The producers news., 1927-03-04

OF a system ten tunes dS AO0A
and cruel. 1t shows how worrying
over his financial involvement weak
ened his bodily strength and caused
his mind to give way. He was sent
to Warm Springs. Did this catas-
trophe cause the hard heart OF the
Banker to melt with compassion at
the wretched lot of his client? NO.
He saw another opportunity to get
some more money out of the OlsonS
and had Mrs. Olson have Gust sign
over the insurance policy to her SO
that the debts owed to Mckee could
be paid if Gust never came back from
the "crazy house," without the neces-
sity of going through a probate court.
Mckee took the premium; he took the
proceeds of the sale. But the Olsons
saw no return.
Shaved In North Dakota.
One time Gust Olson and his wife
wanted to pay interest and both of
them went to work in a North Dako-
ia mine but Mckee followed them
there and had them sign again on
the dotted line. Instead of getting
out OF debt Gust got deeper in every
day and after the First National
/ failed, collectors came from st. Paul
/ with notes against Gust that he thot
were paid. The affidavit is a NOV
/ ing story of how an honest hard
working man and his wife gave the
best that was in them to make a
home for themselves and build up the
community in which they lived; of
how they were reduced to ruination
and beggary under a system that had
all the appearance of square dealing
and legal sanction. Gust Olson, tho
yet comparatively young in years, has
now the appearance of a man in the
decline of life. His wife also bears
visible marks of the terrible struggle
of suffering she had gone through
Her hands are big and twisted from
hard work on the farm. They are
living in the shack they started life
In on the homestead, too poor tC
move to ''milder cline where gent.
Ter manners reign" too old to start
life anew. They are the victims Of
those who
"Entrenched in law and largess
And the vested wrong of things
Cloaking a fouler treason
Than any faithless kings
He takes our life for wages
He holds our land for rent
He sweats our little children
To swell his cent per cent;
=! With secret grip and levy
i On every crumb we eat,
He drives our sons to theiving
!" Our daughters to the street"
: Parasites Live Good While the Poo
i Starve
And while misery is the lot O
: hardworking folk like the Olson
!; !; their well fed exploiters live in sof
carpeted mansions. They are a liv
{ ing embodiment of the rule that it
3 not the hardworling honest peopl
Q that thrive in this banker-ruled cour
Il try but the parasite and the scheme
I But the continuation of this polio
z where the robbery of people like til
5 Olsons is allowed to take place is M
II productive of good results for til
81 country.
a "Ye friends of truth, We statesme
ie who survey
~ The rich mans joys increase, IL
n poor's decay,
-e IT'S yours to judge how wide the lin
> its stand
1 Between a splendid and a happy Ian
y, Yet count our gains; this wealth
: but a name
= That leaves our useful products st
0I the same.
{, Not so the loss; the man of veal
~ and pride
le Takes up a space that many DO
ne supplied;
OF The robe that wraps his limbs
III silkin cloth,
c Has robbed the fields of half the
ef growth.
lk Ill fares the land to Fastening ills
prey,
Where wealth accumulates and m
rs decay"
ld The Affidavit
us The following affidavit of Gust {
dG son tells story that is said but tyl
LIu cal of conditions in many farmi
ay community. Read it and pass it alo
ef to some one who is still blind to hC
III III the system works. It reads:
of AFFIDAVIT
Vi State of Montana }
ey )ss
lot County of Sheridan)
M GUST OLSON being first dl
it sworn on oath, depOses and sa,
no That he and Mrs. Olson came to NJ
m. tana from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
a 1913 and entered on homestead
ng l2O acres near DOOley, Montana
he the same year. He bought a rel
ng quishment from Blaine Williams
lp- 1916 and proved up on same as W
ION as the original 12O acre hOmeste
as When affiant had his notice of fl
y" proof published in the newspapers
ot. he received letter from John Mex
al the cashier Of the First NatiO
to- Bank of PlentywOOd offering to |,
of him money when he obtained his
ass tent. This was the first time affi
er- heard of Mckee and from the re
te" ing of his letter considered said ]
oys kee an honorable banker desirOus
the helping the farmers in their strug
fn In1nroxra fho1r IL