Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-12-09
COMMUNICATION.
Editor Farmers Press

EOlIOT dELlSES IISSS
l have been reading with sstisfac-
tlon the recently published letters in
your valuable paper, especially so
those from the pen of Mr.. Magnus
Snowfeld and would like to see more
Of the common run of men take a
hand in this discussion with a view
of getting together and waging an
effective fight on the Common enemy
of the farm and labor movement,
Why should the great state of
NorthDakota be aligned in two oppos.
ing factions where the economic in
terests are so much the same, only
because there is a misunderstanding
and a lack of frank discussion
Someone suggested a "heart to
heart talk at n of the republican
conventions which l attended at
Langdon some years ago. The
men fell asleep q few minutes later
and probably were not responsible for
his amiable suggestion, but let US,
who are neither drunk with power or
whiskey get down to a more frank,
open discussion on both sides. There
ls no question but what the league
leaders have made some serious and
costly mistakes and thereby have
alienated many of their friends and
supporters of the past,
In the first place the league or
ganization is q long way from being
democratic. The attitude of the
leaders that it is dangerous to let the
common members have full sway
l have this from A. C. himself-be-
cause it might develop local or new
leaders, Is a dangerous attitude. The
precincts and county should be better
organized and not to 30 great an extent
from the headquarters, but from &C.
ton taken by the voters within their
home organization. The selection of
a county manager, if needed, should
also come from the latter source.
The local paper should be managed at
home and not by a service bureau
at Fargo Some of your readers know
the stand took on this proposition.
Business should be done more in a
business like way and confidence be
eliminated as it has developed several
crooks. On the other hand the means
opposed to the league is rotten to the
core, They pretend they want the
League industrial program carried out
but want it done by those who said
''it can't be done'' instead of its ad-
vocates. 1. v. A. candidates who are
working hand in hand with those
whose interest it is to defeat the farm
ers program comes before the voters
claiming they are supporting the pro-
gram. Free discussion has not been
tolerated in a number of instances,
as was demonstrated here in St. Paul
the other day. A certain Mr.. Minor
was scheduled to speak in the audi
forum and the rental was paid for
its use. when sume one discovered
that Minor was a progressive or radi-
cal, and the contract for the auditor
ium was cancelled a day or two be-
fore the meeting, without any law
full grounds for the action taken.
Then again have it on good au-
thority that such a big concern as
the F, j. Stjllwell Paper Co., re-
fuses to sell print paper to the Lead.
er and other papers that are League
organs, and while the old gang is
now hollering about cooperation as
the marketing solution, the grain
combine, whose servant the gang
largely is refused to deal with the
farmers exchange until compelled to
do so. during the war, by the federal
authorities. There is no way az l see
it to get away from the monopolies
which We have allowed to intrench
themselves in aur business world. but
by the state and federal government
taking hold of the distribution to a
large extent and let US submit to this
change as gracefully as possible
and not make the mistakes of the
leaders of the south, who opposed
the slavery reform by fair and foul
means, until a bloody struggle be.
came the inevitable. And let me
add that just as much as the boiler
of the black republican party was in
effective against President Lincoln
aud his associates. so the hurting of
vile sounding epithets against the
league will not retard it so very
much, providing the organization is
not worthy of the terms.
"a H. C. Otteson.
St. Paul, Mimi, Nov. 80, 1920