The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-01-17
MILLS GAVE TWO
LEAGUE ADDRESSES
Distinguished NOnpartisan Speaker
Appeared Before Large Crowds of
Farmers and Others at Two
Meetings Tuesday.

Il dIulc anu OLNcTS az lWO
Meetings Tuesday.
Walter Thomas Mills. of Berkeley,
California, the distinguished Nonpar-
tisan speaker, addressed two large
audiences here Tuesday afternoon
and evening. The afternoon meeting
was held in the Sons of Norway hall
and the evening meeting was schedule
ed for the Odd Fellows hall on North
Main street,, but it was seen that in
order to accommodate the large crowd
who had assembled that larger quar-
tiers must be secured and the Grand
theatre was engaged for this meeting.
1t is conservatively estimated that
fully 800 farmers, many accompanied
by their wives, were in attendance.
A large number of the town people
also gathered to hear the issues of the
League discussed. In no respect were
the crowds disappointed. Mr.. Mills,
while diminutive as to size, is a pow
erful speaker, and his years of study,
travel and investigation have given
him breadth Of view and an insight
into the trend Of events that is seldom
found among those who champion the
rights of the common people. Some
undoubtedly came out of curiosity,
as one of the local papers had pub
lished an article characterizing the
speaker as unpatriotic and disloyal,
mentioning Kate Richards O'Hare as
being disciple of the Mills doctrine.
His opening statements at the after
noon meeting left no doubts in the
minds of his auditors as to his 10y
atty.
In the afternoon, Mr.. Mills was in
troduced by C. o. Carlson, and at the
evening meeting, r. w. Beighle, q
prominent Sawyer farmer.
"The war;" he said, "is the same
kind of a problem only on a world
scale to see who'll have the stick. If
you doubt this read Mr.. Wilson's ad-
dress before the federation"
The producer is forced to sell in
competitive markets, he illustrated,
and when buying must buy from the
trust, where the price may be boosted
to any price and which is commonly
known as monopoly. To eradicate this
he said the private producers must
have more power in the legislature
and courts of justice.
In speaking of public ownership he
said that the government must either
run the steel mills or allow the suee
mills to run the railroads, for the steel
mills furnish the product necessary
for rail traffic. The wealth accumulat.
ed by the people should not be taxed
he said, but the organized industries
(which have been run for the benefit
of the grafters," should bear the bur
den.
In support Of the farm owned ele
vators he declared that one million
dollars clear profit had been made il
one year by the flour corporations anC
the investment representing two mil
lion, had been realized in the same
year.
The individual use of collective
credit costs from s to 10 per cent ii
North Dakota, he said, while in Okla
homa it is one-third Of one per cen
and in some states less. That there
are as many as 1850 cases where
farm owners are compelled to get of
their land and then are allowed to re
turn as tenants, was declared by Mr.
Mills to he an annual occurrence.
He outlined some of the objection!
to the Nonpartisan league which are
advanced by it's enemies and asked
what would become of those who were
not farmers and so were not. entitled
to membership in it's organization
From this query he elaborated the
principle that all occupations which
deserve to exist must render service
The farmer who raises the food and
other supplies of the country, the or
CARNATIONS of men who transport
them from producer to consumer, the
miner who digs the ores from the
mines, the mechanic in the manufac
turing plants must all render service
for the cost which they add to the
commodities. These costs are legiti.
mate becaSse they are essential tc
the completion of the finished pro.
duct. He illustrated this by The
wheat grower and the orange grower
The land which will grow oranges
will not grow wheat so that the two
commodities must be produced by diff.
ferent individuals and be brought tc
the common consumer by transporta.
ton. The cost of carrying the one
commodity to the producer of the
other is part of the expenses which
the consumer must pay. So with the
mines. Coal has not been placed at
every mans door and it must be min
ed and transported from the point of
production to the point of consump-
ton and the expense is a part of the
final cost. The man who burns coal
could not go to the mine and dig it,
so there is developed class Of pro-
ducers in this industry who in turn
must be fed and clothed and housed
by those engaged in other industries.
All these industries render service for
the costs which they add to the COM
modities.
1t is the class Of persons who add
cost without service which must be
eliminated, the speaker stated, and
these are the ones who are complain
ing that the Nonpartisan league is an
illegal organization and an outlaw.
These critics assert, DR.. Mills declar-