The Montana nonpartisan. [volume], September 13, 1919, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THe NATIONALNONPARTISA*N LAAGUe IHU T5 TATr OF MOF A
IOLUMU 8 GREAT FALLS, MONTANA,$ATURDAY, SEPT. 13, 1919. . NUMBER 38.
---------~C ---- oa~
-A, U . , NUMBER 38.
'LABOR LEAGUE' JOINS HANDS WITH FARt: RS
IN DETERMINED FIGHT TO FREE MONTANA
REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING OF
LABOR AT GREAT FALLS
EFFECTIVE PLANS OUTLINED
Platform Adopted and Nonpartisan League Program Endorsed.
Organization of Labor League Forces To Be Started At Once and
Vigorously Pushed. Means Defeat for Copper Crowd.
Montana Labor has officially joined hands with the Nonpartisan
League. At a representative gathering of labor men who met at Great
Falls two days last week, pursuant to resolutions passed at the re
cent conference at Billings, the committee named to find ways and
means gave birth to the "Montana Labor League."
The men who met are well known throughout the state and in
cluded Hugh Jones of the Railroad Brotherhood of Great Falls, Jack
Mangus, of the Mineworkers, Lehigh, Harry Hudson of the Railway
Federation, Don McLeod, of the Havre Machinists, Mike Holland of
Sun River Bench, representing the farmers, Hon. W. F. Dunn of
Butte and A. T. Woodruff of the Smeltesmen, and Alf. Budden,
president of the Cascade Trades and Labor Assembly, a strong body
of mnn ranrvepntinm the industries of
of men representing the industries of
the state. Several others intended
being present but were unavoidably
detained but wired their hearty sym
pathy with the movement.
To Initiate Compensation Law.
The platform adopted by the Labor
League included first and foremost a
': o-.,onsation bill including vo
cational diseases which will be ini
iated at once by petition which will
be circulated in conjunction with a pe
tition referring the recent Primary
election law outrage. Other features
of the platform include a metal and
coal mine act including shot firing
and air pressure clauses, an anti
black-list law striking- out the rust
ling card, a law governing conditions
of lumber camps as to bedding, food
and sanitation, a minimum wage law
and a mothers confinement pension
law.
To Co-Operate With Nonpartisans.
Strong resolutions were passed
pledging co-operation with the Non
partisan league and every possible
s-upport in enactment into law of the
entire League program, and this ac
tion was duplicated at a big meet of
the Smeltermen held Monday evening
in Great Falls.
Organization To Be Started At Once.
Plans were perfected to put a big
force of organizers in the field at
once to enroll all the laborers of the
state. The membership fee will be
$2.50 for the campaign period of 1920,
which includes subscription to the of
ficial paper. Any man who works
regularly for wages is eligible and the
aim is to enroll 5000 members before
Nov. 1 and 25,000 by the end of win
ter, cleaning up the odds and ends
early in the spring so that all will be
in readiness for the primary and gen
eral elections next year.
To Sweep State Clean.
With the Labor League organ
ized and to co-operate with the 26,
000 organized farmers, it is planned
to sweep the state so clean that the
professional politicians and Kept
Press Editors will have naught to do
but hold a pitiful little reunion of
their own with Will Campbell in the
cair to explaii*lihy his--Politica
Loyalty League farce comedy did not
receive the serious consideration of
the people. It is doubtful, however,
whether, after the crash, either the
Montana Power Company or the Cop
per crowd will pay any hotel bills of
men who failed to deliver the goods.
In Harmony With Other States.
The Labor forces of the state in
forming a political organization to
co-operate with the Nonpartisan
League are following the example set
(Continued on Page 2)
Have you any cattle of sheep
for sale? Read the classified ads
in this issue as several people
want to buy both.
GRAND LEAGUE RALLY TO BE
HELD AT PINEVIEW SEPT. 18
There is to be a grand Nonpar
tisan League Rally at Pineview,
Yellowstone County, Thursday,
Sept. 18. It is going to be one of
the biggest gatherings ever held
in that part of the state, and both
League members, and hundreds
who are not League members, but
who are interested and wish to
learn more about the League are
going to be present.
