The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1920-02-26
WHAT DOES
I.V. A. OFFER
J. C. Stevens Writes Article Demand :
ing that Opposition Show
Something Concrete
FAvORs MILLS AND ELEVATORS

something OOncfete
FAvORS MILLS AND ELEVATORS
Wants to Know If 1. V. A. Would Kill
Program Entirely
To Editors Oakes Times:
AS read Mr.. Hutsinpiller's letter
in your last issue in regard to the
Nonpartisan league leaders and their
business ability, will say l don't be-
lieve there are many men living with
the business ability, at the present
time, that can equal the leaders in
their present capacity for organizing
group OF downtrodden people into
a political organization which has
grown to be the strongest in the state
or I might say in the United States.
As to the good we have derived
from such an organization, it 10 not
to be compared with any we ever had
since can remember.
Mr.. Hutsinpiller says III his letter
that he thinks it would be q good
thing II properly managed. That 10
the. opinion Of all good, loyal leseus
members, and if we find q man IN
our organization is not true and hon
est to the people in the conduct Of
his Office we will discharge him at
the ballot box. We don't believe in
going back to political party that
has always turned deaf ear to the
common people and played into the
hands Of the few who exploit the
producing and consuming classes Of
people.
want to say to those who think
and say that the league platform and
organization is all right, like ninety
per cent of the people admit, except
for the leaders, that it would be
quite a relief to the l. v. A. and
the rest of the opposition if they
could cause an uprising in the ranks
of the organization and have the
leaders kicked out; but every farmer
knows that anything which has its
head cut off dies, and that is just
what the I. v. A. would like,
| May I ask, why don't the oppo-
sition come forward with their sup
port for the part they claim to be
all right? Mr.. Hutsinpiller says he
thinks it is time for the farmers to
wake up. would like to inform him
and others Of his belief that this is
just what happened when the farm
ers Joined the league, but If they can
be led to believe such letters as Mr..
Hutsinpiller's, with their press, they
naturally will go back to the same
slumber that we were in when the
chamber of commerce and big mill
ers in Minneapolis helped to run the
political machine in this state.
Now, as far as the republican and
democratic parties are concerned, at
the present time and perhaps for all
time to come, they stand for nothing
in particular, it matters not what
they stood for before. Thousands are
not in sympathy with either party.
You might say they are independent.
some are in sympathy with the Non
partisans, some with labor and some
with the socialists. What the voters
wish to know is what these parties
stand for and right here is where I
stand. l would like to know what the
I. v. A. stands for and whether they
intend to tear down all the progress
sive program that is in operation and
repeal all the laws that were enacted
and approved Of by the people at the
ballot box If they should happen to
get in power. We have few men
who were endorsed by and elected by
the Nonpartisan league and who have
turned in favor Of the /. v. A. They
went to Bismarck and helped make
the laws putting the program into
operation and then went home and
worked against the very program
they helped put in operation. Among
them was our own Senator Zieman.
Now, while feel that live in the
corner Of the state where the l. v. A.
is strongest, not one Of you have COM
plained Of the farmers organization,
it is always the leaders. never
met one Of you who could tell what
the I. v. A. stands for. If this is not
true, some of you please come for
ward and tell US.
/ believe we have the greater
share Of the progressive population
with US. II, as you say, blindness
is what ails US, I can assure you it
is not 80 serious that very light
remedy will not cure us. When you
discover the remedy you will have
the upper hand Of the N. P. L. The
!. v. A. 10 opposed to terminal ele-
vators and mills, except for expert
mental purposes. after the people
have asked for them repeatedly ct the
ballot box. The N. P. L. was the an
swer to our request for relief, and il
the I. v. A. gets into power we will
be denied what the people said they
wanted. We have had an experiment.
al mill and it has shown us the rob-
berry that has been going on. There
10 plenty Of proof to convince good
progressive thinker. Take for in
stance this: On the 9th of Fal,r1,srv