Newspaper Page Text
THE LEAGUE IN OTHER STATES THE N. DAKOTA AMENDMENTS: Fought for by Farmers Worked Against by "Gang'" Sufficient figures on the vote of the 10 amendments have been receiv ed from every county in the state to make it certain that the "yes" votes outnumber the "no" votes on every single amendment, the "yes" majorities ranging from 12,000 to 24, 000. This is the emphatic answer of the people of North Dakota in favor of rule by the people. The official figures have not been received in a few instances but the t majorities will not be increased more than a few hundred over the totals as given above. While it is possible that the courts may be called upon to determine whether some of the amendments c have passed, it is confidently pre- f dicted by some of the best legal au thorities in the state that there is no question but what the courts will I hold that every amendment received c far more votes than necessary to h make their adoption a certainty. r It is believed that the official vote r will be available for publication next week, but the following majorities d on the several amendments will be t correct within a very few votes: t 1. Permitting corporations to lim- , it voting power of members. Major ity in favor, 18,000. 2. State hail insurance. Majority in favor, 21,000. 3. Requiring four justices to de clare a law unconstitutional. Ma jority in favor, 24,000. 4. Initiative and referendum on legislation. Majority in favor, 14, 000. 5. Defining emergency laws. Ma jority in favor 14,000. 6. Initiative for constitutional amendments. Majority in favor, 13, 000. 7. Exemption of improvements from taxation. Majority in favor, 12.000. a 8. Hail insurance by acreage tax. Majority in favor, 18,000. 9. Debt limit amendment. Ma- P jority in favor, 12,000. 10. Public ownership amendment. E Majority in favor, 13,000. LANGER LOOKS AFTER SEED-GRAIN TROUBLE North Dakota Leader-Bismarck, Nov. 19.-(Special.)-Little hard ships will be suffered by those farm- 1 ers who availed themselves of the provisions of the seed and feed act and whose crops failed this season if the various boards of county com- I missioners follow the action recom mended by Attorney General Langer to the Burleigh county commissioners. The Burleigh county body informed the state legal department that cer tain of the farmers who had accept ed aid under the feed and seed bond ing act had experienced almost com plete crop failures and as a result were unable to pay their indebtedness due the county. Others, it was stated, could pay only if they were to dispose of all their grain and feed thus plac ing themselves in the same position as they were last spring. The county commissioners asked for advice from the attorney general concerning their powers to grant extensions to the county debtors. Mr. Langer's opinion embodying a workable plan which, it is felt, should be carried out in every county where similar circum stances have arisen follows: Langer's Opinion. "This department holds that coun ty commissioners under the provis ions of the seed, grain and feed bond ing act do not have the authority to grant extension of time for the pay ment of the indebtedness to the coun ty or in any way to vary the terms of the act relating to the collection of the sums due it. But it is my idea that it was the intention of the legis lature that the indebtedness to the county be paid the first fall and that while it is true that a lien to cover more than the first year's crop is provided for by the act such pro vision was included therein in order to take care of such indebtedness in instances where through crop failure or fraud the indebtedness was not liquidated the firsit year. "'I wish to call your attention to the provisions of the seed grain and feed bonding act wherein it is provided that the county commissioners may sell bonds or issue warrants as there in provided, for the purpose 'of fur nishing seed grain and feed to the farmers of their counties for the coming year whenever they have de termined that on account of crop failure of the p'revious season it is necessary to furnish seed and feed for the coming season. I know of no reason why a petition could not be presented to your board at once. The county auditor could then immediately call a meeting for the consideration of the same, and after your board has found the petition to be in conformity with the law you could make the necessary arrangements for financ ing the undertaking. Advised Warrant Sale. "Doubtless you will find it advis able to sell warrants rather than again issue bonds, as under the pro visions of the law the* money paid into the county in settlement of the seed grain and feed contract must be deposited in banks within the coun ty which are designated by the coun ty commissioners. It would be ad visable that an arrangement be made with the depositaries so designated to receive these funds to