The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-10-04

usury. s'the penal clause was repealed, the
Hon. G. A. Matthew'S voting for ito repeal.
AT onr last annual session we reiterated our
position on the usury question in the most
emphatic y II there 10 one thing
more than another on which the alliance is
: unit, it Is this question Of usnry. care
not how stringent our usury laws mey be !;
10 long as we continue 70 place usurers in
the highest position Of honor and trust the
law will be ignored. When we vote for .
man, we do so because We think he represents
our views and principles. So long as ! am
q member Of the alliance and the alliance
adhsres to its present position, ! win not
stultify myself by advocating : law that
win prohibit usury and then signify my APP
proval Of the practice by voting for . us
urer.
On the plank 50 free market for our pro-
duce," Weiser's bill No. 1875, contained the
essential features. Mr. Mathews voted against
the bill.
On equal taxation Of corporate with pri-
vate property the house passed . bill in
creasing the gross earnings tax, from 2 and
5 tot and s per cent. Mr.. Mathews made
no effort to have this bill passed in the coun-
ell, SO that, on the whole Of our platform he
has been either antagonistic or derelict in
his duty. Is that the kind Of mon we should
promote?
On the delegate issue I propose to take
the same course / advised for the legislature
vote for the men who represent our prin-
ciples, regardless Of party. 1t may be said
that it makes little difference whom we may
send, as they have no vote. The principle
is there. We have no right to violate our
franchise by voting for men who do not
represent our views. One great complaint
of the agricultural masses is that we have
comparatively no representation in congress
and consequently our interests are neglect
ed. The great cry Of our own divisionists is
that we want Dakota admitted as two states,
to give the agricultural west a greater rep
resentation In congress. .
We complain that the national banks have
too much power and influence in legislation
now. One-half of the farmers of Dakota
will this year have to pay 2 per cent per
month, or more, for the use of money. The
United States should lend their enormous
idle surplus to these farmers, secured on
their land, for 2 or 8 per cent per annum,
instead of loaning it to the national banks
for nothing Who do you think would be
the best advocate of our interests in this
matter, g. A. Mathews, a vicc-president Of
a national bank, or J w. Harden, a brother
farmer? Mr.. Harden is the only candidate
who in any sense represents the agricultural
interests of Dakota. If we are sincere in
our desire for representation, we can show
it by our votes IN this contest. shall vote
for MIR. Harden, because / know him to be
On able, honest, reliable representative of
every plank in our platform, and in full NC
cord with all we are trying to accomplish.
For two years he has been on our executive
committee. The only democrat on the
board, he has never tried to influence the
alliance for his party, nor to use it for self
ish purposes. He will not betray our inter-
ests, even to further the interests of the
party to which he belongs. From my
knowledge of the man, | an satisfied that
did he have to choose between the democratic
party and the alliance, he would stand by
the alliance every time. I know that he is
q practical and operative farmer. I have
been at his home, and been entertained by
his wife, an intelligent, educated, refined
woman; a lady in the true sense of the term.
To caricature such a woman as the republi-
can press has done, is a insult to every
farmer in Dakota, It may be smart to pic.
ture our wives jas trudging in the furrow
holding pillow behind an OK team az typical
| of the Dakota farmers wife. If there is one
reason more than another why our wives
have TO work hard to help US, even to the
extent of doing a mans work, work from
which we would gladly shield them if we
could, it is because Of the exactions Of the
usurer. We love them just as dearly in
their cotton gown as does the banker his
wife, dressed in silks and ~velvets. Aye,
more SO, for the loyal manner in which they
have braved uncomplainingly the rigors Of
our climate, the hardships Of pioneer life,
the sacrifice Of friends and society, all be-
cause Of their lovo for us. The farmer who
would not resent the insult is not worthy
the lame Of man, is unworthy the love Of
woman. Yours fraternally,
H. L. LoucKs.
Ms LETTER LIST
Letters uncalled for At the post Office Al
Bost;neau, D.. T., for the month ending Aug.
81, 1883. II not called for within 80 days