The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-14

One of the most important papers
that will be heard at the Tri-State
convention was the one on How q
System Of Farm Credit Would BENEFIT
the Farmer. BY Thos. J. Jackson,
teacher In the government school at
blbowoodss n. p. Mr.. jackson said
In part:
mr.. President. Members Of the AS
ISOLATION and Friends. The title of
this paper assumes that farmers need
benefits Of some kind, otherwise discus
sion Of such a subject could not find a
place on the programme Of such g.
meeting as this.
Il think that o will agree with me
later, il not now-that this is the
question of the hour to be solved by
agriculturalists and all others who
work with their hands. / repeat that it
is the question OF the hour and we must
solve it.
I'm a country such ais ours, teeming
with natural resources and ~uncounted
millions OF un1eveloped wealth, there
is something wrong, radically wrong,
when q farmer In possession OF the
best and most stable form OF wealth
lands-has to get down on his knees
and beg for 9 loan which he needs to
carry or his business. This is q thing
~ kAANNA IL AAA SAA0 o80kGAAA
which makes 1t possible.
We ire agreed that something is
wrong? Then we mean to put our
hands directly On that wrong-to see
the other fellows squirm.
Finances.
Friends. it is our system Of finance
that heaps the burdens high upon you
and me. Why have the discussions of
these subjects died out, so to speak?
Have we no more Bryans2 Why do
our high f~inanciers and political lead
ers not discuss this subject with us In
the same and freedom that
they discuss other questions of the day
e. g., the tariff? CHI they say to us.
You cannot understand that subject
just the bankers are competent. They
are specialists and we should trust that
matter to their Judgment Yes, we
are agreed that they are specialists
all right-to our sorrow. So these
specialists have succeeded in guiding
us carefully away from Is 10 dangerous
a subJect-for q purpose.
we are in an age when wealth
takes the form OF credit to a large de-
gree--i. e., securities based on stocks
and bonds. The vast resources OF u
country in the process of DEVELOPMENT
have compelled this condition of
things that the process ma go on, but
In and through and over this process
powerful financiers have grown up,
often from the low1y walks OF life, who
are able at this time under existing
laws to dominate the finance Of these
United States, and through that cham
mel are also able to dominate the in
dustries and transportation and the
millions and millions of people who are
dependent thereon for their daily
bread.
is it true that some people are
lucky to have some one ese tell them
what to do? Probably It il but the
system is cold and unchristian. These
powerful mem by reason of their pos
sessions, which for some ungodly reA-
son determine their positions iii the
walks of life, fall short OF the Christ
standard of ethics to their shame-oft-
en- times they seek to live two stand
ards one for politics and business, the
other for society.
This is obligatory for christianity
will not At the requirements OF both in
the present day so pride. that God CIV
en- master of selfish men, cornpels their
double standard OF living. Well in Il
what Is the effect on YOU and me, and
what is our duty2 just a word fol
the effect. We have to accept Whai
they hand us. Is it their fault? No
not unless we judge them by the chris,
tian standard, then by that ar1
standard, We, ourselves. would be ir
fault for judging them. We ourselves
are forced to assume the fault for al.
lowing a wrong system to work againsi
us, Then what is our dutyg Chang'
the system.
The Mead 81 j Change.
Since the age of man there has beer
the leader and the follower. II this 4