The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1916-05-11
REAL GOLD Mine
IN NORTH DAKOTA
SUCH Is WORD SENT BACK TO
SPOKANE BY LEADERS

0OSk1 40 WOND OENl 0ANn ~
SPOKANE BY LEADERS
The Bunch Of Imported Socialists
Milking the Farmers Have
Struck Real Pay Streak
The two men mentioned in the ar
ticle below, Messrs. r. B. Martin and
d. c. Coates, are strong leaders Of
the Nonpartisan movement in this
state. Mr.. Martin is the one credited
with conceiving the idea, and Of fur
nishing the brain power in work Of
organization. Mr.. Coates is editor Of
the Nonpartisan Leader, the mouth
piece of the organization published at
Fargo.
(From Bismarck Public Opinion)
Spokane, WASH, May 3.-(Special
dispatch to the Public Opinion.) To
Brother" r. B. Martin, ex-preacher,
farmer for one year, cooperative
warehouse promoter, and more re-
Gently Socialist lecturer, is given the
credit in Spokane for opening up the
new field for exploitation in North Da-
kota. Martin was engaged last sum-
mer for series Of lectures by the
North Dakota farmers organization.
After surveying the field he saw great
er possibilities than the state of Wash
lington had yet afforded and then OPEN
ed negotiations for the entry Of
David c. Coates of Spokane into the
field. At that time Coates was in q
campaign for election as city COM
missioner in Spokane, on the outcome
Of which hung his decision as to the
North Dakota venture. The election
went against Coates, and few days
afterwards he announced his intention
Of quitting Spokane and shifting to q
new base, which he did, without
further delay. With Coates have
gone Oliver C. Morris, Herbert CASTOR
and Ralph Harmon, newspapermen Of
Spokane, employed to uncover the
tracks Of the so-called willy politicians
Of North Dakota.
The North Dakota Gold Mine"
From time to time since the DEPART
ure Of Coates and Martin from Spo-,
kane reports have been received here
Of the "gold mine" uncovered by Mar
tin and Coates in the farmers organ
ization Of North Dakota. Stories Of a
bank account contributed by farmers,
ranging from 100000 to s5o0,ooo,
have been whispered by Coates con-
fidential friends, who have freely
predicted that he will make "kill-
ing" before returning here, if he ever
comes back. The Mechanical equip
ment Of defunct newspaper at Seat
tie has been purchased through the
agency Of one A. w. Swenson, of
Seattle, q former Coates henchman,
who went to North Dakota to erect
the plant. Swenson on his return
stopped for day or two in Spokane
and amazed Coates old-time followers
by his stories Of the big things his
former chief was about to unload on
the unsuspecting voters of North Da-
kota.
Varied Career of Coates
D. c. Coates for twenty years has
lived by various movements in which
he has posed as the champion of the
laboring classes. He first attracted at
tention in Colorado, where he was
elected acknowledgements under
Bloody Brides Waite in a fusion of
lPopulists, Socialists, and other dissat-
isfied elements. After awhile the Col
orado workingmen had their eyes
opened. They realized that they had
been exploited by Coates and his sun
soon set in that state.
Coates was next heard from at Wal
lace, Idaho, where he turned up as the
editor Of mining paper. Here he
associated with the most radical ele-
ments. and soon ascended to a posi-
tion Of leadership. Then the Stunen-
berg murder in Idaho occurred,
Coates name was drawn into the case
by Harry Orchard, the star witness,
and Coates soon found Wallace not
to his liking. He disposed Of his pa
per in Wallace and about 1907 turned
up in Spokane.
A Good Organizer
Coates first work in Spokane was
IS editor Of the Labor World, a
weekly newspaper ostensibly publish
ed in the interests Of the labor unions.
Coates with his usual power Of organ
ization soon gathered around him q
following Of trusted lieutenants, with
whose aid he secured control of the
central labor council. From this
Coates spread his way into q number
OF local unions until about 1910 he
had the most formidable political or
ganization, ostensib,y conducted IS 4