Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-24
FARMERS TO TAKE
POLITICAL REINS
North Dakota Man Tells How
They Have Won Out in
His Own State.
MOVE HEADED THIS WAY

That the farmers will take the po-
litical reins of the state of Nebraska
into their own hands through an cx-
tension Of the activities Of the Farm
ers' Nonpartisan League movement, is
the belief of Ray McKaig, representa-
tive OF the Farmers Nonpartisan
League OF North Dakota, who spent
Friday in Omaha.
Mr.. MoKaig, who, in addition to
being the representative of the farm
ers' league, is also secretary Of the
state republican committee OF North
Dakota and state master OF the Farm
ers' Grange. came to Omaha from
Billings, Mont, to speak before the
National Farmers Equity Union con-
yention here Thursday night, but his
train was eight hours late and he
failed to arrive in time.
Mr.. McKaig was one Of the leading
spirits in the farmers nonpartisan
movement which swept North Dakota
at the last election, when the farmers
put their own men into Office from
lieutenant governor, state attorney
and the legislative tickets down to
coroner in many of the counties.
Farmers Control.
THE farmers OF North Dakota are
in complete control of the political
situation" said Mr.. McKaig. I'm
normal times the state is strongly
republican. In the spring primaries
the farmers captured the republican
party and in the fall election the farm
ers candidates were overwhelmingly
elected. Reason enough. The farm
ers in this state. are in the majority.
For years they have been treated like
a minority. Human nature could
stand no more. The farmers revolted
By sticking together as unit in
what is called the Farmers Nonparti-
san League they won complete VIC
tory and precipitated the greatest po-
liiical turnover this or any other
northwestern state has experienced
for years.
The fight was bitter one. Re-
sligion. nationality, every other divid-
ing spirit, was brought into play in
dcnunciation OF the farmers league.
But they all failed, the farmers won
out
Enlist the Farmers.
THE political dynamite which
started the farmers league was cx-
ploded but two years ago That is
the short time it took the North Da-
kota farmers to get control OF the
state politics. The various farmers
organizations of the state were enlist
ed to support the movement. A COM
mittee Of thirty-nine farmers was ap-
pointed to make the nominations. The
state was stumped and the argument
Of the farmers put before the people.
and victory was easy.
The movement has now spread
into Montana, South Dakota and Min
nesota,' continued Mr.. McKaig. 1T
is coming into Nebraska shortly.
]. d. Rcam OF Broken Bow, state
master OF the grange, has taken an
interest in it, as have heads OF other
farmers organizations II is bound
TO come"
Mr.. McKaig goes to Washington
January to speak before the Popu-
lar Government League, in which
Senator Norris Of Nebraska is an
,active member and also member
Of the executive committee.
Mr.. McKaig explains the victory of
Wilson in North Dakota, while the
state republican ticket was elected.
was due TO Roosevelt III we could
have muzzled and gagged Roosevelt
Hughes would have carried the state
he said, "Thc democrats actually
printed pamphlets containing excerpts
Of Roosevelt speeches for campaign
literature"