Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-09-09

There is one thing the editor of
this paper hopes that its readers will
keep in mind and that is that we
hold no briefs for so. called Big Biz,
just because we fail to fall for the
bunk put across by Townley and his
socialist side-kickers.
f. We have nothing in common with
the Chamber of Commerce. We wan,
the farmers who have grain to sell
to get as much for their grain as
they can. We believe in thorough
supervision by governmental agencies
Of all strong financial and business in
terests. But we do not believe in
government ownership. If this gov
eminent has not been able to properly
supervise the so-called Big Biz, it is
certain that the time has not arrived
when the government can efficiently
run Big Biz.
But, in no case will we bag political
humbuggery. Townley and his crew
have harped on Big Biz for years.
Their aim in life is to supplant Big
Biz by a special Sorand of Big Biz
of their own. And they are constitu-
tionally opposed to obeying the law.
| They belong to that class that enjoy
a certain brand of martyrdom by at
tempting to oppose recognized author
ity as far as they dare. Their idea
of goverEmen is to pick spbservient
tools and place them in the positions
of Importance. And they believe fully
in the theory of "to the victor belongs
the spells. Whenever any attempt
is made to turn a little publicity Or
their personal shortcomings, they howl
that we are attacking the farmers"
The farmers interests are far safer
in the hands of the local business
and professional man than it is in the
hands of the Townley exploiters.
The league organs will howl abou;
boycotting the business man who will
not bow to their political dictation.
Has the average farmer ever stopped
to think what trouble that same bus.
mess man could make in return, al
though such a method has not been
resorted to.
Suppose that business men VINO
were attacked in this manner, should
answer the attack by refusing to sell
goods on credit. Suppose that every
business man should take the attitude
that he cared nothing for interests
of the customer, and simply demanded
his pound of flesh. There would be
trouble galore. In years when crops
were short, many farmer would be
forced to abandon his farm to secure
work that he might eat, and that his
family might eat.
Suppose that every money-lences
should decide to foreclose his mort
cages when they were not paid on
time. We say, suppose. But they do
not do SO, and they have not done
so. Instead, they have taken the
Townley abuse; they have remained
steadfast friends Of their customers in
the face of battery of attacks
against them. Blood-suckers living
off the tillers of the soil. No. They
have been far from it. Many bus,
mess man has spent hour aver hour
worrying about financial affairs
brought about by too great a credit
trade with his customers.
The point of this article is tina,
neither farmers nor business men, II,
the common sense Of the wore, have
great deal to complain about as far
as the treatment of each other is
concerned One is necessary to the
other. Robinson Crusoe was about
the only man who successfully existed
on his own resources. And ne wants
to initiate Robinson Crusoe.
1t will be to the interests of both
farmers and business men in the varl-
GUS communities to work together for
the common good. Townley tells
about the necessity of eliminating
the middleman, men like Town1ey him
self, from the scheme Of things, con
ditions will improve for all the peo-
pie.
+ Townley is. himself the most glazing
example of the superfuous middleman
He is the political middle man, the
middleman who capitalizes politics
and sows grievances in the minds Of
the thcughtless that he may in turn
turn those grievances into cash a
No man can question what has hap
pened. Look over the list of the
men who had nothing when they be
came affiliated with the league, and
who are now independently wealthy.
Any league man who is Interested is
invited to call at the Record office and
go over. with us the financial rise OF
many of the men whose names are
prominent in the so-called Nonpartisar