davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Compliments
Sheridan County

l will say this for Sheridan coun-
ty: you seem to have a bunch Of
farmers there who are as intelligent
and progressive as can be found Ct
watch the newspapers pretty Closely
and I think a great deal Of credit may
be given to the influence of the Pro
ducers News. 1t is altogether fitting
and proper that the proposal for such
an organization should come from
such a source. I believe that such an
organization would draw support
from every locality where farmers
are possessed Of what is vulgarly
termed "guts." The farmers need t.
be ''hard-boiled" and if the farmers
of Montana, after what they have
been through, haven't CUTS enough to
get hard-boiled, they might as well
make their wills, leaving their debts
to their creditors, and lie down anC
give up the ghost.
Let me hear from you for in case
such an organization is formed I de-
sire to be counted in.
Very truly yours,
LEVERNE HAMILTON.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Farmer Now
Without Defense


Such an organization would nave
saved the farmers of Montana humid
reds of thousands of dollars during
the past two years by simply inform
ing the farmers of their rights under
the law. Hundreds of farmers, be-
cause Of their ignorance of the law,
are robbed of their crops and land by
INSCRIPTIONS land sharks every year
in the so-called Treasure State of
Montana. The average farmer doesn't
like to have trouble with anyone and
this is often taken advantage of by
the banks and mortgage companies.
A state paper informing farmers of
their legal rights, and urging them to
stand up for them, backed by an or
ganization with money to fight test
cases, would do more to put the fight
ing spirit back into the farmers thar
anything else. At the present time
the farmers are like cottontails II
the brush, preyed upon by the vul
lures of the air and the coyotes anC
other animals of the land and with
out other defense than attempting tt
hide in hole.
I would not attempt too much
Make your organization simple bu
powerful. Concentrate all your ener
gies on a few important things.
How would a program like this b,
for a starter?
1. Legal. Informing the farmer
of their rights under the law.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

ers organization is formed the mem
bers may look forward to having the
same kind of experience for the pow
ers that be will stop at nothing to de-
strOy such an organization because
THEY FEAR 1T. Whenever we find
Commercial Clubs, Banks and Bah
bits, boosting a farmers organization
we may safely predict that that or
ganization isn't worth a tinker's dam,
and may say here also that any
farm organization that proposes to
keep out q politics" is likewise not
worth a whoop so far as any benefit
to the tanner is concerned.
l heartily agree with you that the
meetings Of such an organization as
proposed should be held behind closed
doors ane that applications for mem-
bership SHOULD be passed upon by a
committee.
Give us such an organization, farm
ers with backbone instead of wish
bone, a bunch that "lnow their du-
ties, yet know their rights and know
ing, dare maintain" an organization
that means business, and I for one
am with you till the last dog is hung.
have spent a good deal of time
/ in the service eff the Nonpartisan
League and I am willing to spend
more time and make a good many
/ sacrifices. for an organization OF
farmers which means business. ANY
other kind is not worth wasting time
on.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Must Orient
Himself

For two reasons the farmer must
recognize the essential servitude of
his position, despite his title-deeds:
ID to orient himself properly, so that
his guns can be aimed at his enemies,
not his friends; (2) to get in contact
with the organized forces Of union
labor. I'm 1920 there was a good
start in this direction politically, but
the economic opportunity was let
pass.)
Rackrent tenancy, under one name
or another viii arrive if there are too
many bidders for farms. ct was here
for years, masquerading as owner
Ship Land is now cheap, and unless
there is a crop of immigrants and
suckers pulled in by the bankers and
railroads, viii stay cheap. Here is 3
great strategic advantage to the fore.
closed farmer; he must hold it. The
bankers may convert his loans int
deeds, but unless he can put some
fellows with strong backs on the lane
the pieces of paper will not prof.
nm. The problem of local immigra
eion may become pressing. Here i
, cnance for organized labor in tn,
east 70 protect its people from takins
; 1helr turn on the agrarian treadmill
/ and at the same time help the farmer
OF the northwest. An advertiser,
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

