The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1918-01-03

Ray McKaig Locates at Boise
Explains Plans; Praises
Presidents Grain
Policy.


Ray McKaig, field secretary foi
the National Nonpartisan league
has moved to Boise with his fam
lily, to stay here till the end of the
coming political campaign. He
has just resigned the state master
ship Of the Farmers range in
North Dakota, to devote all his
time to the Nonpartisan leauge.
The grange convention which met
at Bismarck last week, was fea-
tured by strong resolutions pass
ed, indOrsing the Nonpartisan
league political work. Mr.. Me-
Kaig was the speaker who brot
the league to Idaho last winter at
the Farmers Feredation of Agri-
culture and the State Equity con
vention. The league was invited
in the state by these two conven-
tions. Mr.. McKaig will make
Boise his headquarters in the
spreading of the league movement
in these northwestern states.
What is the idea of your Non
partisan league Z" Mr. MeKaig
was asked.
Tour idea is to put ideals into
politicss We intend to destroy
the professional politician. We
want to break down the old party
lines; we want men to vote for
principle and the clean man. We
refuse to recognize that any bunch
of politicians has the right to put
a slate in the field and say vote
it from top to bottom. Our idea
is a clean deal for all. F"
cit is to make more fair taxa
ton and to provide a way for the
producer to get the produce to the
consumer with the least possible
cost. The government figures out
that it costs so cents ON every dol
lar for farmer to market his pro-
duce. This so cents, of course,
covers freight, storage, speeulat-
or's profit and milling charges
until the consumer receives the
food That gouge is too much.
ssThe consumer pays too high |
and the producers gets too little
We want the government to build |
storage plants and the terminal
elevators, and a few flour mills,
like they do In Louisiana, in the
countries in Denmark, New Tea
land and IN Canada, so that the
farmers may have better market
ing facilities.
Our idea is to get behind Pres
ident Wilson's plan in standard
ling the produce of the farmer.
That was the best thing which Mr..
Wilson ever did for us-was this
year when the price of wheat was
established at 1920. Of course,
that reduced our profit some, but
we figured it put the grain gamb- II
lers about out of Business. Now
when this war is over, we are go
ing to back up the president In j
declaring the price Of wheat must /
be established again. What ca I
lamity it would be to the general II
public, if next year, without any
establishment OF price, the grain 1
gamblers beat us again and the
price Of wheat put up to 81 or s. ,
a bushel. Farmers are not hog y
gish. They would prefer a stand
ard price year after year and \
make just returns from capital :
and labor invested rather than !
getting a big price one year and h
a poor price the next. One Of the i
ultimate aims of our league, then. +
is to make farming a practical
and sure investment of time and
money all over these northwestern
states" 10
els the Non-partisan league Il
over the country ~ 4!
eyes. # il spreading so rand d
y that we cannot keep up with It. a a
Ne are already in IA states and ii
ould be in % if we had enough
II