The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-07-11
Will START
A BACK-FIRE

Alarmed at the Spread of the
Farmers Movement Big Busi-
ness Will Attempt to Head It
OFF.
NO CAMPAIGN MATERIAL.
Secretary Lane is Arranging to
Provide Returning Soldiers
and Sailors With Reclamation
Project Land.
Washington, D. c., July o.
Big Business is about to hum
BILE itself, get down to the soil
and investigate the rumor that
the farmers have grievance.
The Chamber of Commerce of
the United States has authorized
the appointment of a committee
! of five of it's members to investi-
gate the complaints of the farm
ers and report.
That the move is merely for
the purpose of furnishing cam
paign material to oppose the de-
mands of the organized farm
ers may be judged from the fact
that North Dakota is not sche-
duled to be included in the in
vestigation. Or, it may possibly
be that North Dakota farmers
are not supposed to have any
grievances since they control
their own governor and legisla-
! ture. Or, if they have any now,
the committee may think that
they will have vanished by the
time the investigators get
around.
The committee members must
have big farming interests and
must also have business relation
ships that, will enable them to
see both sides clearly. Of course
no renters or small men with
eighty acres, a team of mules
and a mortgage will be placed on
the committee, for they would
not have the business relations
necessary to an impartial view.
Investigations are to be car
(1ied on in Minnesota, Georgia,
Iowa, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Farmers with grievances in 9TH
er states may grieve in silence
and make complaint to the moon.
The committee is to attend meet
ings of the Nonpartisan league
and to follow to their source
complaints that seem to be we'll
founded. Doubtless this will be
done for the purpose of showing
the farmers that their grievance
Ees are after all, imaginary.
| An inquiry at the headquart-
ers of the United States Cham
Der of Commerce brought no
light on the subject. Mr.. Thorpe,
who is editor of their magazine,
''The Nations Business" was
exceedingly non-committal, al
though quite ready to retail all
of the stories sent out from Min
nesota by Big Business. He was
sure that the farmers of Mime
sofa We're disloyal and that there
was no truth in the stories that
deportations of league members
in Rock county.
! Mr.. Thorpe does not believe
that the farmers should en-
deavor to control the govern
ment. He thinks that would lead
to class legislation. He does not
believe that the business and
professional men in the various
Chambers Of Commerce would
tolerate any wrongs against the
farmers in their communities.
It is under such auspices that
the investigation is about to take
place. That it will be of any
value to the real farmers may
be doubted. but that it will be
used to boulster up Big Business
may be taken for granted.
Plans are being worked out by
Secretary Lane of the Interior
Department to connect Uncle
Sans soldiers and sailors with
the public domain when they re-
turn from the war after peace
is declared.
Every country is planning to
provide land for their defenders
as q sort Of shock absorber to
take care Of the vast armies that
will be turned back into the
channels Of industries. England,
France, Australia and Canada
have been considering land pro-
jects for soldiers in various parts
Of their wide domains.
In this cna1ntrv after the civil