The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-03-09

OF the Association OIL CoIIHeISe thAo
evening. The affair, altho lengthy,
lasting from $3.50 until after mid
night, was very interesting and the
crowd signifed a willingness to re-
main. President Danielson was in
charge. w. NJ Smart explained the
object of the 100000 More" settlers
campaign for northwestern North Da.
kota fostered by the Association OF
Commerce.
H. S. Funston, land commissioner
of the 500 referred to the cheap rates
being established by the 500 and the
G. N. to induce settlers to come to
North Dakota. He declared that he
had been told that what allied North
Dakota particularly in the past has
been politics, pool and wheat. Too
many farmers instead Of milking
COWS, making a factory out of their
farm, have been growing wheat and
then spending too much-time in town
talking politics or loafng in the pool
rooms.
E. C. Leedy, agricultural develop,
ment agent of the Great Northern,
impressed upon North Dakotans the
Importance of keeping the settlers
we already have here. snake the
ones you now have more prosperous
and it will be easier to get more"
he said. "You can't settle country
by advertising it's failures. Look at
it's good qualities and preach these"
Mr.. Leedy said the renters of Illinois
and other middle western states had
always been considered the best pros
poets for settlers, but now they are
in such hard shape that few of them
are able financially to come west.
One man he mentioned has $1,70O.0O
left and he wants to get out of Hi
nois before a short crop hits him
and wipes out his little pile.
E. S. Potter, assistant general man
ager of the 500 railway company,
stated he was connected with the
Northwestern at the time that road
built into the northwest. At the
time land could be bot for $500 an
acre. Today the same land is sell
ing for $3.50 to $500 an acre. AS he
rode into Minot he saw land that
looks better to him than the land thru
which the N. w. built years ago. He
predicts great things for Northwes-
tern North Dakota. He states that
Pres. Pennington of the 500 is in
dead earnest about bringing in more
farmers to the northwest and will do
all in his power. Mr.. Potter urged
the people to be strictly honest with
the men who come here. He stated
that effective April 10, cars of immi-
grant goods from the Twin Cities to
the Northwest could be shipped in
for $500. The cars may include
household effects, tools, CATTLE, horses,
and used automobile. 3 49, ~ =
Mr.. Potter deplores the fact that so
much farm machinery is permitted
to stand out of doors. He could not
help but notice this as he rode across
North Dakota. "Urge the farmers
to haul it out of sight if they can't
put it under Sheds" he said. He also
deplored the fact that SO many farm
ers haul manure into pot holes in
stead of spreading it on the land.
"And l understand they still burn
straw piles in North Dakota on occa-
sion," he said. "
Halvor l.. Halvorson spoke on
"What the Association Of Commerce
is doing for the farmers. He sug-
gests that when we go east to inter-
view the farmers we adopt the slogan
"We want ighbors-not suckers.
He said the real estate dealers had
organized and will guarantee to sell
land at profit of only 81 an acre.
This immigration movement is not
fostered by the real estate men alone.
The object isn't so much to get people
here in order to sell our land, Mr..
Halvorson said, but to get someone
to help us develop the country. Our
farms are too large. Two or three
North Dakota farm. A quarter Sec
ton would pay many men better.
C. c. Connolly of Devils Lake i'm
pressed upon the audience the i'm
portance Of always standing up for
North Dakota, the land of potential
possibilities and great resources. =
Mr.. Hutchinson, secretary for North
Dakota of the ct r" Trail Associa-
ton, explained at length the program
advocated by the North Dakota Good
Roads Association, an organization
which was started in Minot in No
vember, 1920. The proposed law
which the Association is backing, will
bring to our state $1,000, 100000 fed
eral aid annually, in case our state
raises similar amount. We have
already a million dollars automobile
licenses each year and by increasing
the average license from $500 to
$1,000 this money may be raised. He
would increase the license for heavy
trucks and high priced cars. Dur
ing ten years, the North Dakota road
program has cost $35, 000, 100000
enough to give the state $500 miles
of federal-state highway, at $4,000 a
mile. A large part Of this money
has been wasted. Ward county will
have spent, $6OO,0OO.OO in state-fed.
eral highways by the time this Law
becomes effective and as now pro.
posed, the counties are to be REIN.
bursed 1919 each year for the amount
of money thus expended until they are
paid back what they have spent. Ware
county therefore will receive 100000
a year for ten years. The county