The Montana nonpartisan. [volume], September 06, 1919, Page 2, Image 2

About The Montana nonpartisan. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1918-192?

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
LABOR DAY CROWD LISTENS
TO TAX OUTRAGE STORY AND
H. C. L. BY FORD-BUDDEN
Immense Crowd Cheers Speakers As They Discuss Questions and Urge
As the Only Remedy the oint Action of the Farmers and
Organized Labor In Ousting Big Bis Servants.
The Labor Day celebration in Great
Falls was a big success and following
a splendid parade in which scores of
banners advocated the tripar con
trol and operation of the railroads un
der the Plumb plan, a great crowd
gathered in Gibson park to listen to
the addresses by Attorney General
Ford of Helena and President Alf.
Budden of the Cascade Trades and
Labor Assembly, Harry Hudson, pre
siding. Both addresses were fre
quently punctuated with vociferous
applause indicating hearty sympathy
with the remarks of the speakers.
The addresses were not of the
spread eagle type. They were brief,
earnest discussions of vital problems
which the people of Montana are fac
ing-evils which can only be corrected
by concerted action by the people
who work whether on the farm, in the
mine, smelter, railroads or on the
farm. It was plainly shown that the
only hope was the presenting of a
solid front by people who produce.
The Tax Scandal.
Attorney General Ford devoted his
time to an exposition of the tax out
rage perpetrated on the people of this
state to the detriment of farmers and
laborers and the ordinary business
men, by the State Board of equaliza
tion, Which, while assessing the prop
erty of the farmers, wage earners and
ordinary business men at full value,
purposely permitted a few big cor
porations of the state to escape with
out paying a cent in taxes on property
worth over $105,000,000. The most
flagrant instance was shown in as
sessing the property of the Montana
Power Co. which, by their own sworn
statement is worth over $80,000,000,
but which the State Board assessed
at only $80,000,000, or about one third
of its value.
Attorney general Ford went on
down the line showing the favoritism
shown all the the railroads, the fig
ures he quoted being practically the
same as the Montana Nonpartisan se
cured as a result of the deliberations
of the State Board of Equalization
which will be found on the first page
of this issue.
Only One Remedy
The Attorney General concluded
with a statement to the effect that
the only way the people could secure
justice was to elect men to office who
could not be dominated by the big in
terests of the state, but who would
serve all the people faithfully as pub
lic servants are sworn to do-but do
not.
The H. C. of L. Remedy
Mr. Budden spoke briefly. He made
reference to the numerous investiga
tions, probes, promises of investiga
tions, and even to possible investiga
tions in Montana relative to the High
Cost of Living, but noted that real re
lief had failed to arrive.
He also predicted that relief would
continue to be a thing only to be
talked, dreamed and wrote about as
far as investigations and alleged pres
ecution of profitieers and hoarders
was concerned.
He contended that there was but
one remedy and that was FOR THE
MAN WHO PRODUCED TO RE
CEIVE A GREATER PORTION OF
THE WEALTH HE PRODUCED,
whether he was raising wheat, fruit,
potatoes, making over-aIls, producing
coal or working on a railroad or in a
smelter or building a house.
The worker, he said, must secure
a bigger proportion of what he pro
duces and the man who does not pro
duce, but lives off the sweat of others
must be eliminated-there must be no
such animal as the profiteer.
The great crowd was in close sym
pathy with the speakers and evidenced
a readiness to get into action political
ly to eliminate the domination of the
professional politician who serves the
vested interests, devoting all his time
to protecting capital while the people
have to shift for themselves and exist
on the crumbs.
AN OPEN LETTER
(Continued from Page 1)
short life for your Loyalty league.
You had better come in, the water is
fine; be with the people once. Of
course, there may not be quite as
much money in it for you, as there is
this way, but it will be honest money.
Why All This Fear?
The real matter with you people is,
in my mind, that you know the com
mon people have learned what they
want and how to get it, and that is
by organizing. That is what every
other class has done, if you want to
call it class.
You always have said, "Oh, well,
the FARIMERS NEVER WILL STICK
TOGECTHER." Then why are you so
afraid they are going to get away
with anything? And you seem to be
so afraid there are going to be such
rotten laws! Well, if we get strong
enough to make laws and find they
are not just what we want, they tell
me that we can amend them, ha, ha!
I am told that laws are amended and
some repealed right now, in the year
of our Lord, 1919!
Seiame Gang That Persecuted Lincoln
You put me in mind of a lot of lit
tle kindergarten kiddies. Do you re
member, years ago, when our dear
old Lincoln was put up for president,
that there were some who wanted to
ride him on a rail, and that today his
rame and picture is in every home
in the union, as one of our very dear
est presidents in the good old U. S.
