The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-07-01
CHURCH. LEADER
APPR0vESLEAGUE
TheoIogian Tells Evangelical
Readers of Farmers
Struggle.

Rev. DR.. Louis Wallis, a we'll known
student Of social problems from the
point Of view of Christian ethics, has
included a study of the Nonpartisan
League in his review of Social Prog
ress in the year 1919, which is pub
lished in the Evangelical Year Book
for 1920. This publication has a large
circulation in Protestant circles.
Rev. Wallis writes:
"a great deal has been heard dur
ing the last few years about the farm
ers' movement in the Northwest. The
state Of North Dakota is now con-
trolled in all the branches Of it's gov
eminent by the influence of the Ma
tional Nonpartisan league, which is
an organization of the agrarian inter-
ests working through the machinery
of both the old parties. The member
ship of the league is growing steadily
in such states as Minnesota, South
Dakota, and Nebraska, although only
one state has been captured as yet.
LIN Ao0AA III tIlS VA
%ganization seems to be that since Big
Business and graft are nonpartisan,
working through either of the old par
ties which will serve it's interest at
the moment, the best way for the peo-
pie to protect themselves is to adopt
the same method. This is a new thing
in American politics, because the non
%partisanship of corruption, after. all,
has been a secret force, lurking in the
background of our national life, and
not openly acknowledged by those
who practiced it. But now a well or
and boldly proclaims the nonpartisan
principle as a method in defense of
virtue against vice, whereby the work
ing farmer and laboring man may save
themselves from the covert assaults
Of the interests.
u. Farmers Were PiIIaged.
"This new social phenomenon is
easily understood. The state of North
Dakota is at the storm center of the
movement, and has been victimized in
an unusual degree by forces of mon
opoly and special privilege which OPP
crate all over the United States. The
farmers wheat and other grains have
gone through an artistic process of
robbery in connection with the eleva-
tors and railroads; but the farmers
did not at first know how to organize
and protect themselves. For. instance,
q hard working agriculturist would
send q shipment of wheat to Mime
apolis. He would be sOlemnly in
formed that his wheat was Of a GER
tain grade, or number, for which the
prevailing market price was SO and
SO. The grain would be deliberately
undergraded, and then, after purchase
from the helpless farmer, would be
disposed Of at its true rating. An
other method Of relieving the producer
OF his money was freight overcharges
on the railroads. Still another scheme
was to >""dock" the wheat on the the
ory that 1t contained a certain per-
centage of inferior grains for which
the raiser would get no consideration,
but which really had high value.
1T has been demonstrated that GER
tain great terminal elevators, at the
beginning bf a given period (Sept. 1,
191O) had no wheat Of what is known
as No. 1 grade. Up to August 80,
1912, these elevators received, in
round numbers, fifteen million, five
hundred and seventy thousand (15,-
57O,OOO) bushels Of Grade | but dur
ing that entire period they sold, in
round numbers, nineteen million, nine
hundred and seventy thousand tl9,-
97O,OOO) bushels o Grade This
means that about fcur and one,half
million bushels were created b:g magic,
out Of nothing ~transaction which
seems to complst6ly overshadow the