The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1919-05-21

VU
PUBLISHED N
COUR|ER-NEWS
Driscoll, N. d., May 16.-Walter W.
Liggett, n of the league speakers,
used with great effect in his debate
with State Auditor Karl Kositzky at
Bismarck, the story of how Osca.
Opoien, a Driscoll farmer, had. re.
covered $97 from a Driscoll elevator
under the provisions of the state
grain grading act, which is, inciden-
tally, not a piece Of league legislation.
the original bill having been intro
duced by the late Senator Kirkeide Of
Benson county, and Senator Drown G.
Cass, and having been drafted largely
by F. o. Hellstrom. Of Bismarck.
League leaders in the 18th assemb-
'ly opposed the grain grading bill and
permitted the house majority to vote
for it only when it became apparent
that otherwise there would be a show
down in which the league would az
pear ,u~nfavorably. Since 1917, how
ever, the league has been pleased to
claim the grain garding act.
E Rafusoo IN p,nhl;c nor;o1
/ Mr.. Liggett told how happy MI.
Opoien was when Deputy State Grain
Inspector McGovern went to the Dris-
coll editor and uttered some word
like "Presto," kalamazoo" or "Trot-
zyskimo," and the elevator man
handed owe $97, just like that, to MI.
Opoien. That, said Mr.. Liggett, was
just a patch on what every North Da-
kota farmer would get in exchange
for the SIG he paid to Townley, Mills
& Co.
Now it appears that Mr.. Opoien was
not consulted before this story was
used. He first had his attention call
ed to the thrilling tale when it was
published on the front page of the.
Courier-News of Saturday, April 26.
Mr. .Opoien was somewhat startled,
inasmuch as he had not received any
check for $97, and not altogether
pleased, because the elevator referred
to was the Farmers Equity Grain g.
Mercantile Co., in which he and fe!!-
low farmers of the Driscoll territory
were stockholders. Therefore he and
other members Of the company pre-
pared a retraction, which they mailed
to the Courier-News under date Of
April 80, with.a request that it be
published. The Courier-News to date
has declined to make the retraction,
and Mr.. Opoien and the elevator
company have appealed to the indie
pendent press for protection from the
Townley organ.
The Affidavit.
The affidavit executed April 80,
and which the Courier-News has de-
MED publicity, reads as follows:
".The undersigned, Oscar Opoier,
farmer; B. F. Paisley, president Of
the Equity Grain & Mercantile Co. Of
Driscoll, N. D., Clare Cobb, manage
of Equity Grain & Mercantile Co.; A.
C. Jordan, Roy Cotton, o. N. Nelson
and George v. Cunningham, directors
of said Equity Grain & Mercantile
Co., depose an say:
"That they have heard of a news
item in the Courier-News OF Saturday
April 26' and of editorial in same
paper based on said news item, under
date Of April 81. The said articles
play upon the Equity Grain & Mer-
camille Co., in a very unfavorable and
entirely false light. After a thoro in
vistigation of the charges printed, we
and each of us find that there is alb
ssolutely no foundation for the story;
that Oscar Opoien is not a member
of the Nonpartisan League;
that he did not authorize or report &c
anv paper the report credited to him.
nor anv other report; that he did rot
receive by mail a check for SGT Tor
flax. or a check for any other
amount: that the attempt to inJu:e
the Driscoll elevator, which is w "a
by farmers and practically all mem
hers of the Nonpartisan league, comes
as a shock to said farmers; that QUE
of the above directors are members OF
the league and have for years tried 10
work for the farmers interests IN
everv public way possible; that we in,
dividuaily and collectively demano
that the Courier-News make fetrac.
tion of this false report, giving 'ne
same as much publicity as they gave
the former slanderous articles.
-"K| A. Ersland, y.
"Notary Public"
Manager Writes Newspaper:
Addressing the Courier News care
cobb, manager of the Equity Co.,
said: ax do,.
ble coulmn head, under date OF sae,
u u,y April Is, gave a sensational.
story which, while not giving na1'et
Of company openly, was SO o1rs ala
- - >.,~%4rSN arc ana "