There will be three speakers,
Hon. B. K. Wheeler of Butte, Act
ing State Manager Alf Budden of
Great Falls, and Organizer O. J.
Melton, so that the League pro
gram will be discussed from three
angles.
NOT A MEMBER BUT
WILL WORK HARD FOR
BIG 1920 ,VICTORY
Harlem Farmer Read the Nonpar
tisan and Is Jublant Because
the North Dakota Farmers Won
Harlem, Mont., Aug. 29, 1919
Montana Nonpartisan,
Great Falls, Mont.
I am not a member of the
League, but I would like to take
up a little of your valuable time
anyway. I was in eastern Mon
tana when the League was first
started in North Dakota and I
have kept in close touch and have
been in sympathy with it ever
since.
I have celebrated their victories
as though I were a member. Dur
ing 1917 I was in business near
Great Falls, in the Sun River Val
ley. 1918 and 1919 have found me
on a homestead. My intentions
were to join the League once I
got to farming. I have had a live
ly time keeping on top and I guess
that's the reason the organizers
have passed me up. I get the
Leader from a neighbor and re
cently a Mr. Hiser of Big Sandy
left me one of your papers, thanks
for that.
It seems we are doomed as far
as help from the state is concern
ed. We will have to work and
fight and get results in 1920. I
must have work this winter to
feed_four horses, two cows,. one
colt, and two calves. I have a
wife but no children.
Last winter, I worked in a log
ging camp for the A. C. M. near
Missoula. I met quite a few dry
landers out there, all in favor of
the League.
I f you win out in 1920 we must
hustle all the time. I get some of
the Loyalty League dope. and it
seems to me they will get hanged
with their own rope.
Thanking you in advance, I am
Yours respectfully,
WALTER WYNNE.
The speaking will begin at 2 p.
m. and last all afternoon, and in
the evening there is to be a big
dance and general good time.
Every League member should
bear this date in mind, advertise
it far and wide AND MAKE IT A
POINT TO PERSUADE THEIR
NEIGHBORS TO ATTEND.
The success of these gatherings
depend upon the boosting done
by the individual members and
from the letters received from
some of the enthusiastic ones in
the vicinity of Pineview, the gath
ering on the 18th is going to be a
real hummer.
If Will Campbell still has As
WHY THE OLD GANG WORRIES
i --,-- 1
r 1
North Dakota has gone "over the top" and the occupants of the
Old Gang trench have been routed in that state. In other states the
hair of the defenders of the Old Gang trench is standing straight up
because they are discovering that the boys who fought for real democ
racy "Over There" propose to fight for the same thing ','Over Here"
and are in the fore-front of the fray. 95 per cent of the returned sol
diers have no sympathy with profiteering methods of the Old Gang
despite the efforts of professional politicians to get a bunch of officers
to organize the soldiers along political lines. Many of the officers
and practically all the privates will not be caught by the bait being
offered.
Hotel Bills of State Editors
Is Very Obligingly Paid By
Montana Power Company
What is my bill please?" asked one of the newspaper men who
spant a couple of days here last week attending the meeting of the
Montana Press Association.
"Your bills are all paid" replied the genial clerk at the Rainbow."
And then it developed that the Montana Power Company had
squared the bills in addition to being host to the newspaper men at
a picnic at the Big Falls.
All of which is in line with the methods of the Montana Power
Company andthe Copper company nAain with newspapermen to
whom they look for protection in their plundering of the public.
It is not a crime to accept hotel entertainment from the Montana
Power Company, but is it very probable that the newspaper men who
were guests of the Power company will use their newspapers to criti
izse the state board of equalization for letting the Power Co. dodge
paying taxes on $50,000,000 worth of property?
There may be exceptions, but most of the newspaper men who
were entertained will not feel at liberty to criticize their host very
severely. That is one of the cunning ways Big Business has of
stifling and corrupting the press.
