davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
Chicago Paper Says Midd|emen
Fight League for Economic
Reasons.

That the intense opposition Of many
small town business men to the Nom
partisan League is not based upon
the idea that the League is disloyal.
but upon the fear that the organiza-
ton Of the farmers may hurt the
small middlemeD interests, is the
verdict Of Arthur M. Evans, who has
been investigating political conditions
In Minnesota for the Chicago Tribune.
To quote from the Chicago Tribune:
Bankers. merchants and other bust
ness men in the small cities are ap-
prehensive. They groan when they
look at the Leagues program and its
swelling membership. They say II
ever It goes through It will be good
night to them. They talk as II the
world were coming to an end. They
say the Leagues atm is to squeeze
out every last middleman. This finds
echo In peals Of laughter from the
Leaguers, who point out its impossi-
bility. It's only q fight against super
duous middlemen they say"
To-day there Is q general disquie-
tude among the country business men
over what the League may do to
them. Is there Is unrest among the
farmers over what the Minneapolis
Chamber 81 Commerce and other mid
/ dlemen have been. doing to them tor
many . year.
.As viewed from the slant Of the
average business man along Main
street the farmer a the sDFiSa pazzte
s. the universe. Mr.. Business Man
cant zee Why Mr.. Grower should b
discpptented.
We know this LesgnA program
WQnld 40 to u. said 4 merchant
ylNssfe III mlddlemen. What riles
- most i that the mot prospeFs0s
l1axt a8 the ccmckpal.x. tho tarm1E.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
SAVED HIS WOUNDED MASTER
French Soldier Dragged to Safety
From No Mans Land by
Hls Dog.

Michel had conferred his affec.
lions on q young Frenchman, named
Henri, whom he followed even into
the trenches, writes Mrs. Elphin-
stone Maitland in an article on wal
dogs, in the Peoples Home Journal.
The feeling, Of course, was mutual.
Henri loved the dog even to the
point Of sharing his all with him.
Each day at soup time, Michel would
carry his can, place it beside Henri's,
wait till it was filed and then trot
off to eat his meal.
The time came when Henri, who
had gone over the top, failed to re-
turn after the fight. As man after
man stumbled back to safety, Michel
eyed each with the eagerness of
anxiety, his nostrils quivering with
fear. But still Henri failed to ap-
pear. Then, as the last of the line
clambered back to the trench, the
dog could stand his terror no longer.
Out he darted over No Mans Land,
and presently he returned with a
glove that he had torn from the hand
of his friend.
Immediately q litter went out,
guided by Michel. They found his
master far of, lying cold and stiff.
Deciding he was dead, they departed
without him. Michel, however, was
not so easily convinced. Time after
time he went back for aid, but none
was forthcoming. At last he left
alone
Late that night when comparative
quiet had settled on the trenches, an
alert sentinel, keeping guard on a
listening-post, saw a dim something
that brought his rife sharply to hia
shoulder. Not twenty feet away and
creeping toward the traverse was an
object which he could not distin-
guish. Then the moon came out
from behind a cloud, and the senti.
mel recognized Michel.
There he was, breathless and pant
ing, but he was not alone. Behind
him, his clothes torn by the faithful
dogs teeth, was Henri. Inch by inch,
the animal had dragged him from
the battlefield, and miracle Of
miracles! the boy was breathing.
How the dog had discovered signs Of
life in the inert form, which had
eluded the trained eye Of a field at
tendant, the doctor would not at
tempt to explain. Henri recovered.
He returned to the trenches, with
Michel by his side.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
READILY EXPLAINED.

81 don't quite understand why
these airships make the trip faster
from New York to Washington than
from Washington to New York"
"That's because you are not OBJ
serving" replied Mrs. Chuggins.
tWhen we motored last summer l
noticed that the trip from New
York to Washington is down hill
nearly all the way"
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
DAWSON CAN'T SAVE LIGHT.

Dawson, the farthest north capital
on the continent, is on q daylight
saving basis, although the city al-
ready has sunlight "a hours a day.
There will not be much saving Of
daylight, although the inhabitants
are trying to figure out some scheme
for saving the summer daylight for
use in the long winter nights.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
JERSEY LABOR FOR
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
Fifty-seven Organized Trades Go
On Record As FavorinQ the
League Principles.

