The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-17
GO DOWN The
Line" PLEADS
Lynn FRAZIER
Governor Sounds Keynote
of Nonpartisan Meeting
This Afternoon
LADD SAYS BREAD
PRICES CUT DOWN
Would Have Been so Cents
Loaf BY Next Spring,
He Thinks

Gov Lynn ]. Frazier in his OPEN
1 ing address to the consumers and
producers at the mass meeting held
in the Fargo auditorium this after
noon, sounded the keynote of the
convention that the administration
should go down the line" in fixing
prices.
I've are all consumers and pro-
ducers," said the governor, land we
meet here on q common ground to-
day to place the proposition squarely
and fairly before our representatives.
If we are to get action or any as
sistance for the working and COM
mon people we must take action in
a body"
The governor made a plea for all
the farmers of North Dakota to at
tend the st. Paul conferences. He
stated there would be IS or 40 speak
ers of national repute during the
three days.
The governor took poll of the
number who expected to attend. This
showed about 125. 1t is expected the
number will be increased to $50 or
IT'S tonight.
All have made reservations, with
the exception of about so.
During the early part of the after
noon a "fashlight" was taken of the
crowd which filled the main floor.
The first four, tiers Of seats in the
galleries were also filed. a.E
DR.. Laid Speaks.
DIR. e. F. Ladd, president of the
agricultural college, was the second
speaker, following the remarks of the
governor.
DIR. Ladd declared that the govern
ment, by taking control of the food
situation, had made a beginning in
the elimination of speculation and
manipulation Of food prices.
1T was proper and natural that
congress should consider wheat, the
recognized staff Of life, but 1t would
have been, it seems to me, equally
wise to have included, specifically,
many other things, such, for example,
Steel cotton, corn, rice and other
basic articles essential for mans dali
~ needs, and the costs of some of
these must be an important factor in
regulating the price of farm machin-
cry" said the speaker.
Had the government not taken
steps to prevent the conditions
previously prevailing. in my judg-
rnent. after forcing wheat as low as
possible. we should have the specu-
latlon ana gampIlng lnnatiOn Lnat
would force wheat TO an unheard Of
price and before spring bread might
.have gone to soc per loaf. If not
higher. In fact. in North Dakota
this summer bread has actually re-
tailed as high as 22.7c Ter pound and
this too from flour produced from
wheat purchased from the farmer at
a price not exceeding $3.50 on the
average and in the majority of in-
stances in North Dakota at a price
less than S1.00 for the 1915 crop.
For the committee, that was en-
trusted with the fixing Of prices for
wheat for the 1917 crop, ] want TO say
that they worked consistently and in
an honest endeavor to fix a price
fair to all classes. The representa-
tives OF labor were there to see that
the consumer got a loaf OF bread at
a reasonable price, but they were
not familiar with the cost OF produce
ton under existing conditions. On
the other side those familiar with
the farmers problems were DESTROYS
OF so protecting him that a good
acreage of wheat should be ensured