The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-12
AS YE SOW, SO WILL YE REAP

The Nonpartisan newspapers have been SOW
ing the seed of boycott since the league start
ed in the state three years ago. The advice to
members was to boycott the newspapers and the
stores that oppose them. AS a result some Of the
more radical members did stop their home news
paper and also stopped trading at the stores that
had the courage to oppose them.
The Nonpartisans did not see far enough
that the matter of boycott could operate both
ways. Now that the merchants of Fargo have
taken almost united stand against the Nonpar-
tisan daily, terrible wall goes up. But the
Times would remind the Courier-News as well
las other league newspapers and league orators
that the boycott seed had been sown by them
selves, and they are bound to reap their share
of the harvest.
Two years ago boycott was threatened The
Times if it did not lay off antagonizing the league
Only subscriber here and there was foolish
enough to discontinue their subscription, but The
Times kept on printing just as large an issue,
for every order to discontinue would come new
one in it's place. If no one came voluntarily The
Times would go out and get one. Some OF our
farmer friends who came to criticize and condemn
two years ago are now sending in words OF encour-
agement- and are lending hand this year in
opposing the program of the league. 4, 4
The boycott club is a mighty poor weapon
No independent elf-respecting newspaper man
will be dubbed into line for anything he believes
to be wrong no matter what may happen to him
financially. The Times editor would any time, did
occasion demand it, rather subsist on half loaf
than knuckle to any man or set Of men with any
kind of an old club The boycott is the narrow,
perverted way of looking at things. 1t is used
to turn man against his own conscience and
only comes from the autocratic, selfish mind.
The Times is inclined to smile-beg pardon
at the Courier-News, but can only point it to the
seeds sown by the Nonpartisan organs in the past
two years-Oakes Times.
Those are our sentiments, Bro Wright. We
have been up against such an experience as you
mention. 1t always takes two to put over thing
of this kind. When one stops somebody else with
a little fairer mind and clearer judgment, comes
along and subscrbes. AS you say, no self-respect-
ing, honest newspaper man, with mind OF his
own, will allow himself to have other people swing
a club over his head and try and beat him into
submission to support any socialistic, Bolsheviki
program that some radicals approve of and he
doesn't. That's the way we feel about it. We
are so busy that no cobwebs will be allowed to
grow on the front door of this office and we shall
keep the home fires burning brightly just the
same The editor signed no protest to keep speak
ers out of the town. but if we did we would have
no apology to offer. We generally stand back of
our action without cringing the knee to anybody
in order to gain little business. Our opinions
are wholly personal and not anyone else's and as
,ro ,o;d 1,,o dn MT oroooizo for them BEFORE
some Of these radicals get so worked up about
things they should first find out where they are at
and not blame those who are innocent. So far as
we are concerned the incident is closed-Valley
City Times Record. y