There may be some connection between the Power Company pay
ing the hotel bills of the newspaper men, and the appearance of As
sistant Attorney General Packard of North Dakota who tried to i
poison those present with a vicious string of falsehoods about the J
North Dakota Newspaper law, which provides that the PEOPLEI
select the official newspaper for each county by vote instead of per-I
mitting politicians to parcel out public funds in return for newspaper
prostitution.
It may also have something to do with the remarks President
Scanlon made about the Nonpartisan League and his congratulations
because but few of those present "had fallen for Townley."
But lavish entertainment of newspaper men by big corporations
is one of the reasons for a "Kept Press," a public press that either
suppresses or manufactures news at the behest of corporations. And
no newspaper can honestly serve the public, no newspaper can honest
ly discharge its proper function of printing unbiased news reports,
and commenting fearlessly upon existing evils if its editor accepts
unusual favors from corporations which fatten at the expense of the
people.
sistant Attorney General Frank
Packard of North Dakota under
his wing, he is invited to bring
him to Pineview and spill more of
his insulting falsehoods about the
farmers of North Dakota. The
League speakers will divide time
with Mr. Packard. The people
will be glad to have Mir. Packard
talk when there are those present
who know the truth and know Mir.
Packard's record.
HOPES TO ADVERTISE IN THE
NONPARTISAN REGULARLY
Erie, Minn., Sept. 2, 1919.
Editor Nonpartisan.
Gentlemen: I thank you for
your favor of Aug. 29. I under
stand my ad will appear in issue
of the 6th. Will be pleased to re
ceive a proof copy of same. I feel
that your publication will prove a
good medium for my ad and am in
hopes to run it regularly.
With best wishes. I am
Sincerely.
H. C. Iverson.
ORTH DAKlOTO RENEGADE OUSTED
FROM OFFICE BY FARMER VOTES
TRIES TO DECEIVE MONTANANS
Add Hail Insurance Premiums to North Dakota Taxes to Make Them
Appear Big and Rants Because the League Legislators
Voted Returned Soldiers $25 Per Month Bonus.
The Helena Independent extolls the virtues of Assistant Attorney
General Frank Packard and devotes several columns to the string of
falsehoods emitted by Packard in a speech delivered at Bozeman in
which the renegade drawing a salary from the State of North Dakota,
delivered himself of a record breaking mass of misstatements about
North Dakota taxes.
The contemptible, or the most contemptible feature of these paid
agents of Big Business is that the whole bunch is so two faced. They
make a pretense of being great friends of the returned soldier and
then condemn the farmers Legislature for aiding the returned service
men.
Packard, in his mouthings, rants about the half mill tax which
CLEAN SWEEP IN 1920
IS SLOGAN SELECTED
BY A OOVER FARMER
Urges Every League Member To I
Take Coat Off and Get Every
Neighbor to Join Making Vic
tory Certain.
Dover, Mont., Sept. 9, '19
Editor Montana Nonpartisan,
e I am a League member and pro
pose to do all I can to boost the
P League. I wish in an early issue
you would explain in very plain
Janguage just what the dirty gang
did to our primary law, explain
ing just what is the difference be
;tween an "open" and a "closed" '
primary, as I meet many who do
g not fully understand, (Editor's
note :-This will be done in the
next issue of the Nonpartisan).
Surely the dirty bunch is getting
scared and the harder they fight
us just that much harder will we
fight back.
The way the State Board of
IEqualization allowed the big cor
porations to escape their just
share of taxes is a shame and it is
o an outrage that this unjust share
Lo of taxes has been shifted to the
shoulders of the dried out farmers
and laborers.
. Indeed it is high time that far
6t mers and laborers are waking up
to the fact that we have been the
jr,"goats", and always will be until
o we organize.
Let every member spread the
a gospel of the Nonpartisan League ,
o and get all the members we can 1
i. so that we will be so powerful,
e that with the help of the Labor
League we will show the dirty
o bunch now in control of this Gang 1
y ridden state, that we can stick.
if Yes and WE ARE GOING TO
STICK from the hot place to
r. breakfast and make it a clean
J. sweep in 1920, for the good Lord
o only knows that our state capital
,e needs a house-cleaning from top
E to bottom, and it is up to us to do
r- the job.
r LET US ALL BE BOOSTERS I
for the N. P. League and for tmhe
lt ,Labor League. We will stick and
s we will win in 1920.
