New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-20
Liberty Loan Cut
By Non-Partisans
In North Dakota
Cry of Erich Mans War"
Cause of Farmers Fail
ure to Subscribe

States will find Its most surprising and
significant Liberty Loan development
in the 9th Federal Reserve District, IL
is believed, and in the states Of North
Dakota and Montana. Pending definite
figures il now appears that North Da-
kota, assigned by the Federal Reserve
Board TO raise SIC, 400, 900, actually has
raised about s2,500,000 Montana, as
signed to raise s7,5O0,O 900, has checked
in With sl50Oo.0oO.
IL Is obvious, OF eourse. vnas .nere
must be some great basic reason for
such an astonishing difference. Few
people in the East perhaps know what
it is. although it presents an impor-
tant phase in the nations political life
that now is brought into view by the
Liberty Loan.
Montana is a prosperous state, but
not more so than North Dakota. Cop
per, cattle, sheep and high-priced grain
have benefited Montana, but no state
in the Union has reaped such great
profits from the high graf and cattle
prices that have ruled as North Dakota.
II is not a question at all Of COMPARE
tive inability TO subscribe.
Increased Their Acreage
II is true that North Dakota farmers,
at the behest of the government, did
early in April, when the propaganda
was on, increase their acreages con-
siderably and borrowed money to do it.
| But that is not the reason North Da-
kota fell down on the Liberty Loan.
There are hundreds Of North Dakota
farmers who have profted enormously
by high priced wheat and fiaxseed and
| other products. that own farms of $50
or 500 and 1000 acres and are indie
pendently rich. who have not bought
even a $50 Liberty bond.
The Nom Partisan League has its
| home in North Dakota. IL is the only
state in the Union that the league con-
trolls. Lynn Frazier, Governor, was
elected by the league last November
and put into Office in January. The
league is also strong in Western Min
nesota, and its leaders predict that II
will control Minnesota within another
year.
The granger" movement Of tho
eighties, the political philosophy OF
Pfeffer and Sockless Jerry Simpson, OF
Kansas, and the others of that time,
present, not an exact but fair paral-
lei of the non-partisan movement. The
Non-Partisan LEAGUE is particularly
antagonistic 60 the Chicago Board OF
Trade, South st. Paul Livestock tx
change, Minneapolis Chamber of Com
merce and Duluth Board of Trade, no.
to mention the New York Stock tx
change and the New York money
trust"
Called II Rich Mans Loan
II is not a thing TO be reckoned with
too lightly. 1t is quite within the posi-
| bilites that It will eventually control
! in Minnesota and South Dakota, and
/ that its influence will spread in Wis
consin, already a Populistic state, and
| the home of Senator La Toilette.
President A. W. Townley Of the
Non Partisan League, speaking through
/ North Dakota, pronounced the war
erich mans war" the Liberty Loan
erich mans loan" and criticised the
government up TO the line that MANY
here thought warranted governmental
action.
The development Of this Non-Par-
tisan League opposition TO the loan.
which was not expected, was intensely
disappointing TO Governor Theodore
Void and Chairman John II. Rich OF
the 9th District Reserve Bank, who
had built up a splendid organization
that. normally, should have run the
districts total far beyond its allot-
ment.
Minneapolis In eight days raised
$4,000, 600. where $4,000, 900 was asked;
St. Paul did even better, and Duluth,
Butte, Helena, Houghton, Great Falls
and other towns did well. But the
farmers would not buy the bonds.
Thousands Of farmers heard Townley
speak, at Devils Lake, jamestown and
other North Dakota points.
All his speeches and newspaper com
ment thereon went to the Department
Of Justice in Washington from the
Federal Reserve Bank.