purchase county warrants in a sum equal to the amount deposited, the proceeds of which are to be used for the 1919 crop. It is permissable under the law, to pay six per cent on these warrants and the bank designated as' a depositary would probably be paying in the neighborhood of four per cent on the amount of the funds deposited. This would leave them a profit of about two per cent, which under the conditions now existing should be satisfactory, particularly in view of the fact that the resources of the county guarantee the warrants and the fact that the proceeds of said warrants will be used to buy the seed and feed to increase the crop average during the time of need. Reducing Price of Said Grain. "Your attention is particularly called to the fact that the seed for next year's crop could be purchased from the farmer and allowed to re main in his granary to be used for the coming year. This would be a great saving and would reduce the price per bushel to the farmers and would save a great deal of labor to the farmer and also additional labor on the part of the board of county i commissioners in obtaining seed and feed next spring as the farmer who 1 is in need of seed and feed this com ing year now holds the grain in his granary subject to the lien of the I county who can buy the grain from him, apply it on his present indebted, ness and again allow his seed for next year by permitting the identical grain to remain in his granary. By doing this you will be carrying out the law and will also be safeguarding the county, as the county would have a first lien on next year's crop." CONVICTS SHORT IN N. DAKOTA LEAGUE STATE GOING TO BOW WOWS, GANG NEWSPAPERS SAY. North Dakota is in a pitiable plight as a result of the "domination" of the Nonpartisan league farmers in that state, according to the old gang news papers. The following news dispatch from Bismarck, N. D., is enough to make one weep: Bismarck, N. D.-North Dakota is suffering from a famine of prison con victs. Two years ago there were 347 pris oners in the penitentiary. At present the institution houses 109 and several of these are soon to be released. Four teen of the men serving time are crip ples. The prison twine factory has been short handed for some time and it is understood that the state officials are corresponding with federal offi cials, with the hope of having federal prisoners transferred to keep the twine plants in full operation. CAPTAIN KIDD UP-TO-DATE The old gang, said; and say iree You'd a got clear away, if you'd listened to me. And left the rube part of his hide. S, DAKOTA MEN AFTER'EM AGAIN Crooked Work Possible. South Dakota Leader.-A hint of possible crooked work in one precinct r was suggested in a letter from Wil liam Zuber of Gettysburg township, He says: "In my voting precinct we had two stiff Norbeck judges. They dumped the ballots on the floor, and got down and handed them up to one who read them off. After each ballot had been read, the second judge returned the ballot to the man on the floor and the latter had every chance in the world to hand back the same ballots. I was the only outsider present during the count. The third judge had nothing to do with the count." J. O. Johnson of' Sisseton, wrote: "Enclosed find report from One Road township, Roberts county. That I report does not look so bad, but not so good as it should have looked. It certainly was disgusting to see league members living within a mile or two I of the polls who felt they were too busy to go and vote after all the ag itation the Leader has done and all I the work of coaxing by the local com mittee. "It sometimes makes me wish that those fellows had to go through what some of us older ones have gone through. That would probably open their eyes. All the grumbling and kicking the other 364 days of the year would do no good when you did not do it on November 5. You Bet We'll Stick. "I hope the nonpartisan league hasn't lost heart. We have an . other $16 to try. Try again. Expect the Norbeck gang will make it hotter than ever for us. We will beat them to it some day. George Neeman of Chancellor, Turner county, wrote that he spent all day at the polls, instructing both members and non-members how to vote the ticket. He said he was also there when the votes were counted. E. M. DeLap of Lake City, Mar shall county, explains a small ma jority in his township for Norbeck as due to the fact that seven or eight ballots were marked for both Bates and Lewis. A. Schnabel of Emery, ,Hanson county, sent in a dandy report and said in his letter: "You will note that only one re publican vote was cast. All the rest voted for the nonpartisan league can didates. A few votes were thrown out because members voted for both Bates and Lewis." The Nonpartisan league spirit that wins is stronger than ever in South Dakota. From every section of the state where the league is organized the South Da kota