The powerful trend toward state
ownership was illustrated by the re-
cent action Of the New Jersey Federa-
tiou Of Labor convention Consisting
Of 500 delegates representing 81 or.
ganized trades. This body plscsI
itself On record a. f2voring tho gov
eminent ownership o( railroads and
other public utilities and tho govern
ment ownership and operation Of all
natural resources, such a. coal, iron
and copper mines. oil wells, forests.
etc. They declared for a var tax
program that would reduce the
amount OF bonds to the lowest prac-
ticable figure by taking at least 80
per cent OF excess war profits.
These demands are In line with the
principles OF the Nonpartisan League
and the action OF this great labor
body illustrates what powerful ele-
meats are now being developed -
help the organized farmers In their
future battles.
Prepare TO Defend Democracy
With the organized farmers. these
organized workers IN preparing to
defend democracy in America. Here
are q few extracts from their procla-
nation:
"Our democratic institutions can
only be preserved by constant vigi-
lancs. and in this hour. when the
senses Of our people are distracted by
the excitement attendant on the in
comprehensive c~ataclism Of war, the
task OF maintaining our democratic In
situations at home falls with Increased
emphasis on those who have remain
ed at home.
I'VE believe the time has come Tor
organized labor to make its influence
felt in matters of national and state
legislation which affect the Interests
of organized labor. and also In such
matters which affect the interest OF
all those people outside of organized
labor who by labor Of hand OF brain.
or the legitimate employment OF capi-
tai without any monopoly or other pri-
ivlege, contribute to the production
Of the wealth Of the country!
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
r fT -
+ UNCLE SAM TAKES
+ OVER STOCKYARDS

f. PresIdent Wilson In a proc'a-
+ nation issued last week re-
f. quires owners Of stockyards TO
+ obtain licenses before July Is.
+ The secretary Of agriculture
+ thereby is given virtual control
f. Of the yards to the end Of con-
+. serving the food supply and d.
f. recting its distribution.
+ Livestock commission men
f. are also required to obtain H.
+ censes.
+ Application for licenses must
+ be made to the law department
+ license division, United States
f. food administration, Washing
4 ton.
f. The president issued hls pro-
+ ciamation under power pranted
+ him by congress last August
+ to control distribution Of food
f. products In the interest OF ma
f. tionai security and defense'
+ the move 10 part OF the plan
f. to get greater cooperation be-
+ tween livestock raIsers, tire
+ packers and the food admlnjs-
+ tratlon.
j. 4. j. i. I. i. i! i. + + + 4. + +
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
SOME PREDlcAMENT.

The Sire-What's Ethel raving
about? She acts crazy.
The Mother-She was knitting
while drying her hair and she's just
found out that she's knitted the best
part Of her, tresses in q cock.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
U 6 A PUNISHMENT!

The Kaiser-Willie, I hate to pun
ish you, but you half lost q western
front and half had killed five hum
dred t'ousand men. For diss you
must stay in bed all morning mitout
your medals.
The Crown Prince-Aw, half q
heart, papa. How can I win battles
when Something's goes wrong NIT der
telephone exchange, amt it?
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
Points Out Rea, DtsioyajIsta

From the Committee on Public In
formation at Washington: "Along
with this campaign to set the farmer
against the governments war maas-
ures, there has been proceeding q
twin campaign to around feeling
against him BY accusing the western
farmers leagues Of ~disloyalty. This is
equally q work In aid OF the enemy
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
CONGRESS BILL TO
SAVE WATER POWER
League Plan Of Government Con-
troll Proposed by Miss
Rankin.

4 bill that would put into enec1
the Nonpartisan League plank d.,
handing the public ownership Of wat.
er power sites for the production Of
power and electricity 1t cost, va
recently introduced In congress By
Miss Rankin the well-known repre-.
sentative from Montana.
The passage Of this measure would
settle the question whether sites
worth more than . billion dollars shall
be turned ovsr TO Big Business practi-
ealfy as q g1ft. or whether they shall
be developed so that power can be
given to the people at cost.
The bill provides a water board Of
i've men-the Secretary OF War, the
Secretary Of the Interior, the Score
tary OF Agriculture and two others ap-
pointed by the president. This board
is to have direct charge Of affairs IL
cadent to efficient development ok
power sites by the government.
The power developed may be used
to manufacture nitrates for fertilizers
or for munitions needed tor war pur.
poses. Government needs are to have
priority whether for munitions or for
direct power in operating railroads,
etc. Next in order come the needs OF
states, counties. and cities. What Is
left is available direct to private users
such as farmers for lighting, heating
and power of all kinds.
The rates charged are to cover cost
and to repay the investment made by
the government within q period of 50
years, with as fair an adjustment az
possible between all the interests
making 3 Of the service. In the
cost is to be included an interest
charge Of ave per cent on the con-
struction and betterment cost Of thu
works.
The bill is designed to save to the
nation and the people the remaining
power sites threatened by the Power
Trust. This aggregation has been
trying for more than eight years to
sieze all water power rights. Under
the cover OF war these interests have
redoubled their efforts in this direc.
ton and succeeded in getting through
the Senate a bill that would have
virtually placed them in possession Of
the remainder, of the important water
power sites throughout the country.
The entrance Of the government into
this field would force the trust to
sell power at a figure not far from
cost or. go out Of business.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08