Yours very truly,
Ls ARTIII'R M. ANI)ERSON
d If you want to buy hay or wish
to pasture some stock, read the
classified ads in the Montana
It Nonpartisan and patronize those
A5 who advertise in your own paper.
NORTH DAKOTA ATTORNEY
MIGHT BE LUMBER BARON.
Of course it would be impossible
y to know positively, but just as a
guess we would estimate that if
Assistant Attorney General Frank
Packard had been presented with
a toothpick by the Montana Power
Co. every time he told a lie about
the League farmers of North Da
kota that he would be designated
as a lumber baron along with the
Weyerhausers.
Little Anti-League lies,
Little outstretched hand,
Assisted by Will Campbell
And the and the copper collared
band.
the farmer legislature levied at the
session last winter to provide a bonus
of $25 per month for returned sol
diers. Packard is one of those selfish
renegades who begrudge reimbursing
soldiers who worked for a pittance
while they were risking their lives
fighting for world democracy, while
he, and others of his ilk were drawing
fat salaries in addition to what some
of them borrowed from corporations
'using their official positions to make
their credit good.
Need No Defense
The farmers of North Dakota plead
guilty to voting a bonus of $25 to
,returne ldsidjer ifgr evsrp month
attached a provision at the money
must be used to buy or improve a
farm or home, or used to secure an
education.
What fault has Mr. Packard to find
with that?
The Nonpartisan League offers no
apology for doing this much to show
appreciation to returned soldiers, and,
in a measure, reimbursing them for
the money lost while others at home
were drawing good salaries, and while
profiteers were increasing their bank
roll.
Just A Falsehood
When Frank Packard said that
state taxes were raised 250%
he lied, knew he lied, and lied ma
liciously. When he said that the
average tax on 160 acres of land
had been raised from $24 in 1918
to $59 in 1919 he told a falsehood
that puts Ananias completely out
of the running as champion liar.
Includes Insurance Money.
...As a member of the State Tax com
mission for several years, Packard
could not make such statements with-,
out wilfully distorting the truth. For
instance he includes the assessments
the farmers will pay for state hail
insurance at cost.
It would be just as legitimate
to include what the farmer pays
for pew rent and blame that to
the Nonpartisan as welL
Without The Truth.
Packard DID NOT make any refer
ence to the fact that state hail insur
ance cost the farmers of North Dako
ta about one third what they have
been paying to old line companies.
HE DID NOT tell his Montana au
diences that since the State flour
mill started operations at Drake,
Pillsbury flour dropped $1 per barrel
to consumers there.
HE DID NOT tell the truth
and inform his audiences that in
stead of confiscating farms the
State of North Dakota was loan
ing people money at 6 per cent on
20 or 30 years time or buy farms
with, or to improve farms they
owned.
....HE DID NOT tell the Montana peo
ple that the State of North Dakota
loaned working people money to build
homes with on the amortization plan
and that it cost the people less to live
in modern comfortable homes of their
own that they have been paying out in
rent.
Protection and Compensation
He DID NOT tell the farmers he
talked to in Montana that the League
legislature forced grain buyers to pay
for dockage at whatever rate the
dockage was worth as feed.
He DID NOT tell the Montana min
ers that this same legislature which
he criticized passed the best mine in
spection and mine regulation laws to
be found in any state in the Union.
He DID NOT tell the laboring peo
ple of Montana that this same League
legislature passed the best compensa
tion law to be found on the statute
books of any state in the Union, and
passed it gladly and willingly with
out one cent of expense to organized
labor.
Not Here To Tell Truth.
Oh, No, Packard was not brought
to Montana to tell the truth-under
the wing of Will Campbell who acted
as his press agent.
And if the truth were known, it
would be a 40 to 1 bet that the Mon
tana Power Co., which paid the hotel
bills of the members of the Montana
(Continued on Page 2)