The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-29

reserve banking system. The COR
respondence we had with United
States Treasurer John Burke was
published far and wide, and even in
magazines Of national circulation.
/ But few farmers took advantage of
the success at that time, but the
mere fact that the money was avail
able sent prices up. and paid a man
nearer what his labor was worth.
And / think that the best service
a newspaper can render to it's farm
err readers is to protect them wher-
Il ever possible. III this store PROPOSE
| ton looked honest and above-board,
it would be all right. But it doesn't.
Suppose came to you and said that
wanted to start a store and asked
you to give me 500, and asked two
| or three hundred other farmers to
| each give me the same amount. Sup
pose / told you that I wouldn't give
you stock for your money, but you
could trade at my store, and If went
| out Of business inside Of ten years
would return your money--if had
lit-after charging you ten dollars for
each year the store was in existence.
Further, suppose / said frankly that
/ was going to raise twenty or thirty
thousand dollars, but would put only
nine thousand of it in the store, and
wanted the rest for other purposes.
What sort Of darned fool would you
call me?
/ hold nothing against the Nom
partisan league except its leaders.
And they have Dragged openly, all
over the United States, that they
came into North Dakota penniless,
but found il easy to collect six dol
lars each from the farmers, then nine
dollars, and then sixteen dollars; I'M
til an idea has grown that the farm
ers OF the state are a sort Of gold
mine. It has also been said that the
men who pay dues and furnish the
funds for the Nonpartisan league
have nothing whatever TO do with
the management; there are no local
organizations from which delegates
are elected; there never has been a
convention for the election Of Of
ficers. These things have been
noised about until every gold brick
artist and confidence man looks on
the farmer as an easy victim.
hold no brief for ''big business"
The Nonpartisan league may have no
connection with the new confidence
game. II you do not know the board
Of directors-go slow.
The man in the city L. interested
in your life and happiness; maybe
ship. Ask his advice, or talk It over
with your friends. Two or three
heads are better than one, especial
ly where money is concerned.
The Dickey County Leader: When
anybody tells us that the farmers Of
Dickey county land that goes for the
farmers of the state as welD can be
induced to give hundred dollars for
the mere privilege Of trading at a
certain store, receiving no better
service, and getting no better goods
than can be purchased at any store,
we want to go on record as saying
that somebody is mistaken-or in
sane. ...
Granting that this wild tale is
true, for sake OF argument, IL the
agreement entered into was, on its
face, a good thing for the subscriber,
but contained a concealed Joker, a
certain small percentage Of the peo-
pie of North Dakota might be taken
in. But according to The Forums
story, the agreement which must be
signed isn't even sugar-coated-it
plainly and badly states that the
subscriber gives away a hundred |
dollars for a ten-cent certificate and |
the privilege Of buying at the COM
pany's store. No, Forum: such A |
plan might be put across on the in
mates Of the home for feeble mind |
ed, but not on the substantial BUSH |
ness-farmer OF North Dakota. II the |
whole matter is a hoax, we are pre- |
pared to laugh. II The Forum is |
serious, and really believes that such |
plan could ever succeed among
well educated people IL sadly under
estimates the intelligence Of our
farmers.