they ever worked for themselves
getting what? A meager living. Do
ing what? Operating and preserving
these properties. For whom? For
their bankers. Any time they stop
sweating for the money-lender their
titles will be "not so good" The
same is true of the grain-growing
farmer.
Instead of owning productive en-
terprise and its properties, the farm
er really struggles to maintain pos
session of a place which is really his
workshop, where his purchase of ma
terials Is conditioned by others, his
disposal of products dictated by 9th
ers. There is a gambling chance OF
his hitting a lucky market with a bic
crop. With this gamble in mind he
sells his lifetime also, but he does not
accept without a struggle the piece
work system which to the farmer is
ordained in the nature of things. The
worker budgets his affairs better. He
thinks in straight lines; does not wait
until election day to seek a remedy
for what ais him. Still, wage-ea1n.
ers have queer psychoses also.
couple of miners working on the con.
tract system several thousand fee
underneath my desk Cat so much tn,
cubic FOOT viii sometimes see TEN
porary afIiuence in the opening up O.
soft formation. But usually the bos
will look the ground over, and say
I Boys, you're making too much
money on this-I1l have to cut VOL
half a cent The psychosis fades
the miners wake up to the fact tina
they are working for someone els
after all. More and more the farmer
must come to the same awakening /
they are to be effectively organize
to deal with the present crisis in thei
craft
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

wait for the legislature to act. Henry
Ford makes every bank he blesSes
with a deposit put up gilt-edged Sc
curlty. Organized depositcrs can DO
the same trick And it is some trick,
to make a banker give security IN
stead of taking it!
There should be, in Montana, an
economic alliance with stock-growers.
That was a weak spot in the old NJ.
L. The fellows who get robbed on
their wool securing Gall same eIeva
tori are aware of it, and notwlth-
standing appearances, many OF them
occasionally think.
All organization executives should
be decently paid. Let it not be said
as one old-timer remarked cymcaIly
to me, There's no money IN 1t, eX-
cept by getting into their confidence
ana then betraying them"
| am pretty much against the polit-
zeal thing. People are so prone tc
forget that politics is just propagan-
da, that they get off the road on q
lot OF COW paths. Let the mining
power and transportation companies
run the state government. They cant
be made to pay their taxes anyway
and it's too small an item, viewed
from the farmers standpoint, t.
trouble about.
The projected state newspaper viii
be the strongest link in the chain
Plenty of paper and ink is the bes
known plug for a sinking ship. If j
cannot cure sick politicians, it cal
make well ones sick, which is NOR,
desirable. Above all, it will keep or
gained members of the new leagu
for agrarian freedom in touch wit
each other and with the functioninj
of the machinery which they create
Very sincerely yours,
HARLOW PEASE
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Bankers Want
Dear Land

The banker wants an era of dear
land-"good security" In other words
he wants rich acres peopled with
slaves. 1t will be worth a hard fight
to circumvent him. care net wheth-
er the scheme be repurchase on the
amortization plan or outright tenancy
on favorable terms to the tenant
the only real objective is to stay on
the land and get the most out Of it in
return for the human sweat that
trickles into the burrows.
If all the dispossessed farmers of
Montana stand as a unit, with a uni
form demand for a tenure of land
equal to good wages, they will get it.
Undisciplned, they will fall before
substantial fears.
Eastern investors wish to boom up
the land temporarily so as to sell anC
clean up their Montana investments
Don't let them. Make the absentee
landlords hang on-rent cheap or sci
cheap to working farmers not to poor
dupes from the cities who will gC
| broke in a season.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Has Many
Good Laws

8. Educational. A thorough dis
cussion of beneficial farm laws now
on the statute books of Montana
bringing pressure to bear on proper
State officials to make such laws cp-
erative. Montana has some of the
best farm legislation of any State in
the Union, governing grain buyers,
providing reasonable handling charg-
es, the return of dockage to the
farmer, and giving the Commissioner
Of Agriculture of Montana the neces-
sary power to enforce this law. Had
Governor Dixon, through his COM
missioner seen fit to have made this
one law operative, he would have
I saved the farmers of the state mil
lions of d6clars, and he would have
continued to be the Governor of Mon
tana.
would not organize too soon. Get
the opinions of the farm leaders of
the State and let the scope of the
movement gradually shape itself. En-
list the cooperation of as many farm
leaders as possible and launch it in
statewide way, following closely
the N. P. L. method of organization.
Sincerely your friend,
! J. w. ANDERSON.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Should Defend
Their Rights