A?
They did take his life after all
the good work he had done. And
there are several today who
would take the life of A. C.
Townley, if they were not afraid
to do it--if they could get some
poor fool to do it for them. But
don't worry about us poor fool
S farmers, we are going to stay by
the good old National Nonpartis
d an League, and don't you forget
it. After the next election in
.1 November, 1020, your lips will
hang down as bad as they did in
North Dakota, Amen.
A Farewell Shot
I would have rent your dirty panm
s phlet back, as I lave done before, but
y that would only save you stamps or
.,nother book to send to some honest
e farmer and I don't want to be guilty
of helping your Loyalty league.
Yours for disappointment.
I remain, as ever, a Nonpartisan.
H. J. FOOTE.
FARMERS WIN SUIT
AGAINST CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE GAMBLERS
Speaker Belden of the Lower
House of the Montana Legsla-.
ture was one of the attorneys
defending the Minneapolis gam
blers.
An interesting case was tried in the
District Court of Missoula County, re
cently, involving the right of a com
mission firm in Minneapolis to com
1 pel the payment of a note given by a
1 farmers elevator company to such
commission firm.
I It appears that in October, 1919, the
t Reservation Farmers' Grain Company
- of Ravalli, Missoula County Montana,
a made, executed and delivered its
promissory note to Benson-Stabeck
I Company, a commission firm of Min
1 neapolis, for the purpose of being
used as colatteral security to the ac
count between the Grain Company
and the commission company.
In the spring of 1917, the commis
sion company brought suit against
the Reservation Farmers' Grain Com
pany and several indorsers upon the
Snote, to enforce its payment, in the
district court of Missoula County.
° The defense set up by the farmers'
company and the indorsera was that
if they were indebted to the commis
e sion company, that such indebtedness
was created solely through gambling
transactions on the Board of Trade of
- Minneapolis and were, therefore, il
h legal and void, and that by reason
thereof, the note was without consid
eration.
l The case was tried in the District
e Court at Missoula upon that defense
a and after a trial lasting some eight
days before Judge Lentz and a jury
a and the question having been submit
ted to the jury, a verdict was re
t turned in favor of all the defendants.
It was a great victory for the far
mers in that community and has
opened the people's eyes to the abus
es of the gambling feature of the
Minneapolis markets.
The commission firm of Minneapol
is was represented by Messrs. Mul
e roney & Mulroney and A. N. Whit
.lock and O. W. Belden, speaker of
the House of Representatives in the
a Montana Legislature., from Lewis
o town.
The defendants were represented
Sby Madeen & Russell, John P. Swee
Sof the firm of Madeen & Russel
- and William Wayne, all of Missoula.
e Mr. Russell, of the firm of Madeen
e & Russell, was formerly from Super
e ior, Wisconsin, and for a number of
e years prior to coming to Montana in
1915, conducted a number of cases
against the Minneapolis Chamber of
Commerce involving gambling trans
WHO IS EXTRAVAGANT
St'
-.V-.
/TF ING SPOSE FOa THE unR-NOT T Ct H.!.OF .
7/0/. .OMNMT 4N 0 'I
MR.GOTROX- SURE TIIING.THE 'lORUIN CLASS IS TOO EXTRAV(GANT -THE F' S. '"
COST OF NIGH LIVING 15 RESPONSIBLE FOR RLL THE UNREST-NOT THE H.C.OF L.
It is just such fat, over-fed and under-worked moral lepers as the Butte Bulletin cartoonist pictures
above who are eternally harping about the "extravagance" of the farmer and laborer. "They spend
too much money foolishly" is a remark often heard where the present unrest is being discussed by a
group of well groomed, sleek-faced real gentlemen(?). And yet any one of these smug lordlings spend
more every week, than a whole township of farmers or a block of laborers in any city, all put together,
spend in a year-and in some cases in a life-time. "High living" indeed, the question with many of the
workers presented every day is how they are going to live at all.
actions and at one time wa seia
counsel for the Minnesota Legisla
ture in the investigation of the Min
neapolis Chamber of Commerce along
the lines involved in the law-suit.
JUDGE DEAN
A sketch of the man who presided
at the recent trial of A. C. Townley.
Judge Dean has also presided at a
'number of anti-farmer meetings and
made speeches against the League.
Recently he gave a "buttermilk"
party at Jackson, inviting his pets
who hate farmers and laborers, and
was presented by them with a beauti
ful diamond pin. His work as presid
ing judge in the Townley trial won
recognition among his friends and
also made him more or less notorious
in various parts of the United States.
