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EDITORIAL PAGE OF MONTANA LEADER, SEPTEMBER 21, 1918 THE VIONTANA LEADER A CONTINUATION OF THE INVERNESS NEWS. A NON-PARTISAN PUBLICATION Published Weekly at Great Falls, Montana by the Montana Leader. Entered as second cla.s matter, September 1, 1917 at Inverness, Mon tana, under the act of March 3, 1879 Place of Publication transferred to Great Falls, Sept. 7, 1918. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR All communications should be addressed to the Montana Leader, Box 1625, Great Falls, Montana. The Montana Leader will accept advertise ments of reliable firms' desiring to do business with the people of Mon tana. Advertising rates will be furnished on application. BUY LIBERTY BONDS It is the duty and privilege of every resident of Montana to buy Liberty Bonds of the fourth issue this month. A certain amount will be set aside for the state and it is the sincere hope of the Montana Leader that that figure will be oversubscribed by a huge sum. Some of us will be called upon to take more than we did in the last call because there are many who cannot take as much as they did then on ac count of the crop failures in various parts of the state. There are surely but few in the state who cannot at least buy one bond. The payments are arranged so that they are easy to make. Make up your mind that you are going to get in the game and get in early. Then figure out the most you can take according to your circumstances, then take a long breath and double that amount and then get out and dig up the money to pay for the bonds as they become due. It is little enough for us who remain at home to do. Just to loan money to Uncle Sam at a good rate of interest with the best of security. If you think it is going to be hard for you to spare the money to invest in a bond just stop and think what it means to the boys of Montana who are over there facing the hell of the German fire. They do not hesitate and figure out what they can do or what Is possible for them to do when they start over the top. They just say, "Here it is, all I've got, my life." Think that over and you will feel pretty mean if you stop and haggle over a few sacrifices you may have to make in order to buy abond. Buy a bond and buy it soon. Don't make the solicitors 'nok you up and argue about it. Get in the game and help the boys over there. BUNGLING FALSEHOODS The Butte Miner is nothing if not frank. This apologist for the copper crowd says, without qualification, that every candidate for the legislature who is indorsed by the farmers' organization in this state have "opposed conscription and bond issues * " * have consistently upheld Germany's hands in the United States and have striven to divert the minds of our people from the main business of winning the war." Of course it is to be expected that the Miner will insist that it is not the members of the Nonpartisan league whom they are attacking but "the leaders." They probably have their lesson well learned from the papers in Minnesota, where the League has been attacked by all the hirelings of big business. Down there, you know, they tell about what a great organ isation the Nonpartisan league is-but--"those leaders." There is no horrible punishment to which they should not be subjected, according to the Kept Press, for getting the farmers to organize and make a fight for their rights. Then they plan and connive to get control of the League that they may draw its teeth and make it just a harmless little social organiza tion where the members take their directions from the puppets of the interests. . But to get back to the Butte Miner. The editor quotes a plank from the platform of the Republican party adopted at the recent meeting in Helena. The particular plank is as follows: We condemn in unmeasured terms the actions of those socialistic and I. W. W. elements of our population who have opposed conscrip tion and bond issues, who have consistently upheld Germany's hands in the United States and have striven, by fomenting class hatred and class war, to divert the minds of our people from the main business of winning the war. We warn the farmers and laboring men of our state to be on their guard aganst such malign influences, and to regard any man who seeks to array one class against another as an enemy of his country. Commenting on the plank quoted above, the Miner says in part: "Of course, this arraignment covers the Nonpartisan league in every particular." And then, further along in this astonishing editorial effort, the writer warns the public against men running under the indorsement of the Non partisan league as follows: "If all republican voters follow the plank of the platform quoted above, they will not support any League candidate for office who may be running upon their party ticket." The effort of the Miner is not even a bungling of the truth. Their charges against the famners' organization are absolute lies, as any one interested enough to inquire will easily discover. The League has not opposed conscription, it has not opposed the sale of Liberty bonds and it has not striven to uphold Germany's hands in the United States and it has not