= AA~A ANAG8AA@S
Any farmers organization to be eff
eective should be originated by the
farmers themselves and they should
see that working farmers retain con-
troll of it. By this l mean that no
"Swivel-chair farmer" or one who
does not actually spend a portion at
least, of his time in the tillage of the
land, should be accepted as a mem
Der, or if so accepted given a place
of authority in the ofgs1nzation. We
farmers have reached the status of
peasants and the sooner we are will
ing to admit it to ourselves and 90
to work to correct the condition, the
sooner it will be improved. The farm
ers organization must be financed by
such farmers even tho they are fore
ed to proceed slowly, or to "beat'
their creditors in order to raise the
money to finance it, and must likewise
be composed of farmers, or peasants
If you will, who mean business, who
will not hesitate to defend their rights
with rifles or sawed-Off shotguns
should it become necessary. If we
can build an organization from such
material, it will be readily be seen
that a card in such an organization
will mean something, not only to the
members, but what is more import
ant, to the farmers enemies.
Now for a discussion of the de-
mands of the organization, by para
graphs:
1. I am not in accord with the
method proposed for getting the lane
back into the hands of the working
farmer, as it depends wholly upoT
the willingness of the Mortgage com.
panies to sell on such terms, and Vol
are we'll aware that when a farmer
tries to buy from the mortgage com
pany they try to secure the full
amount eff the mortgage togethe
with all back taxes and unpaid inter
est, which usually brings the price vi
to about four times what the land i
worth.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
CROP VALVES INCREASE

Value of Montana's farm products
for 1925 is estimated at S1S6,542, 900
Of this total, S7O,610,00O will be live
stock.
Wheat is the principal cash crop,
yielding 36,280,O00 bushels, which will
bring the farmers S51 $4,000 at an
average price of SLAP.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Have TO Fix
The Loan Sharks

As a substitute for this paragraph
l would suggest that the land be tax
ed on the value placed upon it by the
Mortgage company. This could be
accomplished by farmers endeavoring
to purchase and when the mortgage
company writes to a purchaser let
the purchaser file that letter with the
county assessor and this shall consti-
tute an assessment of that land so
long as it is held by the company. 1t
will readily be seen that if mortgage
companies are forced to pay taxes
upon the speculative value which they
place on their land it will be only a
short time until they will be willing
to dispose of it at a REASONABLE
price and on reasonable terms, or that
the land will be sold for taxes to the
highest bidder, which would accom-
plish the same result. The purchase
/ price in the latter case would consti-
/ tute a new assessment.
These all contain necessary provi-
sions and I need not attempt to crit
cize or improve upon them at the
present time. 1t is sufficient to SAY
that the main thing necessary to the
success of a farmers organization /.
a spirit of determination upon tn,
part Of the farmers themselves fo1
unless that spirit is present no or
ganization can long endure.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

Mussehel, Mont, Nov. l, 1925
had intended to write regarding the forming
when in
the press OF other business had allowed slip mind
there always need
ton and certainly the need has been present
dsintegaOn the
pool never regarded as instrument of much benefit the farmers
that
sary to borrow money large quantities finance it. and when the farm
those who control the finance
serve the farmer for defense thereby placed the
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

classes of our present society
is what our goal will be, a.. Ihis
gram, cited in part inn a ls+ an Pro
of the Producers News, is to. lsSle
proof of the progress of on, .o,lglole
We must add to that, and IN - tb l ans
we will be well rewarded fo o,e end,
work. Oi our
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
SHOULD FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC NEEDS
IF State Paper Cannot Cure Sick Politicians 1t Can Make
Well Ones Sick
By Harlow Pease, Butte, Silver Bow County

