The Dickinson press., 1917-06-16
RICH SHOULD
BEAR BRUNT D..
r.. r... OF WARFARE
Continued from Page ~

III OuuCC1 dllu CO1louIl1C1 11O1I1 OO1ludSS
and he declared this could be done by
governmental control of transporta-
ton and distribution of the necessi-
ties of life. Food gambling must be
wiped out, was his statement.
with wheat purchased at $3.50 q
bushel, flour could be manufactured
and sold at $11 a barrel and still yield
a reasonable profit. Instead, we pay
SIG and the end is not yet. And the
wheat from which SIG flour is made
was not purchased at even $3.50, but
was bought from the producer at even
less" said the league president.
Continuing, Mr.. Townley said;
Farmers of the country are willing
to raise as great crops as it is in
their power to raise, but they do not
care to do this for the purpose OF
turning all the profits over to the mid
dleman, making two millionaires
where but one grew before. We want
to use our food for democracy, not to
amass millions.
CONSUMPTION of Profits.
81 am strong for CONSUMPTION, not
Of $4,000 annually" stated the speak
er. 81 propose another registration
day, a little different from the one of
June 5, when every man in the United
States receiving profits of more than
$4,000 yearly would be forced to en-
roll, and donate every cent above that
amount to finance this great struggle
If we r not willing to give up our
profits, we should not expect others
to give up their lives"
Townley did not loosen a TRADE
against the Liberty bond sale, as
many had been led to expect he would,
though he declared that we should
pay as we go throughout the war. In
this connection he assailed congress-
men who he claimed are not repre-
senting the people. He claimed they
are not representative of their con-
stituency if they fail to advocate this
plan OF paying as we go, should not
be allowed to return to power, but
others should be elected who would
wipe out the debt and the evil from
which this policy springs.
Thomson Entertains.
O.. M. Thomson, league organizer,
was the first speaker of the afternoon.
Mr.. Thomason, seen from a back seat,
is a gentleman of Mephistophelean
appearance, with a beard which vi
brates and oscillates with emotion as
he warns to his theme. He spoke
feelingly on the virtues of the organi-
cation which he represents, and added
a variety house touch to his wares by
reciting or singing in a camp-meeting
tremolo a parody on John Browns
sad fate, having to do with the dire
future of certain persons, including
in the list some local members of the
last legislature. Mr.. Thomason is an
interesting performer, and we have
naught but kind words for his sketch,
When not engaged in singing, Mr.
Thomason talked, his address dealing
in greater part with house bill a. and
senate bill 314. He declared that prin-
ciple embodied in the former bill still
lives and that it will triumph in the
future. In this connection, he brought
out that the present constitution was
drawn when this state boosted a pop
ulation of only $4,000 and that it did
not meet requirements, in many ways
of the greatly increased populace OF
the state.
Senate bill 314, state weighing ano
grading act, Mr.. Thomson declared
was a measure which would save the
farmers from six to eight million dol
lars annually. To establish this point
he cited figures designed to show that
elevator men annually made large
profits from the farmers. Statistics
given by him showed that elevator
men in a number Of towns of the state
every year sold more grain than they
bought, and Mr.. Thomson remarked
that an elevator appeared to be a
splendid place to grow grain, as that
seemed to be the only explanation
possible for the state of affairs which
existed.
J. w. Brinton, former Slope news
paper man, followed Mr.. Thomason
He contended that, contrary to asser-
tons Of opponents of the league, who
claim that the organization fosters
class hatred, that it is the first organ
ization in the state to do away with
class legislation. He cited benefits
of organization among newspaper men
of the state, and also of lawyers and
bankers. Mr.. Brinton took occasion
to slam local legislators also, telling
in this connection his chestnut story
to illustrate his contention.
f, Bowen Three Times at Bat.
Mr.. Bowen appeared three times,
his scheduled appearance being after
Mr.. Brinton. Mr.. Bowen devoted a
large portion Of his discourse to a
meeting of Representative farmers
at Grand Forks for the purpose of
organizing the Anti-No n-Partisan
Union and ridiculed at length efforts
to establish an opposition organiza-
ton. He asserted that the only thing
that they could bring up as an argu-
ment against the league, was that he.
one of the organizers, was cock-eyed,
He wound up with a fervid %peroration,
in which he declared that the farmer
was guilty of treason who would side
with the political pirates who were
trying to start another organization,
He explained that the league intended
making this state the best to farm in
and live in, and declared that it was
brought into being by the desire to
ecure justice for tillers. of the soil
and legitimate business.
Mr.. Bowen bobbed up again at the
conclusion Of Mr.. Townley's talk with
some more binder statistics, in an eff
fort to refute statement that local
dealers were selling binders as cheap
az is the cooperative elevator. He
commended that the local merchants are
selling for $40 more than is charged
by the elevator, and if they are not
that the elevator has been responsible
for the keeping down of prices. And
then again Mr.. Bowen, in conclusion
After a short tale in humorous vein
he read a resolution, asking for the