The producers news., 1926-07-16

"Plentywood, July 12.-Sheridan'
county farmers and business men ONLY
smile when they read in the newspa-
pers that other counties would sup
plant Sheridan county as the premier
wheat producing area of Montana.
Daniels county may be a close con-
tender, but Sheridan is confident of
harvesting close to 100000 bushels
this fall from the 225, 900 acres plant
ed 70 wheat last spring. This will be
100000 bushels more than was har-
vested IN the county last year and is
based on an expected yield of 13 bu-
shells to the acre, which, it is claimed,
Is a most conservative estimate.
The Milk River valley and some of
its benches and the Missouri River
valley where it swings from the south
and flows into North Dakota is a rich
country with almost unlimited posi-
bilities IN agriculture Yet when one
leaves the Missouri valley at Culbert-
son and motors north through Froid.
Medicine Lake and Dagmar into Plen-
tywOOd, he feels he has entered a
promised land which rivals the famed
Judith Basin-and may even excel it.
Here IS the land Of comfortable
homes, big red barns and neat farm
buildings, nearly all of them sur
rounded by groves Of trees, around
which are sweeping fields Of luxI1ri-
ant grain. If you did not know sure
" you were in Montana, YOU would be
inclined to think you had suddenly
been transplanted to Iowa or Mime
sofa.
"As you pass the big, prosperous
farms and see farmers getting ready
for drive TO town in their high-pow-
cred cars, you wonder why this is
the country of the radical in politics
the stronghold Of the farmer-labor
party which has put both republican
and democratic parties into the dis
card, so far as county affairs are con-
eerned. You meet one of the leaders
Of the farmer-labor party and you
learn he is virtually a millionaire.
! our wonderment increases.
"Yet there is nothing about the
people, their farms, their towns or
the conduct of their county govern
ment that differs radically from the
more conservative counties Of the
state. Investigation discloses that
county affairs are managed as well as
they are IN other Montana areas and
that public Indebtedness is being re-
duced reasonably.
Farmers Run
Counties
If radical ideas are born in adver-
sity, you are at a loss TO account for
Sheridan eounty's radicalisn, for here
prosperity is persOnified in nearly ev-
cry Individual you meet. To the cas-
uaI observer, 1t seems that the only
reason why the farmer-labOr party
thuves up here IS because the farm
ers are proud of their ability TO run
things politically and, having ridden
into power on the wave of nOn-parti-
san league popularity six years ago,
have decided to carry on in the man
ner Of the league, though the latter
organization is no longer in exist
ence.
The farmer-labor party up here is
organized along the lines Of a fra
ternity. All members Of a farm family
are eligible to admission and they are
initiated much in the same manner as
are lodge members. There are pass
words, grips and ritualiStic ceremon-
les. The local councils meet at stated
periods, approximately every two
weeks and after having all the fun OF
addressing each other in mysterious
words and making certain signs and
giving certain tokens, they adjourn,
after which they dance and eat. In
short, It Is community life capitalized
for political advantage While they
rub shoulders in a social way, they
are mixing medicine politically. Re.
publicans and democrats haven't E
chance against such a combination.
Those Montanans who live in th5
more conservative sections Of the
state should not worry about the po-
litical future OF Sheridan county
The people here are sane and sub.
stantial and they take their politics