Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-12-04

IOFe upon otner branches or industry.
The first result to the public was that
nearly SIX years ago at farmers insti-
tnte held in Langdon, I as pioneer of
OF the movement, spoke in advocacy of
the organization of farmers clubs; be-
! lieving at that time that through such
medium the farmers and their families
would be brought into much closer
business social and educational relations
with one another. Thereby putting them
IN position to work in harmony toward
solving their own peculiar problems, and
checking the aforementioned encroach-
ments. After trying other methods of
reaching the public with the results of
my study and research, | am quite ready
and willing to enter the field of politics,
believing it to be shortest and surest road
to the people for delivering the facts re-
lating to governmental affairs, which 1
have to offer for their consideration and
for their benefit. Out of consideration
for the printer must give only brief
outline of what hope to be allowed to
to discuss later on. l have found:
First. That practically every indus
try in the United States, except that of
farming, is now organized in some form,
and so are the employees thereof. BY or
ganization they are enabled to occupy
advanced ground, or gain at the expense
of the unorganized farmer. II the teach
ings Of late candidate for the presiden-
cy, under the able management of Geo.
w. Perkins, the chief high priest of or
ganization-of trusts-were accepted as
being right, and adopted as the fixed
policy of the nation; then the farmers
would necessarily be obliged to organize
in self defense. That, however. is not
only a physical impossibility, but it is
contrary to all the laws of nature and of
common sense. of the teachings of the
God of wisdom, and of civilization. 1t
would be return to medieval conditions
or feudalism; condition of anarchy and
a confession Of no real governing power
within the nation.
Second. That, the farmer of today il
producing by his unassistel individual
efforts from seven to ten times as much
in raw material or farm products as his
farmer father did or could produce
under similar rules forty. three year:
ago. On the other hand. forty -thres
years ago, every fifteen farmers were oo
ligad to support one family besides itheil
owl: While today every individual far
mer-averaged-i obliged to supper
liz families besides his own. Therefore
the burdens of the American farmer Of
today are 2215 times as great as were
those of his father forty three years ago
while he is only able at best to produce
ten times as much. These are not theo
res but plain facts, which I challenge
any man to disprove: and six months
after had first stated them, Preslden
j. H. Worst. of the state argrlcultura
college at Fargo, said 'each farmer mus
now support two families besides hi
own" Here in nutshell is the caus.
of abandoned farms, mining instead Of
farming lands. The rapid decrease il
land owning farmers and the increase il
tenant farmers, for whose protection OF
; benefit not one single puny law or sane
: custom has yet been provided. And o1
many other evils including the "high
cost of living"
Third. I haye also found that only
eight, or one and one-half per cent o.
the 53l members of both branches OF
! congress are classed as farmers, and a;
near as [ have been able to find out
only one of these is, or was bona tide
liller Of the soil at the time of his cleo
tion by the people to congress. Woulc
not we be fully justified in raising tht
cry of taxation without representa-
tion?' and are we farmers so much less
worthy now than in earlier days whel
nearly all the members of congress were
farmers? Since those who preceded u
not only permitted but actually encour
aged this changed condition Of affairs
perhaps we are less worthy. While we
are not to blame for what our fathers
have done or left undone, it is up to US
to solve our own problems; fight our owr
battles and not leave them for our child
rem to fight Nor, if we are worthy mer
leave them such poor heritage as we
are now in fair way to leave to them
Foolish indeed would we be if, in the
light of present conditions and past ex
perence, we still believed that anyone
other than farmer, would properly re-
present us and guard or work for our
interests.
| recognize the universal truth that
life itself is battle, and so is the pur.
suit of any of the industries of life. And
l have no fault whatever to find with
any man or set OF men, for having val.
| iaptlv and wall fought tha hattie of lifa