Leader has received letters from boosters, farmers who spent days in rounding up votes, farm ers who stick and will stick until hell freezes over and then skate home on the ice. Ballots Thrown Out. Almost every letter refers to bal lots marked for both Bates and Lew is, votes for Bates that had been thrown out by the judges of the elec tion. A letter that should put "pep" into leaguers, who perhaps did not do all that they could have done, is one written by E. W. Strickland, of Jor f dan, Tripp county, which shows what t one loyal leaguer can do. Mr. Strick land carried his township for Bates. Here's his letter: "I am sending you the returns from our voting precinct No. 19. Am en closing a ballot just as I took them from the books." "I am the only member in the precinct but by losing a little time out of my own corn field I am responsible for the rest of the votes cast for the league. I dis tributed all the literature sent me and the farmers know a good thing when they see it. "There were many working against me and I did not expect as many votes for the league as were cast. Many of the farmers did not know what the league was when I moved in this neigh borhood, as there was never an organizer in here. "Mark P. Bates lost three votes by the fake governor being put on the ballot, as they voted for two governors and of course the votes were thrown out. A Nor beck judge remarked that you would have to hand it to Nor beck when it comes to playing politics." WITHOUT ANY HELP FARMERS 01DD WELL t While the result of the election, both i in Ottertail county and in the state, is a disappointment to the organized farmers and laborers, there is no oc casion for discouragement. The can didates of the farmers and workers faced immense odds from the very s start and fought an uphill fight from t beginning to end. All of the big city B papers were against them; all of the small daily papers in the smaller cities i were against them, and at least nine I out of every 10 of the rural weeklies were fighting them. These hostile papers did not fail to use any argument, fair or unfair, * which served their purpose, and this I fact, together with the pressure I brought to bear upon the voters by business men and old-line politicians nd others, accounts for the outcome. The war has undoubtedly been a great handicap to the cause of the farmers and workers. The cry that , this was no time to agitate and discuss 1 problems influenced thousands of vot- 1 ers, and the charges of disloyalty, 1 hurled with such fierceness and per- I sistency, frightened thousands more ( from the support of the league candi dates. CO-OPERAiTION "BEET GROWERS. FARMERS BEWARE OF SLY AT TEMPT OF TRUST TO PULL FRATERNAL CAMOUFLAGE. Colorado Leader.-The Great West ern Sugar cobmpany in its annual pub lished statements of its yearly grind claims an increased obtput by reason of its cooperation with the farmers in this great Colorado industry. "Co operation"-Bunkl This compawy opposed with all the power of its great economic and political machine the demands of the beet growers that they be paid $10 a ton for beets this year. Only when the beet growers, through their committee, composed of John Hicks, J. M. Collins, Dr. R. E. Jones and Albert Dakin, took the matter up with the food administra tor, Hoover, who appointed a com mittee that investigated the costs of production, and only after this com mittee reported, did the company quit its opposition. Call that cooperation? The president of this said that 40,000 acres which should have been put to beets were planted to other crops this year. *Why?-Simp ly because this company thought it could fool the farmers again. They have started their campaign in the west for "cooperation" by bringing The Prince of "Cooperation," Mr. MacKenzie King, from New York to aid them, and he is now in Colorado. Farmers, beware, no labor union or farmers' organization ever cooperated with this gentleman except like the lamb cooperates with the lion. Farmers, the gentleman has al ready started his campaign of deceit. Many beet growers in Colorado are being asked to meet the officers of this company to talk over cooperation. Here is about what takes place: "Mr. H., we find the farmers' organization too strong for us. We want to cooperate. Live and let live, in other words. We must get together. Now we can pay you farmers a little more for beets provided you help us get a few cents more per pound for sugar." "Cooperation?" Farmers, beware of such coopera tion. You owe a duty to the great consuming public to see that this Great Western Sugar company be not allowed to raise the price of sugar under the cloak of having to pay more for beets. Today their common stock brings $310 per share, with no sellers. Who made the value? You and the consuming public. "Cooperation." Read Mr. Walsh's "Industrial Rela tion Report" on the character of co operation, in which