The Washington times., 1922-10-23

.sss~lsz,.s-SS more prOsalc
farmers and of
WILLIAM HARD slower hosSe.
men eastward
and southeastward from here
through North Dakota back to
Iowa. This central issde Is simply
the financial condition Of the
farmer. II comes to Its climax Of
hardship here.
Iere farmers in many cases bor-
States government for seed for
their crops last spring. Now they
must epay that money back. Now
they must also pay some money
back TO local bankers from whom
they borrowed before they borrow.
ed from the government. Now
they must also pay their taxes and
their taxes have greatly increased.
But now because Of the price of
wheat and because of the price OF
potatoes they are often moved to
say to their creditors: Come and
take what we have we are going
away"
The editor Of local paper hers
tells me that he has now a ton and
q half OF potatoes which he got from
a nearby farmer at q cost of 81 0 plus
he physical exertion of digging
hem. He also tells me that he has
not yet by any means dug all the
potatoes for which he paid the $40.
The farmer meanwhile has gone
away. He abandoned his crop and
left his land. Multitudes OF farme RI
here will soon be leaving their land
IL changes toward better conditions
do not soon happen.
One such change is possibly In
sight. 1t is not political. That Is,
II does not start politically. Never.
theless. through revolutionizing
agriculture II may also ultimately
revolutionize politics in these parts.
1t may eliminate the Nonpartisan
League type Of politics and substitute
the Iowa type or the Wisconsin
type. This change is corn.
/ think II safe to say that by far
the most important political news in
the upper Northwest today is that
the great American corn belt is
moving Northward and Northwest.
ward to include North Dakota and
Montana. Two years ago In the
! county of which this town is the
county seat there were only 1000
acres Of corn. This year there are
5000. In all the counties along the
Canadian frontier in this part OF
Montana there are similar increases
In corn acreage. Next month in the
town OF Malta, some sixty miles
from here. the North Montana corn
show will come into existence and
will offer it's first annual exhibits
and prizes,
1t is calculated that the econo
mic and political results win be
gradual but will be sure. With
corn will come more cattle. With
corn will come hogs, with corn
will come the complete final steps
toward a complete diversified farm
ing. The crop Of this region hat
been wheat. In much of this re
gion II has been really nothing bu,
wheat. A slump In the world price
OF wheat at Liverpool, in England
has been able to lay this region
on It's back and to create a demand
and need here for State elevators
and State flour mills and State
banks and State credits and every
other, possible thinkable device 70.
holding wheat and for sustaining
and advancing the price Of wheat
With corn and with all the things
that follow corn II Is calculated
that the farmers here will arrive
at the state Of mind which I noted
for myself the other night In a
farmer whom encountered IN a
Pullman car drifting westward
from Minneapolis into North Da.
kota.
This farmer was a very rough
built and rough spoken farmer. He
was proud Of his hands and he had
right to be. They were even
rougher than his speech. His speech
, was devoted principally to denounc
ing the Nonparttsan League. Ac
cording to him the Nonpartisar
League, was managed by pirates and
the farmers who took ship with
them to sail into socialism were
half wits who grew only wheat and
potatoes. As for, him. thank God
he had some sense and also alfalfa
and cows and corn and hogs and
chickens and everything. II some
prices were low. other prices were
high Therefore he had been nb,s
Q to treat himself to a treat and
. Minneapolis and st. Paul He re
counted the luxurious details OF IN,
trip and he then made remark
which perfected him as an object
Of useful political study for trav
cling stranger.
! "Tha snecplators W N'nneano,''
! 81 70 njra'oe too Thev u.o ~ h'r
ho,rsoc -'h'.D'- 49, --af ~ fr"~N
e,.s rre ~ wo ''n-'- 2rJ' 49,
.-.o..,. 80 w.. 49, '%~ r~.,.>,,t,i'c~ -
.,-,.'.. s~o-.>s Ns..@ -''.... D-,.-, ~.
~ .-,o.,..c.t, .>~-'.. ~ ~~.,e ---pv
They own hasb ra"'ies. 7 'en -,
nothing can save the country ex