The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1916-03-31
THE NO-PARTY MEETING

On Thursday of last week there was a
meeting at the city hall called by the
Non Partisan League and addressed by
Mr.. Williams, la. worker who has been
operating in this county during the fsll
and Winder months. The Pioneer Elk.
press was invited to send a reporter and
this writer attended the meeting in that
capacity.
There were about seventy. five persons
present. mostly farmers, as business men
and citizens. were not present in large
numbers.
d Mr. Williams is..a good specimen of the
average stump speaker. He has good
voice and knows how to speak his peice,
AS to the substance of his remarks sit
was just what people like, who like that
sort of thing"
We have not the time or space of
course to give the address of an hour or
more in these columns. We will how.
ever, try to give the doctrines and plat.
form and plans of this non party in brief
as we caught them from the speaker.
They are about as follows:-
That for forty years the legislature has
been in the hands of the "other fellows"
That all legislation has been manipu.
lated for these "other fellows and with
out regard to the peculiar interests of
the farmers.
| That farmers have and should there.
fore form non-political body and see
that. only farmers are elected as state
and legislative officials.
That in time this organization would
include all farmers in the United States
who would then govern the whole Uuit.
ed States.
That the immediate and pressing needs
of the farmers in this state we're termin-
al elevators, compulsory hail insurance,
rural credit banking system, single land
tax, packing house and stock yards.
incidentally. to the terminal elevator,
that farmers should grade their own
wheat; fix the price and also receive fair
pay for "dirt' mixed with grain. That
the system of rural credits should be
based on government credit bonds at
two or three per cent on grain stored in
public state warehouses and said grain
to be held until the prices are satisfac-
tory to the farmers. .sstaf3- ..,... -
Financially, the speaker said that for
every six or nine dollars that the mem.
bers pay to the organization they would
receive hundreds and thousands of dol:
lars in return through the proposed
Legislative enactments.
That the trade Unions il the elite.
lind that heavy Menthly ises are good
paying 'n!',estment, though farmers will
only have to pay this once.
Speaking OF the extent and financing
Of tAe organization the speaker, detailed
the work of very large Office force at
Fargo and a 10000 dollar newspaper
plant that published paper four times
bigger than any other paper in the state.
That there were ninety.three ,automo'
biles now in store ready to start out as
soon as the weather opens up for sum
NOR campaign; and that it would take
$500 in postage to send one letter to each
member.
! From .nese and similar statements the
speaker deduced the fact that the farm
ers for the first time ii history had the
"steam roller" going Under their contro
and chat they PROPOSED to crush all op
position as fat se pancakes.
\ Some general remarks were to tn
, effect, 1--WE want legislation SO tha
| farmers Can make some money AZ vel
/ as the other fellows," "lawyers writ
the flaws and then We have TO hir
Q lawyers to tell US what The LAWS mean,
Q 'Farmers can write laws ia plain Eng
, tlish that will need no explanation.
y "Politicians appeal to ptejudices.'
;. The rules Of the organization bar q
o but actual farmers from regular men
}. bership. "Busiuess men" may howevs
,. pay tho required tee ;sud join as "hono
II lsry" members, but have no vote. IT
n speaker advised business men to procul
Isuch certificates snd past them up
It that tho farmers would know with Who
10 to deal,-and that farmers should n
would deal Only with their friends.