Butte, November 2, 1925.
Your letter of October "a with nOsed reprint from the Producers
News a l than
herewith thoughts that have occurred to during these latter
which a
parallel the condition of British agriculture after the NapOeOnc
CTbet his "Rural Rides graphically
describes the disaster the collapse of markets for farm
He in
Sussex who hoping for another GOOD WAR; bring back
in
af-oran O daN-
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Backbone
Needed

l was a member and organizer for
the Nonpartisan League (now de-
funct) and I viii say that had the
members of that organization been
possessed of sufficient backbone and
intelligence, instead of having wish
bones where their backbones should
have been, the farmers would not now
be under the necessity of forming a
new organization. However I do not
wish to indulge in determinations and
the farmers having now been without
a real organization for some time, at
least some Of them must have profit
ed by the lessons learned and pos
slbly more of them viii support a
new organization. Ny activities in
support of the n. P. League caused
me to. spend sixty days in the Mus
selshell county jail, which, however
was made up for by my securing 3
Judgment against the sheriff who
caused my arrest. IF a REAL farm
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

campaign by the new economic group
to be formed may we'll prove to be of
infinite value in maintaining the pres
ent low price for Montana land
Cheap land means freer men.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13

The country banker is a problem
demanding attention. He can better
be made to guarantee deposits by de-
pOsitOrs' associations requiring surety
bonds to back up the bankers promise
to repay, than by the best deposit
guaranty law ever framed. Don't
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
WHAT SENATOR ANDERSON SAYS
Organization Would Compel Enforcement of Good Farm
Legislation Now Statute Books.
By j. w Anderson, Sidney, Richland County.
My Dear Friend:
Sidney, Montana. Nov. 3. 1925.


You putting wonderful and thereby rendering great
strongly favor Of the farmers organization outlined
They
the farmer other industry labO under
such a handicap.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
FOR A FIGHTING ORGANIZATION

Give such organization Of farmers with backbone
instead of wishbone organization that means business
and am with you until the last dog is ng"-Luveme
Hamilton, Musselshel.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Desirable far

2. Legislative. Desirable farm
legislation discussion in state paper
and the election of a legislature
pledged to the same.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Political and Economic
Weapons Contrasted

Political and Economic
Weapons COntrasted
From their past and present en-
virOnment as well as from the educa-
tional forces which have worked on
them, the farmers as a class are at
this moment many years ahead Of the
merchant and professional classes.
The latter have little thought of elm
mating waste or establishing stab
ty in cur economic life. They have
this advantage over the farmer, how
ever, that they are in closer contact
with their markets (bOth buying and
selling), and are thus driven, in part
uncOnSciouSly, to methods of main
tanning their enterprises on a paying
basis. 1t is odd to observe at times
these most political-minded inhabit-
ants of a nation hypnotized by poll
tics, forging economic weapons which
serve them well. We may take a leaf
from their book.
The Nonpartisan League assaulted
the enemy eXploiter, where he was
strongest, i. e. at the pools. After the
farmers surprise attack of 1916, their
majCrities grew slender and perilous.
They had enough TO dc, it would seem.
with the reactionary members of
their own occupation, without inviting
into the contest the hostile voters
(and electiOn-thieves) of the cities.
Had the same amount of effort that
went for political campaigns been ex-
pended in disciplining their own kind
of people into an economic unit, con-
crete results would have been equally
notable. more speedy and more endur-
ing, although a gallant adventure in
popular political government would
have been lost.
Such non-political acts among
wage-workers as the establishment Of
the eight-hour day, or of check-weigh
men at mine tipples, with a disciplin
ed group insisting, not only on cleo
ton day, but 965 days of the year. OF
their enforcement, may well be con
trasted in net results with solemn
statutes limiting working hours O
creating inspectors of weights an,
measures. For these reasons I an
less impressed with the possibl
benefits of a farmers lobby at Helen,
than with operations on anotbe.
plane I know that Bob Larson agree
with me in this, Notwithstanding his re
marks on the absence of a farmers
lobby are valuable and illuminating.
Who Owns
the Farm?
Before one can intelligently alip
himself with those whose problem
are the same, he must determine I
what class of society he belongs.
he thinks he is operating propert
but is actually the paid servant
another, his title to property is mer
" a shadow, he viii never get h
feet on the gromd-his mental fee
know a number of sheen and Gait
men, nominally owners Of properti
running into six figures who thiI
tney are operating property; thil
they are owners Of property VIII
are their titles worth? They ha,
since the war, six years now. work
harder for their banker friends tn
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
WHAT A NEW FARMERS ORGANIZATION MEANS
Bv Ebert Arthaud, McCone County

