The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-05-16
FARMERS ARE
NOT D|SLoYAL
BerthoId Farmer, Former Member OF
the League, Says Farmers Have
Been Placed Under Stigma of
Disloyalty by Camoufage of
Certain Leaders.
Berthold, N. D., May IA, 1918

DeTIHolu, IN. H., May II, AoAo'
Editor independents:
In announcing that I am a candi-
date on the Repub- can ticket Tor
state senator from the End legisla-
tive district, / wish to allay any mis-
apprehension the farmers or others
may have concerning my attitude to-
ward farmers organizations and the
interests of the farmers.
! am a farmer, have lived on and
operated the same form for 16 years,
and have no outside interests except
in a Farmers Elevator and Farmers
Telephone line. have done a great
part of the work in organizing and
maintaining these institutions which
have proved a success, and Of mater
ial benefit to the farmers.
was member of the Nonpartisan
League until about year ago when
l refused to donate more funds to
self appointed leaders Of the organ
ization, who are not leading the farm
ers, but misleading them land who
are really working for the interests
of a red card brand of socialism, and
drawing their funds from the farm
es.
We have no voice in League affairs
but must accept the dictation OF the
self appointed leaders, some Of whom
have been arrested for seditious
matter, others having been convicted
of these charges.
Through these seditious speeches
by the leaders Of the League, the
farmers have been placed under the
stigma of being dis4oyal and unpatrl'
otic and the League papers empha-
size the fact that the farmers are dis
loyal.
We know there are no more loyal
patriotic people anywhere than the
farmers Of this state, but since the
League leaders are and have been dis
loyal they turn every charge ote das-
loyalty that is made against them to
the>members of the League, and try
through their papers, to infiame the
farmers by telling them the charges
have been made against the~farmers
How we, as loyal farmers can fur
ther uphold such men, as the leaders
of a movement for the benefit Of the
farmers, is beyond me, since if they
are not true, loyal citizens to the gov.
eminent at this time, they are not
nor will they be loyal to our cause, or
to the cause of justice and right.
will not, nor do l believe the
farmers of North Dakota will con-
tinue to follow blindly, leaders of
misnamed organization, who are DIS
loyal to our government in this time
of peril -,
We can get no accounting Of the
funds we have paid to the leaders o.
the organization, amounting to a mil
lion and half dollars, nor can we
depose the salf-apponted leader, since
we have no representation or voice
in directing the affairs of the League
or in electing or naming its officers
Any other organization, which col
lects funds from it's members give'
the members voice in selecting
its officers and leaders, but we hav'
none in the League, and can only fol
low blindly the mandate of the su
prems, sslf-appointed leader who oc
cupies much the same position IN tn
League that the Kaiser does in Ger
many.
Our only recourse to break ava!
from such leadership is to ignor'
them and elect independent farmer
to our state and national offices, wh'