The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-06-22
TO THE CITIZENS OF NORTH DAKOTA:

TO THE CITIZENS OF NORTH DAKOTA:
The state of North Dakota today faces the great
proaching primary election will depend, IN very large
measure whether the state will retain its present po
sition the most prosperous state IN the Onlon OF
will enter upon an era of uncertainty and disaster
The statement that North Dakota is the most pros
porous state in the Union is open to question: 1t
is matter of record and Statistics CndIsputed Of
fetal records show that not only is North Dakotas
per pta production of products greater than else
where in the United States but that the returns from
these products have given to the people OF North "a
kota during the past year more dollars and cents
per individual than anywhere else on the continent
And because have among US no men OF very great
wealth. and because abject poverty such as IS 1ould
in the congested centers is unknown among u.s. the
wealth realized the result Of the activities of the
past few years is more evenly distributed IMAM IN any
other state.
PROSPERITY on THE FARM.
Our prosperity is the prosperity Of the farm. No
matter in what activity the citizen Of North Dakota
may be engaged his welfare depends directly on the
volume of agricultural products that North Dakota
produces and the returns received for those pro-
ducts Every industry in state related directly
to the farm, and depends exclusively upon 1t: ours
is great cooperative community, with agriculture
as its foundation and with all its other Industries
and occupations existing because they have been ere
ated and arranged to meet the needs and serve the
purposes of the farmer The man who tls the
fields, the local merchant who carries stock OF
goods for his use, the local banker who supplies him
credit the jobber who supplies the retailer, the arg
er bank which serves as reservoir tor the 1unos
which are needed from time to time by the smaller
banks, the mechanic who performs the necessary
work of his craft, and the professional who per
form the various duties which pertain to their calling
all parts of great system in which every part
is related every other part and all rest on the solid
basis of the fertility of SOIL the excellence OF our
climate and the industry and resourcefuness of all
people,
No member of this great community is Independent
of it; part section prosper unless the pros
perity is shared by all; and failure affect any
part without all being involved in the common dlsas-
ter The foater, the TRANSIENT the incompetent the
man who has no stake in the country and who is IN
no sense part of its common life may thrive for
time at the expense of the community in general; but
the welfare Of the man who really belongs in the
state is wrapped up in the prosperity Of the state
itself; and his welfare is the welfare of all.
THE NEED OF COOPERATION.
Because of the clear evidence in state such as
of the need of cooperation, work has been IN
progress for years to apply that principle in numer
activities of people. To this end there have
been established cooperative elevators, creameries
and cheese factories. In come cases cooperative
stores have been established, and have many
banks which, because of the general distribution of
ownership among members Of the local community
are, in principle cooperative. Much Of this work
has been experimental and not all of it has been i'm
medately successful. Inadequate capital lack of ex,
perence and in some cases the dishonesty of trusted
agents have placed many Of these enterprises in diff
fculties But, experience has been gained, more
effective methods have been employed, and nothing
is clearly established than that the
operation Of members of a community engaged in
like occupation is practical and profitable, not only
for the members themselves, but for all with whom
they have business relations.
The phenomenal prosperity Of the state and the
growing interest in the wise policy Of cooperation
provided an opportunity for group Of men who,
unsuccessful themselves in their efforts to acquire
wealth. looked with covetous eyes the prosperity
of Others and these men, shrewd resourcefu and un-
scrupulous, undertook to appropriate to themselves