Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-18
FARMERS URGED TO
GET BEHIND u. S.
BY BUYING BONDS
Continued from Page ~

freest and most enlightened govern
ment in the world. Up to this time
the government has never asked
anything from US. Now il is ask
ing for our young men. who have
been freely given. Altho this re-
quest has taken the form of a draft
largely all but a few have gone
willingly. This money is needed
TO clothe and feed these boys of
ours. What would be the effect up
on these young men who are offer
ing their lives 10 the country if
the Liberty Loan was not sub
scribed. The effect upon them
would be very disheartening and
they would feel that when they of
fer their lives. we certainly ought
TO offer our money to the country
And mind you. this is not a gift,
but loan to the government. We
will not insult your intelligence by
telling you that ii is an absolutely
good loan.
In the judgment of this committee,
a failure to respond to this loan to
the extent of three million at least
means a prolongation OF the war.
We all wish the war to stop Mil
lions of men have been killed mil.
lions have been crippled for life,
millions of women and children are
daily suffering for the necessaries
of life. We know that you want
this war to stop and we believe that
if the loan is fully subscribed, the
central powers will realize that their
cause is lost and will then offer
terms of peace which the United
States will insist upon being ac-
cepted by the allies So that in the
judgment of this committee, your
subscriptions will assist in the
speedy ending of the war and the
stopping of all this sacrifice.
Again, many of the young farmer
men have been exempted from serv-
ice and the farmer ought to appre-
ciate this. Suppose you don't sub
scribe and you come into town some
Saturday and meet one of the poor
fellows who has lost his eye. or an
arm or leg You greet him,
sympathiZe with him, and suppose
he asks you what you had done
what would your answtr be? Five
hundred dollars will support a sol
der for year. Would you not like
to say, Young man. ! supported
you for one year while you were
abroad If You only took $3.50.
you could say to him, II clothed you
and | equipped and | armed you"
We believe that the farmer is as
true lover of his country as any
other class. but the fact is shown
actually by subscriptions, that the
farmer is not responding as freely
as other classes of the community.
We who realize the important fac
tor that the farmer is in this COM
munity and every community hopes
that the subscriptions from farm
ers will be so large as to refute the
charge sometimes brought against
them that they are not patriotic
We know the charge is false
You may not have marketed your
crops and may not have the ready
money to pay for bond, but we
assure you that you can go to your
bank, borrow the money to make
your subscription upon the usual
terms and pay your note whenever
you get ready to sell your crops.
These bonds are not subject to
any town, county or state taxation
whatever, If you buy up to the sum
OF $4,000 and under. there is no
federal taxation, and If these bonds
follow the history of all other
United States bonds, they will i'm.
mediately, when the war is over
be sold at a premium Another
thing, if at any time you wish to
cash them after the first excitement
Is over there will be no doubt but
what you can cash them at par at
any bank If you need the money.
The statement appears in today's
paper made by the president of the
Merchants Loan & Trust Company
of Chicago, as follows
The one weak spot in the situation
is the attitude of the farmers; they
will not buy Liberty Bonds.
As above stated. the statistics
show that you are not buying Lib
erty bonds. except in insignificant
quantities Here in Ottawa, wild.
oWs, labOrng men and boys and
girls are buying bonds.
Now is the time 10 show your pa.
triotism and the way to show it is
not by talk but by subscribing for
bonds.
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