REFUSAL OF SOLONS
TO AID FARMERS TO
BRING HOUSECLEANING
Farmer Says Special Session An
ties Will Serve To Rouse Farm
ers To Action. League Victory
In 1020.
Mink, Mont., Aug. 22, 1919
Editor Montana Nonpartisan,
Since 1917 I have been a member
of the Nonpartison league. The Mon
tana Nonpartisan has been coming
regularly to me. I have watched with
interest our contest to secure legis
lation to help the common people free
themselves from the lethargy that has
bound them so securely in Montana.
Hoped For Relief.
When the special session of our
State legislature convened recently,
I had hoped that our drought condi
tions would be considered and that
State aid to those in need would be
granted, but our hopes and confidence
,were brushed aside. Our cry. for
" help at this particular time was un
I heeded. Our demand as a people
concerning the Primary was ignored.
Our one ray of hope has faded away
" in the gloom of dark and direful con
ditions that threaten to destroy what
we have labored to acquire.
Needs Fixing Politically.
Montana as a tract of land is
all right, but as a political divi
sion of our nation, it needs fix
ing. These drought conditions will
change to an abundance of mois
ture, and we will get back on our
feet agriculturally, but so long
as we stand by and permit class
legislation, just that long will we
be paying tithes to those who
have no just claim to a portion of
our earnings.
Will Awaken People
In my opinion the last session of
our legislature will prove to be of
great value to Montana because those
of us who remained in the background
peacefully watching and waiting, will
awaken with a fighting spirit, and
become active for the establishment
of a state law-making body that will
eventually transform class legislation
into just legislation for all.
Sees Victory In 1920.
Montana will go Nonpartisan in
1920. We farmers and stockmen can't
stand the actions of the present en
cumbrances longer. We'll come out
of it all, if we can stay.
Yours truly,
CAUSTIC ARRAIGNMENT
OF THOSE WHO DESERT
FARMERS IN DISTRESS
Tragedies Predioted This Winter
On Lonely Farms Where Many
Are Penniless and Miles from
Supplies.
Van, Mont., Aug. 30, 1919
Editor, Montana Nonpartisan.
As a member of the League, I take
the liberty of expressing my opinion
in regard to the drought situation. It
'is not necessary to discuss the rotten
deal that was given us at Helena. We
know what the extra session was
called for, we know the main point
at issue, that of the relief of the pres
ent agricultural depression a condi
tion that none but God alone could
have foreseen. The farmers have
striven nobly to feed the people, they
have borrowed money at 12 per cent
to buy liberty bonds and yet they are
without appreciation in their own
country.
The gaunt spectre of starvation and
want stalks abroad. Will the ones who
have denied relief, meet the farmer
when he has no fire and his children I
cry for bread and his stock lows for
provendor? When the rigid carcasses
of horses and cattle and perhaps hu
man beings, lie frozen, stark and
stiff on the bleak prairies? I am not I
guessing impossibilities. I have been
33 years in this state and I know what
may come. I have seen snow so deep
right in the drought zone, that no man
could travel any distance and in con
nection with that 40 below zero for
seven or eight days in succession.
Many of those farmers are 25 miles
from any source of supplies. My ear
nest advice to them is to leave before
it is too late that they and their fami
lies may be safe from what is now
staring us all in the face, viz., star
vation and death from exposure. It is
not a subject that can be lightly spok
en of. The vicious propaganda that
farmers can live in comparative com
fort if they but get work is as far
from the truth as the poles are apart,
as far from the truth as the rotten
. mass of legislation that we have been
inflated with in the recent pow-wow
at Helena.
Yours for better service,
J. A. V. B.
GOOD WINTER JOB
FOR MAN AND WIFE.
Editor Montana Nonpartisan.
I understand from our last pa
per that there are Montana dry
farmers who may go out and work
s during the winter. I can give
steady work to a good man and
wife. Dairy work and general
r farm work, three in family and
no children. Will pay from $75
to $100 and board, according to
their ability and willingness to
work.
Yours truly.
SJohn L Norris.
Phillipsburg, Mont., Aug. 26, 1919
THANKS CAMPBELL
(Conutinued from Page 1)
tained in its contorted partial
quotations of sections of the laws,
are the worst kind of lies.
Keep up this good work for the
Nonpartisan League, Mr. Camp
bell; it shows to what dire ex
tremities the tool of the so-called
"Loyalty League" of Montana is
driven.
Yours truly,
W. W. Cadle.
P. S. Will A. Cambpbell? Yes A.
Campbell will descend to any
depth of immoral lying to extract
a few more dollars from decom
posing business interests the
stench of which already arises to
high Heavens.
