The Washington herald., 1920-02-21
Union Labor and Farmers
Unite in Northwest to Fix
Nonpartisan League Control
Special Cerrespendenee Of The
washingten Herald.

washingten Herald.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Feb. 1S.-"As
near as we can now size up the sit
uation. in Minnesota" said F. A.
Teigen, secretary of the Citizens
League-an organization fighting
the Nonpartisan Leegue-"the State
of Minnesota will be carried next
November by the combined Nom
partisan League Of Farmers and OF
lWorkingmen."
You say that, aud you are OPP
posed to the Nonparusan Lacquer
asked.
4 Look the facts in the face: Ac'
cording to the Legislative Blueoook.
Minnesota in 1918, had a total OF
$3.50 possible votes and since then
about 100000 soldiers have come
home. making now a total of-well
call it in round numbers 100000
votes. At the last primary election
for governor the Democrats cast
only $4,000 votes, but their normal
strength is about $4,000. The reason
their vote in 1918 was so small was
that they were loyal and were
bound to offset the Nonpartisan
Socialist vote, so they voted for the
Republican. That was during the
war. This year the Democrats will
poll, say $4,000. The regular Social
lists or Communists will poll 10000.
Thomas Frankson. Republican, will
poll $4,000 and Congressman Frank
lin Ellsworth for governor, with
some Nonpartisan following, will
poll 10000. That makes a total of
1900 leaving $4,000 to be ac-
counted for. provided every voter
hf, h,, l. ~
1918 election the candidate of the
Nonpartisan League. Lindberg, drew
for governor, 150,626 votes-in spite
of the incitement to loyalty in the
height of war. Burnquist won by
getting 199.325 votes"
/ asked Mr.. Teigen how conditions
now indicate that the Nonpartisan
vote. in 1920. will be so much more
formidable than in 1918. that he
forecasts its triumph.
He answered: Remember that In
1918, it cast 10000 votes for Lind
berg, though it's own membership
then was only $4,000 farmers. 1t
now has $4,000 and is putting 800
agents out, in automobiles. for a
drive for members, and it will GER
tainly have $4,000 members among
farmers alone, by June II. the date
of the primaries. The agents will
begin work April 1. So that means
double the farmer membership, as
compared with 1918. But that is
not all. In 1918 the Nonpartisan
League had the support of only nine
teen papers-country weeklies; to-
day it has sixty-two and is getting
four more. so it will have sixty-six.
and among them will be a $1,000, 900
daily in Minneapolis and another
daily in Montevideo.
Farmers and Labor Unite.
And so you assume that that will
control double the vote that Lind
berg got?" 1 ventured.
"Oh. that is not all. In 1918, there
was no union between the farmers
and the workingmen. but today
there is in Minnesota, also a Nom
partisan League of Workingmen.
There are in Minnesota 500 labor
unions, of which 321 unions have
already affiliated with the Nonpar-
tisan farmers, whereas in 1918 there
was no such affiliation."
l told him that in the East, we
are told that the farmers will re-
fuse to tie up with union labor.
To this Teigen replied: Has any
body told you that union labor will
refuse, to join the farmers,-to- beat
the old parties? Look at the facts
321 unions out of 500 have already
voted to do so. Van Lear, the So
cialist former mayor of Minneapolis.
is extremely active in organizing the
Nonpartisan League of Working
men, and is one of the incorpora-
tors and officers of the Daily Star,
the new Minneapolis organ of the
combined Nonpartisan Leagues"
1 then asked il he was certain
that the Nonpartisan League OF
lWorkingmen will support the farm
ers.
Certainly, Here is their resolu-
tion of endorsement, omitting a long
string of whereases, justifying the
united action: 1t was adopted by a
and reads:
Be it resolved that we indorse
the organized farmers organiza-
I tion in the States of North Da-
kota and Minnesota. and pledge
ourselves to work in co-opera-
tion with them in the future, to
secure representation in our
State and nation that will make
just and adequate laws for the
welfare of the common people.
Labor Unions Federation.
Then the labor unions organized
their State Federation and elected
officers: Here is the list-elected
by the meeting that had just passed
the above resolution-Preside
William Mahoney. of st. Paul. who
is president of the st. Paul Trades
and Labor Assembly, consisting of
81 unions and 10000 members. He
will be the Labor candidate for
mayor of st. Paul, next election.
Bor secretary and treasurer Thomas
VanLear, ex-Socialist mayor of Min
neapolis-who will be a candidate
again this year for our mayor. On
the executive committee is Earl
Whitney. president of the Minneapo-
lis Trades and Labor Assembly. /
tell you the Nonpartisan Leagues
of Workingmen and of Farmers are
hand-in- glove. Here is a copy of
the official platform of the Work.
ing Peoples Nonpartisan Political
League. Note plank No. S:
IS. Public ownership and op-
GRAFTON Of railways, steamships,
banking business. stockyards,
packing plants. grain elevators,
terminal markets, telegraphs,
telephones and all other public
utilities; and the nationaliza-
tion and development of basic
natural resources, waterpower
and unused land, with the re-
patriation of large holdings, to
the end that soldiers and SAIL
ors and dislocated workers may
find an opportunity for an inde-
pendent livelihood.
Then plank 10 Is still more
rahid