Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-11
RIDDICK AND THE
FARMERS
CONGRESSMAN RIDDIcK has

friend. He joined the Nonpar-
tisan league and sought its aid.
When he found that he could get
no political help from that organi-
zation he sought to convey the i'm
preston that he never joined it.
Some one secured a Photographic
copy of his membership card in the
Nonpartisan league signed by Mr..
Townley and authorizing him to
participate in its political activi-
ties. The Tribune has a copy.
These things put Mr.. Riddick in
pretty bad with the Nonpartisan
league. It's members may have
some respect for their open ene-
mics, but they have little for men
of the Riddick stamp that try to
use them, and then repudiate any
connection with their organization.
We do not know whether B. K.
Whe eler ever had an official con-
nec-son with the Nonpartisan
lea nc as Mr.. Riddick had, or not,
bu we know that he had their po-
litScal endorsement, and was glad
TO rave it. He still has a good deal
of support from that organization,
though they had a candidate of
their w in the republican pri-
MAJ for United State senator,
State Senator Anderson. He is now
supporting Mr.. Wheeler instead of
Mr.. Riddick. Mr.. Wheeler is also
receiving the support of the gen
cral union of farmer organizations
KIN wn as the Farmers National
CO ,ncil, and which comprises the
Society of Equity, the Grange, the
Farmers Union, as well as the Non
partisan league. That is made
pain by the following letter from
the managing director of the
Farmers National Council:
Washington, D. c.,
Sept. 80, 1922.
Dear sir: l am glad to have the
opportunity to write you that the
Farmers National Council is back
ing Mr.. B. K. Wheeler for the
United States senate against Mr..
Carl w. Riddick. Mr.. Riddick's
record in Washington has been
very large one of servile service to
the predatory interests. 1 don't
mean that he personally has been
in any way venal, but he is more
dangerous because of his personal
integrity for he doubtless sincere
" believes that the great interna-
tional financiers, the meat packers,
the railroad m~agnates, the middle
men who speculate in farm prod
ucts and rob the farmers and wage
earners alike, should be helped by
congress-, but that the farmers are
not entitled to any such help, or
even adequate credit to enable
them to finance the marketing of
their crops.
The Farmers National Council
is a special union of progressive
national and state farm organiza-
tons to secure for farmers the ma
tional legislation which they need
to make agriculture prosperous and
to look after their interests at the
national capital, these organiza-
tons, including the American So
ciety of Equity, the National
Cleaner federation, the National
Nonpartisan league and many state
farmers unions, state oranges and
state farmer tenant organizations.
The president of the Farmers Ma
tional Council, Hon. Herbert F.
Baker, has been a republican state
senator in Michigan until he made
his phenomenal run for United
States senator in the republican
primary this fall, securing $4,000
votes against Senator Townsend's
I40. 900 votes, although Mr.. Baker
went into the field only in August,
and had practically no funds
against Mr.. Townsend's access to
the same dough bags which sup
ported Newberry.
1.-THE council is strictly non
partisan. We backed Mr.. Wheeler
for his record, and opposed Mr..
Riddick on his record. There are
over 900, 900 members of the organ
azation united in the Farmers Ma
tional Council.
81 recently saw an article in the
National Farmers Magazine, edit
ed by MI. Taylor, endorsing Mr..
Riddick's record as emitting him
to be United States senator from
Montana. / inquired of the Off
Gals of the National Farmers
union, and found that they did not
In any way authorize M. Taylor