Mr. MacKenzie King indulges, and then ask your selves if you want it. Presidents of colleges, presidents of farmers' organizations are to be the first ones on whom Mr. King in tends to test his gas (which is made from long experience with Mr. Rocke feller as his gum-shoe artist.) The Great Western Sugar company can pay you $15 per ton for beets and still make a profit out of all propor tion to their investment. If you co operate with this Great Western Su gar company in helping them to raise the price of sugar which is now sell ing at an unprecendented profit to this company, you will bring down upon your heads the wrath of the great consuming public and. make yourselves the unconscious instru ments by which this company will break up your organization, reduce the price of beets, and allow Mr. MacKenzie King to return to New York with the words "Cooperation" engraved on his helmet.. WE'RE HOPING AND WONDERING NO GOVERNOR HAS HAD OPPOR TUNITIES AS WILL MR. SHOUP. Mr. Shoup, we are wondering whether you are to take your place among that great galaxy of statesmen who have been governors of Colorado, to-wit: McIntyre, Peabody, Buchtel, Carlson and Ammons, or whether you are to be the first governor Colorado has had. You have the ability and the integrity, and what is rarer still, horse sense. In the field of finance you have made a signal success. You took your nomination as a huge joke and your election as a personal triumph. The humor of your sudden flight into politics never escaped you. You are about to become the gov ernor of Colorado. To be the governor of Colorado hasn't meant much for some time past, and to be an ex-gov ernor meant oblivion. We have an idea you are going to try to make good. You have a house of represen tatives of your own political faith, and a senate composed of a majority of democrats and Nonpartisan leaguers, elected on the democratic ticket. These leaguers have no desire what ever to hinder you in your endeavor to link the name of the governor of Colorado with any measure which has for its objects the amelioration of the condition of the farmer and the worker. May we not suggest to you to read our program to see if there isn't some thing there you could incorporate in your message to the legislature. Don't be afraid of it. There are 20,000 farmers in Colorado who aren't-a majority of whom (judging from the returns) voted for you, because they believed you would make a real gov ernor of Colorado.-Colorado Leader. FINANCIAL INCUBUS OF WAR FIRST YEAR'S EXPENSE WAS 10 BILLION, WHILE 60 BILLION WERE USED UP LAST YEAR. ALLIES' PUBLIC DEBT NOW TO TALS 105 BILLION, DRAWING AT LEAST 10 BILLION INTER. EIST ANNUALLY. Washington, Nov. 18.-The direct cost of the war for all belligerent nations to last May 1 was reported at about $175,000,000,000 by the federal reserve board bulletin, issued today, and it is estimated that the cost will amount to nearly $200,000,000,000 be fore the end of this year. These cal culations were compiled by the board from various sources and while t~hir accuracy is not vouched for, the board believes the figures are substantially correct. For purely military and naval pur poses it is estimated all belligerents had spent about $132,000,000,000 to May 1, or about three-fourths of the total war cost. The balance represent ed interest on debt, and other indirect war expenses. How the cost mounted as the war grew in proportion from year to year is illustrated by tabulations showing that the mobilization and the first five months of the war in 1914 cost all bel ligerents about $10,000,000,000. In 1915 the expenses jumped to $26,000, 000,000, in 1916 they increased to $38, 000,000,000, and in 1917 they were es timated at $60,000,000,000. This year expenses have run only a little above the rate last year. About $150,000,000,000 of the total war cost has been raised by war loans of various nations and comparatively little by taxation. The public debt of the principal entente allies is calcu lated at approximately $105,000,000, 000, or more than twice as much as the aggregate debt of the central pow ers, set at $45,000,000,000. This does not take into consideration debt in curred since last May. The enormous size of the war costs and debt is illustrated by comparison with the ante-war debt of the seven principal belligerents, which did not exceed $25,000,000,000. The cost of supporting this debt was only about $1,000,000,000 a year. Hereafter the annual burden to pay interest and sinking fund allowances will be not less than $10,000,000,000 and probably much more. After listening to the special inter est talk against the league leaders for the last year, we feel safe in adding to the list of impossible things that of being'a reformer and keeping a general reputation at the same time. Christ with his divine power might have been able to do this impossible thing, but the gospel records that he didn't.