. abr1pt demarkatiOn between the
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-11-13
Demand Security
FOR Deposits

broke in a season.
New Britain herald., 1925-07-25
SCHEME FOR IMPROVING
 ARTILLERY FIRE DEVISED
Major Hood of Hawaiian Service Makes Important Ballistic
 Discoveries

Honolulu, July 25 RD - A scheme for taking ballistic wind, to be used in correcting the ranges of guns in night firing, has been devised by Major John II, Hood of the 18th Coast Artillery at Fort Kameha- mAha here. and is announced 10 have passed successful tests in i'm proving the accuracy and precision Of Are.
 Portable 7earchlights. capable of revolving both vertically and hori- zontally, were trained on a pilot ascension balloon 26 inches In di- ameter os it rose. The speed and direction were computed, as is done at the meteorological station during the day. This is said to have been the first time the idea of tracking small balloon at night had been tried.
 The experiment was carried out successfully by the operator of the | light the first time and without field glasses. Atmospheric conditions were adverse, with low clouds and heavy wind velocity: nevertheless the balloon was tracked for 1,5oO yards. Military experts said that with better equipment 1t could be tracked as high as 5000 yards.
New Britain herald., 1925-07-25
H|FTYLEADERS OF
 B0MBERS DEPORTED
Lisbon Takes Action Against
 Trouble Makers

Lisbon, July 25 RA-The head Of the criminal investigating police has become one of the most popular men in Lisbon because of his act- vities in rounding up the leaders in tho recent bomb outrages, As a re- suit so of the most dangerous eX- tremists have been deported 10 west Africa
 Little effort had been made 10 ap- prehend the trouble makers until the attempted assassination of Col onel Ferreira de Amarad, head Of the Lisbon police, who was shot on a street corner. Only one of the group of assailants was arrested at the time, but rigid investigations soon revealed the identity of the others and all were taken into cust e ody. This proved an easy task when the police decided to act, because the leaders, having escaped arrest
New Britain herald., 1925-07-25
l. s. DOMINATES
 EUROPEAN STAGE
This Is Opinion Of German
 Theatrical Critic

Berlin, July 25 (P) - America is setting it's imprint upon the French theater quite as much as upon that of Germany or of Austria, in the opinion of HcImuth Barnick, critic. writing in the I.okal Anzeiger.
 America is the bacillus" he ob- serves, (which is infecting Europe. One notices this in Paris quite as much as in Berlin or Vienna. What Italian woud have thought of pro- ducing Aida in the open air out side of Vienna for an audience num- boring tens of thousands, were it not for the fact that New York transformed q church into a theater, and made a thcater into church :? America with its super European dimensions simply kills the theater halls that have been kept up since the days of haroquc. At Hollywood America builds up the whole inner city of Paris in order to film the photoplay 'Notrc Dame.' America cracks the whip in the Casino dc Paris and in the Olympia, and all Paris applauds."
New Britain herald., 1925-07-25
British Anxious to Make Another Everest Venture

London. July 25 tP' - Addressing the Royal Geographical socictys anniversary meeting, the president, the Earl Of Ronaldshay said neither tto members of the late Mount Everest expedition. nor of the Mount Everest committee were pre- pared 10 admit defeat with regard to the conquest of Everest,
 The prospect of putting the mat ter to the final test. he said, de- pended upon the willingness. or otherwise, of the Tibetan govern ment to grant permission 10 another expedition. rather than upon the readiness and ability of the com mittee to organize and despatch 1t