bright glow and the victim appeared in darkness. Thereupon the jury brought in a ver dict of not guilty. That is a new way to arrive at a verdict regardless of evidence. Ministers and visions will soon be popular as jurymen with the attorneys for the defense.St. Cloud Journal-Press. i. -.Li GREAT ER RIVER Phoenix Block, With Its Three Stores, Is Gutted and a Heavy Prop- erty Loss Results. Fire Rages for Three Hours in After- noon But Flames Are Con- fined to One Building. The Phoenix block at Elk River, composed of three stores, was gutted by a fire which started about 1 p. m. Tuesday and raged throughout the afternoon. Sam Lerner, J. T. Plante and R. E. Dare occupied the building, which* was owned by Miss Ruth Houl ton. At the time the fire started Lerner was out of town and his clerk had gone to dinner. Upon his return he discovered smoke issuing from the basement of the clothing store and immediately turned in an alarm of fire. It was not long before the fire de partment had four streams of water playing on the building. It-was dif ficult to fight the fire in the basement as the building was filled with dense smoke and firemen were unable to en ter the premises. The best they could do was to keep the building flooded with water and prevent the flames from reaching other structures. Fear ing that the whole line of stores might take fire, the village authorities sent in a call for help to Minneapolis and in about 40 minutes a hose cart and pump from that city was on the scene. This permitted a total of seven streams to be played upon the fire and at 4 o'clock it was brought under control, but the block, with its three stores, was virtually reduced to ruins. The lower floors came down with a crash in the early part of the afternoon, while the second floor burned through in several places but did not collapse. The flames shot through the roof in but one place and this permitted a stream to be played on the interior from the top of the building. Practically nothing was salvaged from either of the stores and conse quently the stocks are a total loss. A loss of about $1,000 was sustained by Davis Bros, from the water and smoke which penetrated their furniture store. E. Nelson's store, north of Lerner's, was not at any time in danger. Sam Lerner is the heaviest loser. He had an unusually heavy stock, esti mated at $35,000, which was only par tially covered by insurance. The loss in the Plante store is figured at $10,- 000 with $7,000 insurance. R. E. Dare's loss is about $5,000", covered by insurance, and Miss Houlton's at $15,000. Had it not been for the new water system the First National Bank build ing and Nelson's store would proba bly have been destroyed. It is con ceded that the water system has al ready paid for itself. Although the Minneapolis firemen rendered timely aid, the local department carried the heaviest part of the load in confining the flames to the block in the early stages of the fire. Pease Unit Organizes. Friday afternoon 50 farmers met in ,the Baas Implement and Hardware store at Pease to organize a farm bureau unit. LeRoy Uptagrafft pre sided. The reading of the constitu tion and by-laws of the association by Mr. Brooks, was followed by consider able discussion concerning the na ture of the organization. The thirty members present elected the following officers: Director, H. B. Bos vice director, H. Kiel secretary, S. Droogs ma. Mr. Uptagrafft reports thattheunits in Pease, Princeton and Greenbush have displayed much enthusiasm in their meetings and it is evident that the farmers in these communities are going into this movement with the proper spirit. There are now 59,000 farm bureau members in Minnesota and in the next few months that num ber will be increased greatly. Olm stead county has practically a 100 per cent membership, that is nearly every farmer is a member of the county as sociation^" a Mr. Brooks stated that according to the present outlook in Mille Lacs coun ty we will in a few months have one of the best organizations in the state. Income Tax Facts. Births, deaths and marriages during the year 192d%ffect materially income tax returns for that gear. Millions of babies were added, to family circles, each of whom brings an exemption of 4200 in the parents' income tax return. Widows and widowers who lost their husbands and wives during the year are especially affected. They are single for the purposes of the income tax law and are granted only an ex emption of $1,000, unless the head of a family. Persons who were divorced-or sepa rated by mutual agreement during the year also must consider themselves as single persons. The status of the taxpayer on De cember 31,1920,determines the amount of the exemptions. If on that day the taxpayer was married and living with wife or husband claim may be made for the $2,000 exemption. If single,*or married and not living with wife or husband on December 31, the exemp tion is only $1,000. Persons who reached majority dur ing the year and whose earnings for that period amounted to $1,000 or more, or $2,000 or more, according to their marital status, must file a return and pay a tax on their net income in excess of those amounts. To avoid penalty the return must be in the hands of the collector of in ternal revenue for the district in which the taxpayer lives or has his principal place of business on or be fore midnight of March 15, 1921. PRINCETON WINS ANOTHER. Cambridge and Princeton High School Basketball Teams Clash and Visitors Lose Out. The Princeton high boys' team de feated the Cambridge quint in the high school gymnasium last Friday evening by the extremely low score of 10 to 5. In spite of the fact that the local team came out with a new lineup, it showed ability in advancing the ball and keeping possession of it to such an extent that the Cambridge quint was given little opportunity for of fensive playing. The defense of the locals also proved a baffler for the yisitors, and the few points they were able to cage were made by long shots from the center of the floor. Although the local team played a wonderful offensive game, it seemed to be_unaHe-to connect with the bas ket. Shot after shot failed and it is for this