The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1919-01-03
FARMERS TAKE INITIATIVE IN
INDEPENDENT POLITICAL OR
GANIZATION
DEMAND STATEWIDE MOVEMENT
INDICATIONS ARE THAT ACTUAL
MEN OF THE SOIL ARE BACK
OF DEVELOPMENT


MEN OF PIE SOIL ARE BACK
OF DEVELOPMENT
Form over Griggs and Steele coun
ties, far removed from the atmos.
pher of the big cities with their morn
ing and evening papers and frequent
lectures on numerous topics of inter
est to the ordinary citizen, comes a
story indicating the desipo for more
enlightenment on public affairs,-soc.
iel, economic and political.
EARLY in the fall, E. W. Everson, a
farmer and former member Of the leg
s1slature, took it upon himself to induce
number of his acquaintances to join
hands in an organization for the pur.
pose of gathering and disseminating
unbiased and truthful information
OH some of the political issues now
perplexing many minds in this state
The organization was named the Plain
Citizens Political Reform associatian
In talking with other people from
other sections of the state about what
they were doing, Mr.. Everson soon
found that there was general demand
for a statewide movement along that
line, and so he got notion to try to
develop the organization on a state
scale
AS an Initial step toward that end
he undertook to enlist with him in
the effort Thos. G.. Nelson, the man
who took the lead in developing the
American Society of Equity in its
pioneer. days: in North Dakota >eleven
ssyearssago,s ME- Nelsoa who ss nowsa
farmer iii the western part of the
state and has farned all his life ex-
cept time devoted to organization
work among farmers, was raised and
lived for many years on Trail coun-
ty farm where Mr.. Everson learned
to know him as an unceasing cham
pion for better farming, better busi-
ness and better living on the farm.
A number of the most active men
associated with Mr.: Everson met at
Cooperstown, to discuss the PROPOSE
ton of making the organization state.
wide, which it was decided to do &C.
cordlng to the following items taken
from the minutes of the netting.
A resolution YVES offered by S. H.
Nelson of Finley, and adopted by the
meeting as follows:
The arbitrary and unusual changes
required to be made in the working
conditionga and relations of labor and
capital, producer and consumer, mans
ufacturer and distributor, in order to
successfully prosecute the War just
ended, and the work Of reconstruction
coming with peace is going to make
many old political, questions acute and
hiring with it many new social, eco
-ncmic and political problems which
must be met and solved, as far as
possible by the ulain citizens of our
country.
And since in representative de-
mocracy like ours the will of the peo-
pie must be expressed by means of
elections, it is very important that
the voters of our state should, in Or
der to protect and prmote their own
welfare and for the good of the state
and the nation as a whole, make
every effort to provide for the gather
ing and dissemination of truthful in
formation on all sides of all questions
without being colord or wrapped by
prejudice, malice or any selfish in
terest; and to have our system of
elections SO revised as to naturally
promote a greater interest than ever
before in public affairs, and to pro-
vide for minority representative in
ali steps incident to the making Of
and majority vote deci-
ssionAlat all final elections.
Az a means to attain, these ends
we, members of the Independent
Voters alton, assembled in pub
- ~
lie lneeting, q ss}at Cooperstown, North
Dakota DO hereby authorize and III.
str,lct our Executive sCommit ttees; to
cansss special or to be made to: to-
induce public discussio OF election:
,la#s and systems and we peal tt; ttb;
Tie voters OF North speed speed
sily Join our movement in order that;
the greatest number pssible ma con-,
tsibutes 60 and profit b such public
discussion.
rther. inasmuch as that agri ricui.I
The one occupati ton and indus,
Will al nearly all people q is
Sesas 81 tste depend III the comforts and