The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-06-03
U.L. BURDICK IS
VERY HOPEFUL
Speaks Optimistically of North Da-
kOta Affairs and Plans of the
Farm Bureau.

U. l.. Burdick who was to have adj
dressed the bankers at Glasgow last
Friday, but was unavoidably prevent
ed from attending the meeting has re-
Gently spoken in Spokane. Mr.. Bur-
dick is one of the committee of seven
teen, president of the North Dakota
farm bureau and candidate for gov
ernor in that state, at a recall cleo
ton. He said at Spokane:
North Dakota is not bankrupt as
you may have been led to believe by
circulated reports" said Mr.. Burdick.
"We have 100000 quarter sections in
the state and the state debt of S247,-
600 is about 80 cents on each quar-
ter section. We have SIS, OOO, 900 in
vested in state institutions and no.
body knows what our coal is worth.
1t would make a cube measuring six
miles in every direction.
Banks Failed Because Crop Did.
perhaps you think we have plung-
ed into a s~ocialistic regime. 1t is not
so. You have heard that 81 North
Dakota banks have collapsed. 1t may
be 40 by this time. Why? The Bank
of North Dakota and the political
party in power have had nothing to
do with it. The banks failed when the
farmers failed and the farmers failed
because they had no crop in five years.
The notes piled up in the banks and
the farmers packed up and moved
away.
"You point to the s~tate-owned ele-
vator at Grand Forks that cost ST.
O0O, O00. Its capacity is 100000
bushels and we car unload, clean and
load $50 cars a day. Everybody is
for that state-owned terminal, men,
bers of the league and ourselves alike.
We will spend another million on it,
and it will fit into the present scheme
for national marketing of wheat and
North Dakota will be on the front
seat.
Says State Bank Solvent.
"Now as to that Bank of North Da-
kota. 1t avs started with a capital
~ization of $4,000, 900 but no stock was
sold, although it has been running
IA to Is months. You have heard
that it is not paying drafts on it and
that is true. Let me tell you that Ale
bankers of the state went to it and
petitioned not to draw out their funds
OIL they would fail. 1t could pay all
these drafts. but it is not doing sc
that it may stabilize conditions with
in the state.
"We are not indulging in any ex-
pertinent. We do not favor the auto
cratic regime of Townley. For &c
years our farmers We're denied eco
nOmic redress and many were ready
to follow anybody. They know now
that the TOwnley plan was not DEM
scratlc and they have reorganized the
whole system. Townley came back
from the Twin Cities with a plan to
surrender the entire program to sell
the bonds. His speech of March Z in
which he recommended this proved his
Waterloo. His plan was rejected by
the convention and he was put out
of the league management. 1t is now
in the farmers hands"
Must Take Farmers Side.
Mr.. Burdick referred to the efforts
to establish the league in Washing
ton and Idaho.
you can stop it by removing the
causes" he said. "See that every
farmer gets a square deal like the
other classes. If you do that, there
will be no call for the league. You
business men in Washington must
take an interest in the farmers side
of agricultural matters. You must
foster all movements aimed at bring
ing the business man and the farmer
together"
John d. O'Hern, vice president and
superintendent of branch plants fol
Armour & Co., told the bureau that
the Spokane plant last year imported
S750,000 worth of hogs from the east
that should have been produced il
the west. He declared the amount
would be still larger in 1921. the 4,
mount for % weeks being 100000