ANIMOUSLY INDORSES THIS
PLAN OF POLITICAL CO-OPERA-
TON. THIS is UNDOUBTEDLY
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
THE HISTORY OF AMERICA.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
PREPARED FOR sELF-DENIAL

"What is your husbands favorits
outdoor sport?"
"Well," said the woman with
snappy eyes, 'enow that a shortage OF
water is threatened, he says it's get
tinsthe hose out and sprinkling the
lawn"
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
THE MULE.

"What have you done with that
mule?"
"Gave him to the army"
"That was patriotic"
entirely. All I hope is that some
German captures him.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
PETTY THIEVERY PREVAILS IN
MARKETING Of FARM PRODUCTS

realized by tho elevator and mill in.
terests by this method OF robbery
from the various grades Of wheat IL
a. follows: No. l, Northern. Fla per
cent profit; No. 2 Northern, 27.5 per
cent; No. 3 Northern, 25.8 per cent;
No 4 Northern, AL per cent; Feed
A. SIS per cent; Feed B, 1873 per
cent; Feed G, s2.S per cent; Feed D.
1879 per cent profit. THE BIG PRO-
FITS ARE MADE ON LOW GRADE
WHEAT BY CHANGING THEM TO
HIGH GRADE WHEAT. DIR. LADD
HAS SHOWN BY ACTUAL TESTS
CONDUCTED AT THE NORTH DA-
KOTA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
THAT ALL THE FEED GRADES OF
WHEAT, EVEN FEED d WHEAT.
MAKE GOOD FLOUR.
THE GREAT DockAoE ROBBERY
Now comes the trick called dock
age. Mixed with the wheat IN small
quantities are other seeds such as
buckwheat, wild oats and mustard
seed. The mill and elevator combine
extracts these and sells them at q
good profit. DR.. LAdd has shown that
these screenings are worth on an av.
erage q little more than 2 1-3 cents q
bushel. INSTEAD OF PAYING THE
FARMER 2 1-3 CENTS A BUSHEL
THE MILL AND ELEVATOR INTER.
ESTS CHARGE THE FARMERS
2 1-3 CENTS A BUsHEL THUS
CLEARING ALMOST FIVE CENTS
A BUsHEL BY THIS LITTLE
TRICK.
There Is q dockage valuation Of
$50 to $35 on every 1000 bushels OF
wheat. The farmer not only pays the
freight on the entire lot, but he Ia
o~vercharged at the same time on
switching charges. It was shown be.
fore the Minnesota Legislature Com
mittee that for more than ten years
an overcharge totaling about $4,000 q
month had been collected as switch
ing charges.
At last we come to tho finishing
touch of the system. THE SCREEN.
INGs FOR WHICH THE FARMER
HAS BEEN DOCKED OVER 21-:
CENTS A BUSHEL, AND THE BRAN
AND SHORTS THAT COME FROM
THE WHEAT, ARE SOLD BY THU
MILL AND ELEVATOR TRUST FOR
| MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH AS
1T COSTS TO MANUFACTURE THR
FLOUR. The figures are as follows:
total cost Of manufacturing 4.55 bus
hels Of wheat into a barrel OF flour. 81
cents; price realized by miller fol
bran and shorts and screenings from
same, $1.7S. IN OTHER WORDS THU
| MILLERS CLEAR SO CENTS A BAR
REL OVER ALL MANUFACTURING
| COSTS ON THEIR BY-PRODUCTs
| ALONE AND IN ADDITION HAVE
THEIR PROFITS ON FLOUR.
MUTUAL CONTROL THE REMEDY
Public control of marketing ant
| such marketing facilities as elevators
| railroads. and -four mills is the onlI
| permanent and desirable remedy. Ths
| public, representing the rights q
| everybody, Is the only agency capable
Of dispensing justice for everybody l.:
the fixing of prices and the contro
of those transactions that lie between
the producers and consumers. Every
| BODY should be represented In theA
things. We don't want a farmers
monopoly of these :.hings any NOR
than We want q rciddlemens MOI
opoly of them.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
A Real Clip