reason that the final score is not a true indication of the relative strength of the two teams. Had the local tossers been able to cage even the ordinary percentage of trios the score would have assumed a different aspect. With the same dash and drive on the offensive and any kind of luck in scoring, the local team ought to be able to give a good account of itself in the future. SOCIAL MEETING IN REST ROOM. Civic Betterment Club Entertains 170 Out of Town Guests at Rest Room on Saturday. The members of the Civic Better ment club were hostesses to all visitors at the rest room on Saturday after noon. Hot coffee and doughnuts were served to 170 out of town guests and all the ladies enjoyed a most pleasant social afternoon. The room is particularly attractive, neat, well lighted and comfortably furnished. It is open to all women ev ery day in the week, except Sunday, from 1:00 to 5:30. It is hoped that women coming into town from the farms will find the room especially convenient. An Excellent Concert. One of the most enjoyable concerts which it has ever been the good for tune of Princeton to enjoy was given by the Mendelssohn Musical club last Thursday evening in the high school -auditorium. This orchestra is a fine organizationone of the finest play ing on the lyceum course. The pro gram was so varied that everyone was pleased. It is unusual for so fine an orches tra to consent to give other than a classical program, but it gave both classical and popular numbers which were alike so splendidly rendered that each was a delight to the audience. Howard Everts, the director and flutist, has a wide reputation, having been soloist in Innes' famous band for a number of years. John Burch also is well known in musical circles, hav ing been a soloist in a number of not ed orchestras and bands. Each one of the young women who composed the remainder of the orchestra proved her self an artist on her particular in strument. If it is possible to secure the Men delsshon Musical club for a concert next winter Princeton will surely turn out an audience that will fill the audi torium to overflowing? This concert was the fourth num ber on the lyceum course. The next number will be a comedy entitled, "The Chatterbox," which is said to be very amusing. This will be put on by COMMERCIAL CLUB Perfects Organization and Formulates Program of Work Contemplat- ed for Ensuing Tear. Membership Fees Fixed and Commit- tee Appointed to Revise Ar- ticles of Incorporation. A meeting of progressive business and professional men was held at the armory last Friday night for the pur pose of perfecting the organization of the Commercial club of Princeton"and formulating a program of contemplat ed work for the ensuing year." There was a 'good attendance. Dr. McRae presided and "called the meeting to order, while W. C. Doane acted as secretary. The chairman an. nounced that the board of directors was of the opinion that a fair adjust ment of membership fees and annual dues would be as follows: 1. That all business and profes sional men pay a membership fee of $6 and annual dues of $6,-and that any one desiring to contribute more than this could do so voluntarily. 2. That the other members of the club pay membership fees of $3 and annual dues of $3. On being put to a vote the sugges tions of the board of directors were unanimously approved as was also a motion to make permanent the board chosen at the meeting of January 19. The secretary then read the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the Commercial club of Princeton, and it was moved and seconded that the name of the organization be changed to "Princeton Commercial Community club." Upon being put to a vote the motion was lost. The list of the applicants for mem bership was read and such applicants admitted into the club. A vote of thanks was tendered to the old mem bers of the club, of whom there were seven present, and they were duly re elected to membership. A committee of six was appointed by the chair to draw up all necessary amendments to the articles of incor poration and by-laws and submit itff report to the club for adoption at the next regular meeting. The commit tee: Henry Nobbs, J. A. Nybergr Robt. H. King, H. A. Humphrey, Sid ney Berggrcn and Evan H. Peterson. It was decided to rent the upstairs rooms in the armory for one year, beginning January 1, 1921, at aip agreed rental of $300 per annum that a regular business meeting of the club be held at the armory on the third Tuesday of each month, and that the club meet informally and for social purposes only on every Tues day cvming of the ensuing year ex cept the Tuesdays designated as regu lar business meeting nights. The sal ary of the secretary was fixed at $15 per month. Considerable discussion was en gaged in relative to the proposed amendments to the by-laws and ar ticles of incorporation and many good suggestions were made for the guid ance of the committee appointed to/ redraft and amend them. The meeting adjourned to Februarys 15 at 8 p. m. There are now 120 members itvth club and it is expected that thi$j|mm- ber will be increased to at leasj*450. This will make a strong woriinguor ganization and every- member will.de? his part toward erihancing^al^^pros- perity of the community! &39f&P five commercial club is a good thing for any town. Princeton Loses. Two American legion teams Princeton and Milacaplayed a game of basketball in the latter town last night. Milaca started with a rush and ran up 5 points before Princeton regis tered. Then Smith took a basket from the tip off and Schmidt shot a^ foul. In the meantime Milaca scored' several more baskets. The first half" endedMilaca 15, Princeton 6. The Milaca floor is so small and the ceil ing beams so low that the Princeton boys' playing was greatly handi capped. In the second half Princeton tried hard to win, but Milaca had two big* a lead, and the best the boys could do was to tie the score. But Milaca'* luck again asserted itself and the game ended 21 to 17. the Little Players. The members of this company are also musicians and the comedy will be interspersed with^i musical numbers. -4 "The Chatterbox" will be with usr on March 16. 4* A! i/a '-*S*S^