The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-20
In The Open Forum
A Column Devoted TO the Task of
Keeping Up With North Da~
kota Editors.

The LidgerwOod BrOadax devotes a
column to The Forums comment on
its store editorial, this week..
Like all other attempts to defend
the store program the main point is
obscured, and only one paragraph is
worthy of mention. Here it is:
Thus we find in answer No. l,
that the farmers are not to run
these stores. Well, neither are
the stockholders in The Forum
running The Forum. They have
placed that operation in the
hands of efficient and skillful
men, who know the newspaper
, business.
1t happens that the stockholders of
The Forum are actively in charge of
the paper, but we will waive that
point. The stockholders of any
ordinary business enterprise elect
their managers. But the farmers
who pay money to start the stores,
and who should be stockholders but
are not. have no voice whatever in
the management. The situation
would be analogous TO the present
managers of The Forum, for example,
starting a newspaper by collecting
800 apiece from potential sub
scribers for the right to buy the pa
per by paying the usual subscription,
and then starting the newspaper with
that money allowing the subscribers
no voice whatever in the manage
ment, and giving them no returns
but the right to subscribe at the
usual rates, for the newspaper.
There's your comparison if you want
a comparison. Let's keep the issue
clear and stick to the point.
The Wahpeton Times discusses
patriotism as follows:
Be an out-spOken, able bodied,
square toed American. Don't be
a doubter, a shuffler or a Stacker.
Be for the flag and the Presi-
dent and the army and the navy
and the country. Be active and
positive and militant.
Don't waste your time talking
about what might have been"
Nail as lies all stories intended to
palsy effort or divide patriotism.
Don't blither about the horrors
of war and the folly Of bloOdshed.
That's what the Kaiser should
have thought about before he
started it; leave it to him nov
for his nightmare.
Realize that this is a life and
death proposition. Are you with
us OF bkhlGlSL US arc YOU BbAlAE
forward or are you retreating? If
You are going forward. let it be
full tilt, and manfully. Don't
merely do your "bit''-do your
best. Say to the enemy as Mac
Duff said to Macbeth: II have no
words! Ny voice is in my sword,
thou bloodier villain than terms
can give the out!"
The Lisbon Free Press thinks Nc
AdoO has his hands full, and says so
as follows:
McAdoo may be a fine execu-
tive but when he attempts TO
master the many details con-
nected with the treasury and the
finances of the country and add
to this the dictatorship OF the ma
TONS railroad system, (mOre than
any one mans task) il would
seem the limit of his personal
responsibility and ability would
be reached. But no he wants a
$500, 900 900 appropriation from
congress to finance industries
that need help. and he proposes
to name the directors. McAd0o
must be regular "Poobah."
The Mandan Pioneer asks this
pertinent question:
II you have read the Townley
bankruptcy testimony, pardon US,
but who Is the owner Of The
Fargo Courier Eews2
The Grand Forks Herald has this
comment on the credit balance Of the
farmer:
In the effort TO convince the
farmer that he. above all other
human beings, Is abused and
downtrodden, emphasis is placed
on the fact that he owes q great
deal of money. We are told that
after raising good crops for
quarter Of q century the farmers