Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-14
GRAND FORKS HERALD, TURDA APRIL Il, 1917.

have had no actual experience in
farming. but who had . theory work.
cd out whereby they could make two
blades Of grass grow where but one
grew before. These experts were
sent out by the railroads, chamber Of
commerce. bankers, machine .compan-
les and other big interests, telling us
how to do better farming; telling US
much interested in our raising bigger
CROPS.
"The railroads wanted more grain
to haul: tho chamber Of commerce
wanted to sell more grain: the bank
ers wanted to loan us more money,
and the machine companies wanted
to soil vi more machinery. All anx-
ious to soc US raise bigger crops, re-
gardless as to whether we got equita-
BILE prices for those crops or not.
They were perfectly willing to let
the big interests look after the law
making and marketing and to keep
subject Of raising bigger crops.
The farmers have felt for a long time
that they have not been getting q
square deal. They get their products
ready for the markets and they haul
them to town and ask the representa-
lives Of the grain combine or the
packing trust what they will give
them for those products. The farm
ers produce wealth and yet they have
wealth. Talk about the independence
Of the farmer! The farmers Of North
Dakota are getting tired Of working
just for exercise.
The High Cost Of living.
You hear a lot Of talk about the
farmer being responsible for the pres
emit high cost Of living. and about the
farmers getting enormous war profits.
It IL true that the farm products have
composed the larger part Of u great
commerce since the war began, but 1t
10 not tho farmers that get the war
prices.
"A year ago last fall I sold wheat
that tested s. pounds per bushel for
"a cents: good beef cattle for I cents
per pound: good hogs for I'VE cents
per pound. Where I live in North Da-
kota we raise a large amount Of po-
tatoes. and last September We receiv-
ID rs to 80 cents per bushel, and at
the ans time potatoes were selling in
Kansas City and Chicago for $3.50 to
31.76 per bushel.
What FaFmeeB Are Doing.
Nov what the farmers Of North
Dakota are trying to do ID to work
out . method Of handling or distri-
buting the farm products whereby we
can go ffty-hfty with the consumer:
whereby we can save this enormous
waste; whereby we can save the un-
necessary difference in the price the
producer receives and the price the
consumer pays.
In telling Of tho organization Of the
N~onpartisan league and the Equity
exchange, h governor said: Zone
OF the arguments used against US waa
that the price for our farm products
was hxed by the law Of supply and
demand. but this did not AXE well
with the farmers. for they had found
by actual experience that the law OF
supply and demand didn't always
control the prices Of our products.
farm products are regulated and fixed
BY the bulls and bears, the chamber
Of commerce and the board of trade.
Il 70 q lamentable fact that the prices
OF farm products that constitute the
daily food Of this nation should be
regulated by gamblers.
II believe that it is all wrong for
anyone to gamble in food products.
The gamblers and the chamber of
oommerc: Of MINNEAPOLIS and the
boards OF trade of Chicago and Wall
street are protected by law and back.
ed by millions Of dollars that have
been taken out of the pockets
Of the producers and consumers OF
this country. Why are they protected
by law? Because they control the
law-makers. and have controlled
them for years both in our state leg
islatures and In congress. Whose
fault 10 it that two per cent Of the
people In this country control sixt,
per cent Of the Wealth.
Franchise the Women.
''It IL time that we take an intorez'
IN politics: 1t 10 time that we VII ke
up. It 10 time that we elect men tt
ONCE that will honestly represent the
majority Of the people that elected
them; and II the men can't take
enough interest in public affairs tc
clean things up, let us franchise the
women and let them try it. There il
one thing sure-they can't make am
worse fist Of 1t than the men have
done.
Dot EN- Go To Work.
The time has come when a change
70 necsssary and a readjustment mus
be made; a change in our system o,
marketing and distribution must be
brought about. A travelling salesman
told me last summer that it was al
wrong for tho farmers to organic,
and get the state to put up elevators
hour mills and packing plants. H,
said 1t would work a hardship upor
these mon who now make a living b,
handling our products. I told him i
would DO too bad II We put some O.
these commission men and produc.
gamblers out Of business; that I would
not be sorry IL they had to 70 to worl
for q living.
I'VE want you men in the east Il
cooperate with us. We can raise {
great abundance Of agricultural pro.
ducts in North Dakota ana in the 9th.
or middle west states, and we want .
direct market for them here in tn,
east. We want you to arrange for 1
buying agency through your state o,
city. or both. There 10 no reason VIII
the prices Of products should b
multiplied four or five times between
North Dakota and New York,
- Tho Nonpartdsan Ballot
II believe that the only sure and
practical method Of bringing about
the necessary reforms that will .worl
for h betterment Of the producer
and consumer alike. is the intelligent
oommon-sense use OF the nonpartisar
ballot. The unbought, Independent,
ballot, i~ntellisently voted, is the great.
est power in the nntion foAavs "