attempted to divert the minds of the people from the big issue of winning the war. Nonpartisan league speakers everywhere have urged their audiences to support the government and the administration to the limit that the war might be won quickly and decisively, the League has aided in every way possible all sorts of war measures, League papers have de voted thousands of columns to boosting Liberty bonds, Red Cross r work, Y. M. C. A. and Knights of Columbus subscriptions and other f war activities and workers and writers by the score have volunteered t their services in the army and navy. Papers such as the Butte Miner and others of their ilk have not the slightest regard for the truth, at least when speaking of the Nonpartisan league. They have what they consider a good reason. The truth in the case would show that the Nonpartisan league is a patriotic organization, that its work is given the hearty support of the government and that those officials in charge of winning the war, and who are not actuated by political considerations, are appreciative of the assistance this great farmers' organization is giving Uncle Sam in this time of need. The copper crowd paper thus brands every candidate of the League and every member of the organization as a pro-German. They say that the thousands of men and women of the state who are backing the program of the League are all disloyal and against the best interests of their coun try, their homes and their fiamihes. This direct insult, the most terrible one possible to inflict upon any per son or class of persons, will have its effect in the November election in Montana, as it has had in previous elections in other states. The people will arise in their might and show these traducers of their character where the truth lies. They will take charge of the government of the state and demonstrate in no feeble manner that the great Treasure State of Montana is not where the Butte Miner and other publications of their ilk would place them. but in the forefront of the loyal states of the Republic, anxious, willing and capable of doing their share--and more-in winning the war that the world may be made safe for democracy and that the United States also be saved for the common people. Equal rights for all is the slogan of the farmers and workers who are backing the Nonpartisan league to win. HEED THE WARNING The action which has been taken by the various county conventions held by the Nonpartisan league during the past weeks in calling for the re-en rollment of old members and a vigorous canvass for new members should be heeded by the farmers who are interested in this great organization. The plans which have been worked out are many in their objects. One is to get the old members to re-enroll at as little expense as possible and another is to complete the organization where it has been started and to work in some of the new counties where but little work has been done up to the present time. The matter of expense is a big problem. The old members are asked to send in their memberships without personal solici tati'on. If this is done it will mean many thousands of dollars available for the campaign which is to be waged before the fall election and during the two years before the elections of 1920. The forces fighting the farmers' organization have unlimited funds at their call and will undoubtedly use them with a lavish hand in an effort to defeat the labor-farmer indorsed candidates. So, if you send in your membership fee without the organization having to go to the expense of sending a man to see you, you will have done that much more toward assuring a sweeping victory at the polls. Let every member send in his fee and then get some neighbor to do the same. In oranization there is the strength that we need to win. PLATFORMS-AND PLATFORMS Both of the old line political parties in the state of Montana have held their pre-eleetion meetings, adopted platforms and gone their respective ways in the hopes that the voters will fall for their glittering promises and again boost them into power so that they can continue to wax fat off the proceeds. However, poltical platforms are not as easily put over as was the case before the advent of the Nonpartisan league into the politics of the state and the nation. The League leaders appear to have a sort of an idea that the promises made to the people when their votes are asked for should be kept. That the principles which are advocated should really be put into practice and that after all the people are the ones who should rule. And then the League platforms have been different from those of the old parties in other ways. They have advocated the things that the people need and that they want. It is apparent that the Republicans and the Democrats have also come to believe that the old promises cannot get the votes again and so they are making new promises. Remember we say "promises." They have adopted many of the planks which originally appeared in the Nonpartisan league platform. They are evidently going on the theory that it will be all right to promise the people these things and possibly even to let them have them. But do not forget that they are