Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-23
fugi that were threatening the whea
industry Of the state

fusl that We're threatening the Whea'
industry Of the state,
81 suggested that it was possibly a
mortgage proposition that they were
considering as the basis for our far.
mers' prosperity. The answer was
that farmers in North Dakota must
have money, and the only way they
can secure it is by mortgaging their
property. These mortgages have to be
sold, and through the influence of this
man Bolley, it is becoming increasing
ly difficult to find market for North
Dakota mortgages, ..a.
Left Meeting. iitE, q
81 left the meeting at this stage and
had no further relationship with the
organization Of the Better Farming
association. r
''As nearly as l can recollect, the
foregoing is in brief the sentiments
expressed at this conference.
after attending that meeting,
CHANGED to meet one of the most
prominent farmers in Minnesota, a
man in fact known all over tie north.
west, who warned me that the real
purpose Of the tfek4 who organized
the Better Farming association was to
ultimately gain control of the faculty
of the North Dakota agricultural col
lege and to GUST Professor Bolley
Professor Ladd and myself. thought
little Of it at the time but later when
Mr.. Cooper was placed in full charge
nf hn nol nj CT
ton, and in that position clothed with
full authority to supervise all the
bulletins of Professor Bolley and Pro
fessor Ladd, the remark came back
to me.
Recently l met this man in Mime
sofa. | saw him on the street for a
minute and he approached me and re-
marked in joking manner.
Well, what did tell you? Didn't
say they would get you?'
81 did not have the opportunity to
QUESTION him at that time put later
wrote and asked him to refresh his
memory and to tell me just what he
meant by his warning. This man sent
me the following letter with the re-
quest that | refrain from using his
name, but giving me permission to
make public the contents of the let
ter: 4
The Letter to Worst.
Feb. II, 1916. DR.. ]. H. Worst, Far
go, N. ID. Dear Sir:
was organized for the purpose of sup
erseding the farmers institutes and
controlling the extension work of the
agricultural college as beginning
and eventually to gain control of the
faculty of the college so as to make
il subservient TO their wishes.
The president, Professor Bolley and
Professor Ladd were especially OBJ
noxious to them. You, on account
of what they called your heresy in
advocacy of the cause of the farmers
Professor Ladd, on account of his pc
sition on the pure food question and
Professor Bolley, on general prin
ciples.
} Another Letter.
: after thinking over this whole sit
uation and in order to get at the ex,
act facts l recently wrote to the man
who called upon me in 1911 bearing
the message of complaint from the
Minneapolis business men and asked
him If he would tell me just who il
was that he represented at that time
and the nature of the complaint that
was made | received the following
reply:
soIley PessiTnistic.
"'P L. Howe of Minneapolis, Mimi,
called my particular attention TO an
article in the daily newspapers sign
ed by Professor Bolley, which was
very pessimistic.a
81 was requested by him at that
time to see you as president of the
college and ask you to have such ar
ticles kept out of the newspapers I'M
der scare headlines. l was also asked
to see Mr.. Plumley of The Forum and
request him to refrain from publish
ing such articles.
They could not fail to leave bad
impression with eastern parties who
had been, were then, or contemplated
making either loans or investments in
our state.
Il also had personal friends OF
mine in the twin cities refer to these
articles and they asked me, what is
the matter with Bolley or with our
state or with Worst that he don't put
a stop to such harmful articles in the
papers. | saw YOU upon arrival in