Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-04-08
MADE
GREAT Speech
Challenges Foes a0dCbambH
Of Commerce Men, But Not
Coptr1dicted /
St. Paul Is Boosted for lis
Attitude Towards Equity
II. /, Movement |

Northwocd, April More than a
thousand cheering farmers crowded
the opera house in this town to hear
George s.. LOTUS Ego dowl the
line" with the grain combine at Min
neapolis. % :.a,G r.~.
r Farmers from miles around, from
Hillsboro. Hatton,r Mayville and Port,
land, men who have heard Lotus in
his previous speeches in this section,
came to Northwood to hear him again
and the almost universal expression
Of opinion was that ne had made the
greatest speech of his career. His
Characterization OF the Minneapolis
chamber of commerce as the greatest
and most dangerous trust in the whole
country was received with a whoop
of enthusiasm that nearly lifted the
roof.
Previous to the meeting many bus
mess men Of N0rthwood had openly
expressed hostility to the equity move
ment. Mr.. LOTUS paid his personal
respects to the different parties by
name and called npon them to stand
up like men in the audience and
make their statements reflecting ,oa
him and the officials of the Equity
Cooperative. exchange. Not "a man
stood in the presence of the man
they attacked and stated their reason
for opposing him. r.4 u .
After the meeting was over a mum.
Der met Mr.. Lotus and said they
were convinced they had been in err
ror and were satisfied that they had
been misled by those who have been
spreading stories reflecting on the
movement, and they wanted to be
counted a. his friends hereafter.
Two significant episodes marked
the meeting. The first was the pres
ence CT Usher L. Burdick, progressive
republican candidate for nomination
as governor, who made d short
speech preceding Mr.. Lotus in which
he said that he had come. seeking
the fullest light in regard to the
Equity movement. As a farmer he
was interested ii everything pertain
ing to farming and ne believed that
if MI. Lotus was right he should
have the solid support OF the farmers.
After hearing Ay:, LOTUS speak Mr.
Burdick asked the privilege of the
floor and in a few minutes talk said
that he wanted to- goEOn record most
,uneQuixocally1 as In favor of the
Equity Cooperative exchange aad the
work that Georgfes s: Lotus is carry
ing on. I'LL. s..s.. .S
The second and most striking fea'
ture aside from Mr.. LOTUS reception
by the farmers was the enthusiasm
with which the men. wno ra0e up
the great audience favored TIE move
by which the business :nep Of St.
Paul and tho Equity Co. operative ex-
.Qhange saAl 10 coopetata in cs:ahlish-
ing a big open market for farm pro-
ducts in St. Paul. Applause that show
ed how intense was the interest fol-
lowed every period Of that portion of
Mr.. Lcftus' address and the audience
at its close pledged undivided support
for such a movement. if contaminated
as outlined. On every hand the op-
i1ion was expressed that a move of
that kind would result in %ce1tering
at st. Paul practically all the business
from the rural centers Of North Da-
kota.
The audience by a standing vote
agreed to ship all their grain here.
after through the Equity Cooperative
Exchange, and later. in tAe same man
ner agreed to stand by St. Paul in
every legitimate way