By purchasing the wool clip this
year direct from the farmers the gov
eminent has clipped off about $780,
600, 600 from the p%rofteers. They took
out that sum last year for handling
the wool without giving any real
ice In return.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
o ON ACCOUNT.

arThis bill has been running . long
time. Could you let me have . little
money on accountY
emit ons account Nv ss
4On account Of what?D So
ION account of the war;
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
ONE sYLLAsLE roo MANY.

"a man must have . great deal of
foresight to succeed in business"
Yes. .Bqt he mus. know where
to draw the line on being.a prophet
and not become . proftser.s
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
\. D. LABOR WILL
STICK BY FARMERS
State Federation ReneWs Bonds
Uniting ToiIers Plan Has
Been Great Success.

A98ISl6tlV0 CO-Opefat100 between
farmers and city workers witch hae
been repeatedly denounced az abor
tive and impossible, has actually stood
the acid test OF practical trial In North
Dakota and has succeeded.
No other conclusion cor be drawn
from the recent action Of the North
Dakota Federation OF Labor, repre-.
se1ting all the unions Of. the state, In
unanimously indorsing the Nonparti.
san League platform and candidates
and advocating the continued politi.
cal unity Of the farmers and workers.
After affirming the unity OF inter.
ests Of the labortng men and the farm.
ars, the North Dakota State Fedora
ton Of labor In annual convention at
Fargo concluded this resolution In
these words:
"The North Dakota Federation
Of Labor herewith afArms IT,
friendship for. and tn confidence
IN the organized farmers Of North
Dakota and pledges It's support
of the congressional, state and
legislative tickets Of the nonpartL
a League"
This resolution was passed without
. dissenting vote.
When two years ago, q political
league Of farmers and workers was
proposed by the Nonpartisan League
Of North Dakota, the idea was secuted
as thoroughly impractical. It was
pointed out that the farmer RAJ an
employer Of labor and as such was
Interested in long hours and short
pay for the workers, and that the or
ganized workers, on the contrary,
ere interested in shorter hours and
longer pay. Ancient prejudices
thought to exist between farmers and
union men were singled out as i'm.
passible barriers to such q union.
The Leaguers In defense Of the con-
templated union advanced the idea
that the farmers were workers and
toilers thamselves-in fact that they
were to a much greater extent work
ers than they were employers and
that any legislation that would fu1da-
mentally help tho worker who pro-
duces would help both country and
city workers. They also pointed out
that the farmers and city workers
were much nearer to each other than
to Big Business, the common explOttof
and oppressor of both. r..
They ARGUED that the interests of
farmers and city workers did not
clash anywhere, as the farmers did
not employ city workers, but on the
contrary were benefited by an in
crease always made a better market
for farm products. The final argu-
ment the Leaguers used to clfnch al
this was to the interest Of both farm
ers and city workers to eliminate I'M
necessary middlemen and unnecessary
waste in distribution 30 that the val
fues thus lost might be divided be-
tween producers and consumers.
The Nonpartisa1 League arguments
won with labor. A plan Of political
cooperation was adopted. Labor IN
dorsed the farmers program and the
farmers Endorsed the labor program.
Some labor men were Endorsed for Of
fce. The labor vote went to the Nom
partisan League The League made
an earnest effort to put through the
entire labor program and in spite Of
q Big Business holdover Senate, c
ceeded In getting through every i'm
mediate measure asked by labor.
NOW LABOR AFTER TWO YEARS
OF TRIAL, COMES BACK AND UN-
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
Kinds Of Tricks Practced or
Farmers Illustrated by Grain
, Grading.

