The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1889-07-04
THE FARMERS COLUMN.
Edited by the Pioneers Agricultural
COrrespoadent.

Edited by the Pioneers Agricultural
Correspondent.
MONOPOLY VERSUS THE PEOPLE IN SOUTH
DAKOTA.
Politics in South Dakota start out lively.
The fight is on now and the prospect OF
republican split adds to the zest ofthe stu
alton.
Judge Gideon c. Moody and II. L. Loucks
appear to be distinctive leaders Of the op-
posing forces. Judge Moody has been in
Dakota politics since the war. He served
one term in the territorial legislature and
was appointed an associate justice of the
Supreme court of Dakota by Mr.. Hayes in
1878. His record on the bench is now re-
called by his opponents and it is being used
with telling effect.
Judge Moody, according to one Of his
critics, was especially serviceable to the cor
porations and monopolies throughout his
judicial career. His decisions were invari-
ably in favor Of the classes as against the
masses. One illustration of this weakness
may not be out Of place here. In 1881 Mr..
David Hunter was the assessor Of Lawrence
county. He war man of irreproachable
honesty and integrity, and the people COLI
graduated themselves upon tho fact that
wealthy mining corporations, whose monthly
output was between $500, 900 and $4O0,OOO
would be equitably and fairly assessed, and
compelled as they had not been heretofore,
to bear their share of the burdens Of tax
alton. Prior to Mr.. Hunters incumbency
Of the Office the assessors had returned the
valuable mining properties at merely nomi-
nal sums. Mr.. Hunter departed from the
custom and assessed the Homestake and
Associate mining corporations $3,2OO,OO
less than half the actual cash value Of the
properties. This assessment was fradulently
cut down by the board of equalization to
$567. 900, and Judge Moody refused to en-
tertain an appeal. 1t thus transpired that
the great mining companies escaped their
fair share of the burdens, while the farmers,
under another decision Of Judge Moody,
were illegally taxed on the possessory rights
to homesteads and pre-emtions.
H. L. Loucks, the leader of the opposition
is president of the Dakota Farmers Alliance.
He is conducting On energetic campaign
against the monopolies, wit promise Of
success. The Alliance Of the whole country
is giving him at least moral support and
as the contest grows hotter his forces may
be streng hened by outside aid. 1t is even
now predicted that democratic majority
will be seated in the first legislature Of the
new state, 80 wide is the revolt against
Judge Moody and so broken are the repub-
lican ranks by reason Of internal jealousies
and feuds. Chicago News, June llth.
A BATTLE FOR POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.
The present political issue in the Dakotas
is plainly betwee the PRODUCERS and the
non-producers, and no jugglery Of words con
make it any different.
The farmers have there in effect formed
political party of their own. 1t docs not
matter that they have not squarely named
their organization The Farmers Party, but
the end they seek makes it such.
There are special grievances to be re-
dressed and particular reforms to be made,
hut there are all dominated by the general
issue which is: "That the farmers are deter
mined to have their rightful share in the
government of the state in which they live
This is essentially the affirmation of the far
mers of Dakota and on that line they pro-
pose to fight to the bitter end.
! The banking, railway, mortgage, loan,
purchased editors and lawyer crowd take
she negative of the proposition an declare:
"You shall not have q just say in the gov
ernment Of the country; we have ruled you
in our own interest in the past and We pro-
pose to do go in the future" .
On broad lines this indicates the ground
where the political battle will be fought in
Dakota.
The Farmers Alliance Of Dakota, under
the able and loyal leadership of II. L. Loucks
has taken this needed initiative, looking tc
the maintaining of popular sovereignty in
the two Dakotas that are now about to as.
sumo Statehood.
The producing claises are there organi.
zing themselves on basis that is in perfect
harmony with our American theory Of igov'
!ernment-
That is-popular sovereignty-the rule Of
the majority.
If the loan sharks, bankers and railway
monopolists arc in the majority, why they
can form state governments to please them
selves, but these non-producing absorbers
Of wealth are in q hopeless minority and can
only master the producing masses Of Dakota
by craft, ehicane and brow-5eating.
This favorite class either holds or repre-.
sents the holders of all the chattel and real
property mortgages in the two Dakotas, and
they will use them as weapons with which
to terrify debtor producers ints voting for
their own enslavement.
This sort Of northern bulldozing has just
as pernieious an effect on free ballot and
pure government as the southern article,
and should be put down by law.
II Dakota loan shark, by threat Of fore.
clio sure, compel: debtor to vote contrary
to his desire, he merits the state prison just
as much as if he bad forced him at the
mouth Of shotgun.
Farmers Of America, keep your eyes on
Dakota! Your battle is being fought there.
Farmers Voice. 49,. .....
| THE CROP OUTLOOK.
While it is the disposition Of the citizcns
Of Dakota to look on the bright side Of
things, there is no disg uising the fact that
the crop outlook is not at all fattering
Much Of the country is in need Of rain;
nor is this need confined to any particular
locality. The general lack Of snow last
winter left the ground dry, and over large
i portion Of Dakota but little rain has fallen
this spring. Complaints come to us from
the Red River Valley, the Devils Lake
region, the Sioux Valley and the Jim River
Valley. At many points the wheat il
damaged past recovery, even if rain does
come. Other points report rain Of immediate
need. The Missouri slope gives the nor'
favorable report, but the successive failures
Of the past three years caused the farmers
i to sow less wheat than usual. II is i'm.
possible ty determine the extent Of the
damage at present, but it is safe to SAY