The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-06-16

The American farmer is poorer to-
day than he was week ago. He has
lost something infinitely more prec-
ious than crop and stock and bank
account. He has lost a wise leader, a
stalwart champion, and a devoted
friend, George p. Hampton. manag-
ing director of the Farmers National
Council and the Peoples Reconstruc-
tion League, General Manager of the
All American Cooperative Commits
sion, member of the Executive Com
mittee of the Peoples Legislative Ser
vice, editor of the United Farmers
Forum, and National legislative rep
resentative of the Washington State
Grange and other progressive farm
organizations, passed away Monday,
June sixth. For the greater part of his
mature manhood, Mr.. Hampton has
fought the farmers battle on fir
ing line where all too often, faithful
comrades are few. Through patient
persistent effort he was strong fact
or in winning for the farmers the de-
natured alcohol law, the parcel post
law and oleomargerine legislation. For
the past two years his efforts have
centered on federal control of the
packers, government control of the
railroads, and Legislation providing
for better agricultural credit and
marketing facilities. He saw the need
for these measures while most men
were still asleep, and he gave his life
in incessant labor to obtain them for
the farmer.
Many men are admired for their
ability and keeness of intellect. Geo.
Hampton was loved by thousands be-
cause, in addition to these qualities,
he possessed heart and conscience.
If thing was right, that settled it.
He would fight for it to the end, even
though he fought alone, even though
it cost him every cent he had. 1t was
his heroic courage, his burning sin
cerity, his utter unselfishness, and his
answering fidelity to democratic
ideals that endeared him to all who
knew and worked with him. He was
never known to compromise with in
iquity or injustice. And yet in the
midst Of the fray he kept sweet. AL
though he hated evil, he loved men,
and had the wisdom to condemn the
system which makes men bad rather
than the men who are themselves the
victims of the system.
The Farmers National Council
stands as \an enduring monument to
Georpe P. Hampton's ability, indus
try and vision. Heswas one Of the
First to- realize that. the organized,
farmer must cooperate with the or
ganized city worker if they, as the
producers of the nations wealth, were
ever to be rid of the monoplists, mid
dlemen and credit manipulators who
exploited them, and secure for them
selves q fair. share Of the proceeds. of
their industry. As secretary of the
Conference of Progressive Oranges
held in Atlantic City in 1910, Hamp-
ton saw that this ideal could never be
achieved unless the progressive farm
organizations could unite in a, perma-
nent national council to press their de-
mands for economic justice upon the
Legislators of the nation, and at the
same time to carry. on an unceasing
campaign of education among the
farmer folks back home. With these
ideals, the Farmers National Council
was born. "
With the Farmers National Council
as a nucleus, Mr. Hampton devoted
himself to the creation Of a group OF
affiliated farm and labor organiza-
tions which would help the Council to
win its struggle for economic justice.
He. helped to form the Peoples Recon-
struction League, most effective
weapon. With labor leaders he organ
lied the All American Cooperative
Commission to promote direct trading,
consumers and producers coopera-
tion, and the mobilization Of the work
ers and farmers money in their own
cooperative banks. He founded and ed
|ited the Farmers Open Forum IRE
Gently developed into the United
Farmers Forum) in order to give the
farmers the unvarnished facts about
the vital political and economic is
sues Of the day. He became one OF
the Executive Committee of the Peo-
pies Legislative service to make re-
serches and supply facts to legisla-
tors, and to show up the records Of
faithless senator's and representatives
to the voters back home. / think this
was the secret Of George P. Hamp-
tons genius: he knew how to do team
work with any and all men who had
the farmers and workers interests
genuinely at heart. Party labels meant
nothing to him. He was more con-
cerned about results than the aven-
ues through which they came or the
credit that they might bring.
Like the Hebrew Patriarch Of old,
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