New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-04-24
NEW MINNESOTA DESPOTISM
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forbade the farmers holding meeting.
One League representative spoke there
lust the same. He was convicted OF
unlawful assemblage and sentenced for
three months. The papers, in unfair
headlines, declared he was convicted OF
sedition and sentenced to three months.
If despotizing the Minnesota gov
ernment will awaken the farmers and
the workers; it is we'll worth the cost.
To repeatedly forbid farmers holding
their own meetings, to drive farmers
out of the city limits, to turn the hre
hose on 600 of them when trey want
to meet - even though committee alter
committee waits upon the governor
and demands in vain that he call OH the
dogs of persecution, stiffens the back
bone of the farmer and wonderfully
increases the League membership.
Thousands of farmers, because OF this
persecution, joined. They had been
doubtful of the ability of the League to
put it across. Persecution has strength
ened the organization; $4,000 farmers
now belong in Mime 0.2. | have seen
old-time farmers who have fought IN
the Civil War not allowed to hold a
meeting in town. Mad is no name tor
it. They despise these politicians who
are drunk with power.
70 have few politicians act as judges
uron the loyalty of the farmers is an
insult. TIE farmers OF America in any
state are loyal. They would be the
first to reject reasonable teaching, and
in their wrath would tar and feather
any such suggestor. The farmers are
not nincompoops, children, fools that
need guardians. They are we'll qualltled
to judge for themselves.
Prohteering, they claim, must stop.
President Wilson must be backed up
in no half-kearted way. The war must
help establish democracy abroad and
democracy here. The government must
take over more industries - terminal
elevators, packing plants, telegraph lines,
and other public utilities. The arms
of President Wilson must be held up
in his fight against criminal autocracy
in America Monkey-wrenches thrown
into the government operation OF rail-
roads to discredit government owner
ship, should be dealt with as we deal
with traitors Tie farmers are giving
wonderful support to the war.
This fundamental difference between
the federal government and the des-
potized Minnesota state government,
is, one under Wilson's leadership is
throttling profteering; TIE other is
rallying the politicians to IS defense.
In President Wilson's book called
*'The New Freedom which is text
book Of the Nonpartisan League, he
describes very wildly that the people
are going to drive out the ''beasts that
prey" These beasts that prey are the
profteerg In this present hour in our
national crisis no class Of men in this
country are rallying to the defense OF
President Wilson so rapidly as the Amer
lean farmers.
Although l am tie Secretary of the
Republican Central Committee OF North
Dakota, am convinced today that it
would have been a national calamity
if Hughes has been elected president.
Mr.. Wilson recognizes, more SO, l
believe, than Hughes could ever have
dore, that this war will be fought IN
vain uple5s industrial autocracy in this
country is driven out.
At this hour, Mr.. Wilson is appealing
to Il e country for national help to drive
out the: e beasts that prey. At this
moment We feel it is just little tine
and tfen tie goverrne nt will take over
tie packing industry of America, and
TIE oil trust, and commander tho
vast exo] bitant profits.
In this fight against industrial auto
cr2cy in this country, such we,klles
like Le@lie's, and that once progressive
pager, Golfers, are now sharp-shooting
at tie President, trying TO destroy his
political influence. A horde Of snirers,
daily newspapers and weeklies are trying
TO sharp-si DOT our leaders by utilization
and innuendo. First it was Daniels,
then Baker, and President Wilson.
Even some of Mr.. Wilson's own party
leaders are trying to betray him. TIE
old standpatters in tie Republican
ranks are joclieying for position to
block the plans OF the administration
and then make the blockade campaign
issue to get back into power.
Small wonder tken that the farmers
of the northN est view with suspicion
these sharp-shooting campaigns, the
subsidized press, and the partisan pol
tics. 1t is only repetition in another
way of the Minnesota fiasco of govern
ment, despotizing the press and peanut
H. oG1 j. l..