making every effort to keep on the throne. If you insist on having terminal elevators and warehouses, if you want state hail insurance and if you want state-owned telephone lines operated at cost and if you want other things, the old parties tell you that they will give them to you and will administer the law if you will only give them a chance again. But the farmers have aroused themselves and are going to not only have these things they have asked for but they are going to put men in charge of them who will see that no favorites are played. They are not going to allow the old gang to work their games any more. They are going to cease placing confidence in the promises of the political gangsters and are going to take a hand in affairs themselves. They will accept the program of the Nonpartisan league because they know that those promises will be kept, they know that they are running the thing themselves and that they are going to have a chance to make it go and go right. The efforts of the Republican and Democratic state central committees to gather in the votes of the farmers by incorporating in their platform planks from the declaration of the principles of the Nonpartisan league will avail them nothing. The producers and consumers of the great state of Montana are going to stick and win in the November election. CHOICE BETWEEN TWO (Reedy's Mirror) The officer was lecturing the new recruits on the preventive measure for gas attacks'and the necessity for the smart adjustment of helmets. "Remember,' he said, "there are only two classes when the gas alarm is sounded-the quick and the dead." DURING WAR TIMES (From Life) FIRST PROFITEER-"He called me a pious fraud." SECOND PROFITEER - "Well, aren't you?" FIRST PROFITEER - "Not on your government contracts! Now adays I'm a patriotic one." PAMPHLETEERS GET COIN FROM RICH SUCKERS When J. P. Morgan, the elder, died his executors found to their surprise that he had left more than a million dollars in bogus securities in his vault. This shrewd financier had been duped by blue sky promoters just as has many a poorer man. Morgan's case merely shows that when the big ones fall they fall hard. The same thing turns out to be true in the instance of a group of St. Paul and Minneapolis millionaires. Ever since the Nonpartisan league started, these barons in the steel, flour, meat, lumber, grain and other mammoth in dustries have been fighting the or ganized farmers. It now develops that they have been pouring their money into a rat hole. SOME EASY MARKS These big business men are shown to be the real suckers in some corre. spondence that is being printed in tht Nonpartisan Leader. They, and not the farmers, appear the victims of unscrupulous agitators. The confi dential letters were exchanged be tween publicity sharks who edited the defunct magazine, "One the Square.' They are F. G. R. Gordon and H. M. Van Hoesen. These men for the last year have played the part of agi. tators, calling on corporation presi dents and scaring them into fits over the aims of the Nonpartisan farmers. Having aroused the fears of the profiteers over the danger of public ownership ending some of their graft, this pair would then set about raising huge publicity funds. They woulc' get out expensive pamphlets attack ing the League and mail them to farmers. The more they could scarn the profiteers, the more profit for these agitators. Their correspondenc,. shows clearly that the downfall of the, League was the last thing in the world they desired. For if the League were defeated, they would be out ol' a job fighting it. FIGHTING FARMERS The revelations in the Norfil"lt Leader of this secret correspondence between Gordon and Van Hoeseui name the millionaires who were milked for funds to fight the farmers. An ordinary citizen's business stand ing would be seriously impaired by having fallen for this scheme. B.u if you are rich enough, you do no,: have to show even common gumption. League Lecturer Is Army Instructor (Continued from Page One) and patriotism to entrust him with the duty of teaching to his comrade; the higher meaning of patriotism, loyalty and democracy. AND HE GOT THE FOUNDA TION FOR HIS LEARNING FROM THE TRAINING HE RECEIVEp) AS A SPEAKER FOR THE NON PARTISAN LEAGUE. Leo has found his job and is mak ing more than good. He has the re. spect of the army officers the same as he had that of the men with whome he was working for the farmers' or ganization and the same as he has of the peonle where he is best known. The Kept Press and the agents of Big Business will learn in time, pos. sibly, that chickens sure do coma home to roost. PROSPERITY FOR WEST If the South Dakota state packin:: plant is located in Mitchell it will mean the addition of from 2,500 to 5,000 people to the population of Mitchell. It will mean the addition of from $500,000 to $1,000,000 in the annual income of the business institu tions of Mitchell. In the wake of sucah an institution various other enter. prises would be developed here.- Mitchell (S. D.) Republican. Approximately 100,000 additional acres in North Dakota have been planted as a result of the state coun cil's order conscripting idle land.- Bismarck Public Opinion.