The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-09-05
Letters from the People
Editor Courier Reporter:

i
Editor Courier-Reporter:
wish to thank Mr.. Moores for hi
tribute to the state marketing sys
tenn for North Dakota, secured by tn,
non-partisan league. But why sto]
here, Mr.. Moores---the farmers didn't
Why not also praise the state hal
and livestock insurance, the equaliza
ton of taxes whereby taxable valua
ton of their railroads was raised ;
total Of $4,000, 100000. How about
the collection of $4,000 taxes from
private roads that had never before
paid cent of taxes; why not give III
a few kind words for the seed grair
loan system in force there last year
and now adopted by the federal gov.
eminent? What about the plan to
draft the idle land of spectators to
raise war crops, inaugurated by the
North Dakota council of defense and
at meeting of the state and federal
officials last week in California taken
up for the entire region west of the
Rockies?
The people there approved of these
measures by increasing the majority
of Governor Frazier more than 5000
and out of the "a follower senators
IL were replaced by the leaguers. If
these measures meet your approval,
and as that is the only state where
the league has had a chance as yet to
carry out their program, it looks rea-
sonable that if they were in power here
we might also hope to get as good re-
turns on our $1,000 investment. (By
the way, an expert statistician has
estimated that the number of hours
sleep lost by politicians worrying over
what becomes of their farmer friends
$1,000, if placed end to end would car
ry man nicely thru a session of the
legislature, including committee meet
ings to decide on site for an expert
ment station). But if the loss of my
$1,000 really preys on Mr.. Moores'
mind to the point that it is liable to
interfere with his boosting food pro-
duction on his farm, I would advise
him, solely as a war measure, to sub
scribe for the Non-Partisan Leader,
and read up.
Mr.. Moores says this state is con-.
trolled by the big cities and it is of no
use to go counter to their wishes. This,
by way of political advise! Sounds
like what they used to tell us when we
were trying to put the state dry. But
the facts are, the reactionary tenden-
cy of our large cities has greatly
weakened. AS case in point, almost
every candidate in Seattle for the leg
stature has come out in favor. of "a
Measure as advanced as any the league :
mas favored, namely municipal regu-
alton of rentals in some form.
Mr.. Moores says, further, go into
he grange and work to bring the con-
umer and producer together, in plan
% reduce the cost of living. Why,
,less your soul, that is the one great
object of the league, and is already be-
run, as witness statements in the la
,or union periodicals Of Seattle. The
,reat organized consumer, union la
,or, is working with the league polit-
cally, which is the only avenue to
each this goal. The grange, which I
!dmire very much, has worked some
long these lines, but it is not polit-
cal body and is therefore not the pro-
Ter instrument for this purpose. I,
Now, as regards the Minnesota trial:
dr. Townley and the others were not
ried for treason, as you suggest. They
we're tried, as stated, for ''hindering
he government in the prosecution
f the war;" to use your wording; to
se the language of the statute, which
les before me, "to advocate or teach
hat citizens of this state should not
id nor assist the United States in
on war;" to use the language
f the press, "disloyalty." Any evil
ence that they had been guilty of ,
peaking against the draft or against
armers buying bonds would without !
oubt have fallen within the meaning
f the statute and caused their convic- !
ion, but there was no such evidence
,troduced nor nossih1e Mr. Mooros
, the contrary notwithstanding.
/ think the league agrees with Mr.. |,
[oores that the administration is now ;
lo3ting liberal measures fully as fast 7
5 they can be assimilated, and is not !;
rging any faster rate. Our province
to uphold their hands in the course
nd to bring the respective state gov
to a corresponding course.