The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-09-15
Farmers Give up Cash
Vague Premise 0i Possible Benefits
From Future Legislation Cause

ped in and asked YOU to give them
Sl6 for the purpose OF building
good roads in your vicinity and
that the money would all be spent
in your neighborhood and the roads
built would save you much money
in the course Of years, but they
wanted SIC from each person for
actual expenses. would you give
them the money? Proably not.
If three or four strangers drove
up to your place in autoes and told
you they represented farmers
society to be organized in the state
and that when the society was
powerful enough, if it ever may,
it was going to elect governors and
state officers and get you some
legislation of which you didn't
know whether you wanted or not,
and that it would cost you SIG to
join, would you give them the $l6-
many have done it.
Now the first proposition is rea-
sonable and the second one is not
even a good betting proposition,
but strange as it may seem large
number of farmers in this vicinity
have jumped at it and cheerfully
surrendered SIG to a bunch Of
strangers they never saw before
and probably will never see again
and the only thing they have for
their money is a promise to try and
secure benefits which are theirs
free for the asking.
A couple Of weeks ago number
of plainly dressed strangers made
their headquarters in Summit.
They did not divulge their business
and each day drove out in couple
Of Ford cars. They did not
patronize the barber and wore
boards of several days growth.
They were made up to represent
farmers. They convassed several
townships in this vicinity and here
is their scheme
They claimed to represent the
Non Partisan League which has
been in operation in North Dakota
and that they were going to or
ganize a similar league in South
Dakota. The League is to be a
strictly farmers affair and it is to
endorse and vote for farmers for
office, OF men who will vote as the
League directs. These men who
are TO be elected to office are to be
pledged 10 vote for certain legisla-
tion which the League desires. To
organize the League and conduct a
campaign 50 year or SIC for two
years is demanded each farmer
These fellows claim that the farmer
has been the victim Of the merchant
the banker and the politician, and
through the League he is to be
emancipated. A paper, called the
Non Partisan Leader, published in
North Dakota, is given to the
farmer. These fellows vaguely
hint that packing houses, co-opera-
tive stores and elevators are the
ultimate purpose Of the League.
The Independent is not going to
condemn this society, but is going
to give some Of the things it has
picked up SO farmers can make up
their minds whether they will get
their moneys worth.
One farmer tells us that he in
quired of these fellows as to what
the Sic would be spent for and he
was informed they had bought loo
Ford cars to ride around in and
they must be paid for and that in
this farmers township, which is a
small one, they expected to get
$1,000. That they did not expect
to do any thing this year, but two
years hence they would be ready
for business.
Another farmer informs us that
they offered him $40 per day to
accompany them and help get
\ IHelIlDeIS.
A travelling man claims to have
overheard conversation between
one Of these fellows and his wife
The wife wanted to go back to
Chicago, but this Lacquer inform.
ed her he had struck too sofia snap
that he made S33 for his share that
day and had plenty more in sight
Says a prominent farmer: The,
came to me when busy and showed
the names Of other farmers who
had joined and without much
thought | went in and gave then
a check dated ahead, but | have
stopped payment on it. | do no
know just what they promised t,
dc, only they were going to ge
legislation,
Similar testimony could be re
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