W. W. C.
Wants All Road Work
Done By Day Labor
Three Forks, Mont., Aug. 25, 1919
Editor Montana Nonpartisan.
I want to make a suggestion to the
Fergus County farmers and to every
body who works and lives in the state
and especially to the taxpayers, no
matter what may be their occupation
as long as they work. I would like to
suggest to the workers, if they would
get together right now and stop the
contract proposition and make both
the counties and state have the work.
done by day labor, $5.00 for eight
hours, single hand and $8.00 for men
with two horses and not allow any
body on the job to have more horses
than they can drive themselves.
Everyboy could buy horses if they
wished to work with horses and so
that would give everybody a chance
to make the same amount of money.
I would like to suggest not to hire
men to boss the job and pay them
from $500.00 to $5000.00 a month,
IIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIhIlH
When in town et at the
NEW MODEL I
CAPE
TABLES FOR LADIER
SBRIJ.AIAT 200 UP I
DINNER 36e UP
J. D. SELBY Prop.
Cor. First Ave. S. and Third St.
IIIIIlHlIIIIIIIIHIIIIIEIHIlIIIII[1111
'WHY NOT ask
your dealer to handle
FARGO BRAND
Hams, Bacon, Sausage
and Lard
Our products compare with the
highest standards on the market.
EQUITY CO-OPERATIVE PACKING CO.
WEST FARGO, N. DAL.
^MIIIIIIIIIIIUIINIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII 111111 1111IIInI IIIIIIIIIIIIIInislaiallnaiumn1
Two FORDS For Sale
Two 1918 Ford Touring
Cars. Excellent Running
Condition. Cash or Easy
Terms.
Address: 1608 6th Ave. N. Great Falls
illlIuhl flhIHIIIIN hIIIIIII IIIII11 1H IIEIII IIII IIIIIIIIIInl ngll llll ll nm IIIIIIlIIlli
Rheumatism
S T A his eriMn by One Wo h I t
• . Is t prl. of Itml ! WM sdyt
U nNul I I lsn mada tooymmtem I nas I . ]
Uslins euenda
oer eme d so. I red
Tobacco and Snuff , I,. , d . m o.eue
eomyleit,.d IS bh never returned.
-Gold Seal No. 10-Is a guaranteed asloe. *n seve b.dridden lit Be~eidy
vegetable treatment for the tobacco, Uaod Itt eeeted a cure im eveurr
snuff and cigarette habits. Sworn rheoumate troule to trsom mreLouas oe
affidavits and testimonials from grate- orwe power DonatMnd eot 1mil maIt
sui name and ,ddress a id I rll dt
ful men who have been cured from the free to try. 4 er o. have used It md
use of this poisonous drug. Complies It has prOve, it e~l· thtenttlooko e.r
with pure food laws. Price 'of full smte pric otl `, e t1und
treatment, $2.75. Our book "A' tells stan. I do not wan your monq maee
a.perfrerly ultned io send It i.st et
why you should NOT use tobacco or fat wr aser ter mles tn w mt isq.
snuff. It is FREE, FREE. Send right a h. ffere Pas o "rieer Daa'ý ei .
now. Cut this advertisement out.
Address. Mtark H. Jackson, No. 674F Gurney
Bldg.. Syracuse, ::. Y.
INLAND CHEMICAL CO. . a g k .s.. .r.paa aa soy
BISMARCK, N. D. went true.
DROUTH GET=YOU? I
You cannot stay unless help comes. Help yourself
and your organization.
by
Organizing in Other States =
The League needs you and you need the League.
If you can or must get away write Box 495, St Paul, j
Minn, for particulars. S
IINHHMIMmIIIItIIIIII MIIHMIIIIfIIIflIIMHHIUNlmIIIHJHINIIIIlmNMII NMM iiIu
which is not necessary and I believe
a man should be paid what is right
for his work, but I do not believe in
aying one who does all the work
00 and the one who bosses the job
25.00 or $50.00 as has always been
done, hnd they will do this right along
if we will allow them to have their
own way.
Yours very trulD.
Cured His Rupture
I was badly ruptured while lifting
a trunk several years ago. Doctors
said my only hope of cure was an op
eration. Trusses did me no good. Fi
nally I got hold of something that
quickly and completely cured me.
years have been passed and the rup
ture has never returned, although I
am doing hard work as a carpenter.
There was no operation, no lost time,
no trouble. I have nothing to sell, but
will give full information about how
you may find a complete cure without
operation, if you write to me, Eugene
M. Pullen, Carpenter, 702 F Marcellus
Avenue, Manasquan, N. J. Better cut
out this notice and show it to any
others who are ruptured-you may
save a life or at least stop the misery
of rupture and the worry and danger
of an operation.