A great monopilistic system cap.
able Of fixing prices to farmers and
to consumers and Of taking sos out OF
every 500 tho consumers pay for
farm products IL not all the trouble
the farmers faces In addition. the
the big middlemen interests practice .
system Of petty stealing and grating
tn almost every line Of agricultural
produce.
In no field, however. II this petty
thetvery carried On In q more out
rageous manner, and In NO line Of
farm products are the farmers losses
greater from this source than in the
buying and selling Of the wheat crop.
THE CARDS ARE STACKED
The other fellow controls the game
and makes the rules and is able to
steal from the farmer in various ways
after he has fixed prices and taken
the biggest share of the farmers pro
duct. Through control of the finish.
ing, transportation and marketing OF
products, the laws and the press, the
middleman has the farmer at his
mercy. When the farmer turns up an
ace, in this game, the other fellow
says, II rule that q deuce takes On
ace" and sur enough 1t goes.
The other fellow says, II weigh
the grain and tell you what It
weights" and he weighs It.
And he says, " I decide how much
It shall be docked," and 1t is 90. And
he says, "Ill do all the grading" and
the farmer humbly ecQuiesces .
THE GRAIN GRADING DEAL
Concerning grading the biggest Of
these items, DR.. e. F. Ladd, Of the
North Dakota Agricultural College
says. Wheat would appear to be
bought from the farmer by one set
OF rules and sold to the terminal
elevator by an entirely different sys.
TEN of grading"
How this works out was shown by
the investigation of the Minnesota leg.
islature. It proved that the elevators
are regular hatcheries fo- changing
low grades OF wheat into high grades.
Following is the record Of n ele'
vator for a period of twelve months.
Simply by passing the wheat
through the elevator the highest
priced wheat was increased by 658,871
bushels and the second highest priced
wheat was increased oy 6,831,50S bus
hels, while the low priced grades OF
wheat decreased correspondence.
Here is the record: f
f. Bushels Bushels
Grade Received Shipped Out
No. / Hard ..341,567 1,000,4 ABS
No. / Northern .1O,070,414 $500, 917
No. 2 Northern ..7,341,594 3,97S.311
No. 8 Spring ....1,335,83O 444,O4l
Rejected ......... .256,O03 134,411
No grade ........1.S35,53 1 344.823
80, $3.50, s99 3 {, 300, O01
Amount IN hand 1877. 99a
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
3o,eso,sss

30,68O,9 99
PROFITS IN Low GRADE
This case is typical of hundreds OF
millions Of dollars that is stolen from
the farmers by this method as IS
shown in DR.. Ladd'3 Bulletin. No. 119.
According to this document the gain
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08

quickly adopted. In many Eases the
advancing French troops brought the
drst aid material and sometimes sue
sceeded In saving the trees Where the
tree was absolutely cut down-as hum
dreds were-there was, OF course, no
relief measure to employ. Members
ne the %. s. Food Administration
brought this picture to America. Ear
Nv n the war the German govern
sment introduced . policy ~ strict
food conservation at home and has
underworld to curtail IA every possi-
Die manner the French and English.
hpG
ton "a farming properly ars parts s.
tths sams campaign.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08

G0G21I<s S
America n today the greats iaxner 0f
MISUNDERSTANDING Ont a epEs1ao
stocks We must 6ave enough IL feed
our European associates lnssthi0 war.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08
lei the Germans re

len the Germans re-
treated from long held
positions in Northern
France they girdled ev-
cry fruit tree that time
permitted. Here is
such q tree, hacked be-
yond chance Of the
trees surviving unless
first aid measures were
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-08

80, $50, 500 g2,8O3, O01
Amount on hand 1877. 1893
Tombstone epitaph., 1918-01-20
ASSESSMENT TO BE UNDER FIRE

PHOENIX, Jan. 1.-the vital CUES
ton of intangible values for assess
ment purposes in Arizona is to be
tried in Globe sext Tuesday before
Judge Shute. II is the case of the
international Smell Lg company OF
Miami. which company resists the
application of such feature in the
assessment of its property in this
state.
This smelling company. like all
custom smelters in the state" said
c. NJ. lander, chairman of the state
tax commissios yesterday, was as.
seesssd for ts intangible value as re-
fected by its earnings. Every
smelter in the state, except this
enc, has rccv.n.-ta this factor OF
valuation II h. valid and have not
filed any complaint with the tax
commission nor started any suit.
THE In ...na;i. al Smelling CON-
pany is this suit" continued Mr..
lander, lis endeavoring to wipe of
the assessmest rolls of Arizona a
very large per cent CT its taxable
property in the state. The case
VIII be fought to finish. to the end
that there will be absolutely no
doubt left as to the question of in
tangible values"
The full membership CT the state
tax lomm''.:on probably will attend
the hearing of this suit.