The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-06-26
AGRICULTURE
GOING up IS
SHAFER VIEW
Independent Candidate Voices
Negative on Problems of
States Farmers
FARM CROWD HEARS HIM
Makes Distinct Concessions to
Nonpartisan League in Two
Hours Speech
(By q Staff Correspondent)

night his negative answer to the
problems of agriculture as they are
evidenced in North Dakota in a
county with 2,4OO farms, where 1000
farm mortgages have been fore
closed since 1928.
The present Independent Repub-
lican candidate for the nomination
for governor again repeated the
views he has expressed over eight
years in four state campaigns with
certain distinct concessions to the
Nonpartisan League.
These concessions were sufficient
to indicate conclusively he has TAX
en- q leaf from the notebook of A.
C. Townley and is attempting to
turn it to his own advantage in the
state election campaign which closes
today.
Facing an audience largely made
up of farmers that packed the audi
forum of the Garrison High school
and accorded him scant applause in
the course Of speech that lasted
we'll over two and a half hours he
ignored the fundamentals of the
farm problem until the issue was
squarely put up to him in q question
from the floor by H. B. French. edi-
tor Of the Mclean County Inde-
pendent.
Has No Remedy
Then he declared that agriculture
in North Dakota hit the bottom in
1923 and since that time has been
"going up" He declared the qucs-
ton involved economic, not political
and will not respond to political
treatment.
Farmers Of Mclean county sat
stolid and undemonstrative before
his statement. Here and there
from Independents in the audience
there was a nervous attempt at an
plause. Then the crowd lapsed to
dead silence.
Asked why he does not in his
speeches in the campaign now clos
ing, refer to the record of successes
of state industries while indicting
those industries he and the group he
represents have always fought with
every weapon at their command in
repeated vigorous efforts to discred-
it North Dakota, Shafer had an
answer.
Successes Not Issues
1t was that the hail insurance de-
partment, the fire insurance depart
ment and other state industries that
have demonstrated successes are not
issues in this campaign from his
viewpoint.
With the finesse, skill and plau-
sibility of the experienced negative
disputator Shafer parted pointed
questions put to him, with evasive
answers.
He denied he had ever suggested
that the state mill should be burned
or thrown in the Missouri river.
He answered by evasion the more
pointed questions put to him touch
ing economic questions as they have
developed in the state.
He declared the question of the
state issuing bonds to pay deposit
tors in closed banks is not an issue
of the campaign.
He denied he had ever given J. w.
Brinton a recommendation to the
Nebraska Wheat Growers and q
clean bill of health covering his in
tegrity after referring to Brinton as
4 "crook."
He denied that he had ever re-
ferred to the farmers of the state
as free lovers.
He carried his entire negative
viewpoint to a browning negative
climax that added nothing to or took
nothing away from the issues Of the
state campaign.
Town Apathetic
Garrison demonstrated it was not
overwhelmingly interested in what
Shafer had to say about state issues.
His meeting here was one of the best
advertised Of his campaign. Two
thirds of his audience were Nonpar-
tisan League farmers. They filled
the High school auditorium.
At the same time crowd filled
the town motion picture theater to
witness a performance of "Is Your
Daughter Safe" The pocket bill
lizards parlors were packed.
aren't you going up to hear
Shafer?" one farmer asked another
as they put their cues away at the
end Of . pool game and prepared to
count the cost.
"He hasn't got anything new to
say" said the one addressed. II
have heard him in three campaigns.
He is always selling this state short.
He always has US upon the verge Of
. calamity that never happens. May
be he's sincere. I like to think he
is. But he hasn't much grasp upon
what is going on in North Dakota"
Shafer refrained in his speech
from predicting ruin, bankruptcy
and impaired credit" for North Da-
kota as result of the mill and bank
ing projects as he did before the
bankers in Mandan. Yet with the
fervor Of q medicine man hsrdwelt
upon what might happen If a set Of
conditions far distant and not at
issue in the campaign should be
brought about.
Appeals to Leaguers
His appeal was specially fervent
when he said that If he is elected
governor he will name two Nonpar-
tisans to . board that must be au-
thorized by legislative act to man.
age affairs Of the mill and elevator
and declared he did not want to close
them.
ohsfsr repeated the speech he has
been making throughout tho cam.
paign. It was well after 1880 p. m.
when he concluded. Edward Rupp
introduced him.
The crowd was strangely silent Is
e broke up and milled out into the
night. Yet in the early hours Of
this morning groups Of farmers still
stood about the darkening streets Of
this little town disputing every argu-
mont Shafer advanced In his speech.
He left them more militantlY con.