davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
The Policy Of the Producers News

Eighteen years ago this summer,
the summer of 1917, a group of
class conscious socialists in Sheri-
dan county, then composing what
is now Roosevelt, Daniels and
Sheridan counties, Montana, con-
scious of the great struggle exist
ing between the classes, the ex-
plotted and the exploiters; the
farmers and the workers in one
class whose labor produces all of
the wealth, and the bosses and the
bankers in the other class, who
produce nothing but grow rich and
mighty on the loot plundered from
the workers in the fields and the
factories, and conscious that this
struggle existing throughout the
world and the nation, also was just
as ruthless here in Sheridan coun-
tv and Montana as elsewhere; and
understanding fully that the farm
ers and workers must organize to
win in the struggle with these
class enemies; and realizing that
the press, large and small, sup
ported and defended the exploiters
and their system, the capitalist
profit system, and consistently and
consciously fought the working
and producing class in the inter
est of the robbers and the hooters,
and especially that the local press,
dominated by the bankers and
bosses through their local agents
were especially vicious and unre-
liable and misleading, and feeling
keenly the necessity of a local
paper, owned and controlled by the
farmers and workers, to support
the cause of the farmers and work.
ers in the great class struggle anC
: to print the news, including TIT
} news which the ruling class sup
pressed, and interpret it from the
workers point of view so that thC
workers can understand its signi
ficance, and just as important, t.
} lead and direct them in their dali!
struggles with their exploiters
5 this group of socialists organizes
the Peoples Publishing Company
selling the small denomination
, shares widely among the farmer
| and workers of the area, and fl
2 nally, in the spring of 1915
r launched the Producers News in
" modest way, as a class struggl
4 paper.
:. Fought for Farmers, Workers
And the first issue of the Pre-
: ducers News, and every issue tina
has ever come off its press, ha
: taught the class struggle and ha
n fought for the interests of tn
e farmers and workers-the pape
has never betrayed the purpose c
: its founders.
5 The old socialists who founde
the Producers News for the mo!
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

part Joined the Nonpartisan League
during the militant days of that
organization, and fought in its
ranks as long as it led the strug-
giles of the farmers and workers
against their exploiters, so the
Producers News became the organ
of and supported the program OF
the Nonpartisan League and its
candidates of both Of the old polit-
ical parties, as the members deter
mined, in many sharp political
struggles, always teaching the
class struggle.
In 1923 when the slogan of
class struggle labor party was
raised anon gthe farmers and
workers as a result of the crisis
the aftermath of the World war.
the Producers News supported the
slogan, and became the leading adj
vocate of a mass, class, Farmer
Labor party in the northwest
wheat area, ardently supported by
the St. Paul National Farmer-La-
Dor convention, and supported the
Farmer-Labor party and it's nom
mated candidates, on a class strug-
gle program, successfully in Sher-
idan county, that year electing the
entire county ticket, and thereaf-
ter, during the years of reaction
and until the Farmer-Labor party
repudiated the class struggle, wheT
the Producers News in 1881 il
line with its fight for the farmers
and workers, became the officia
organ of the United Farmers
League, the militant farm organ
ization first raising the slogan:
against forced sales, FORECLOSURES
and evictions, and for federal seeC
and feed aid to the farmers a
the expense of the federal govern
ment, and a decent living healtl
sustaining standard of personal re
lief for the impoverished farmer
and destitute unemployed workers
and for their inalienable rights O
"life, liberty, and the pursuit o
; happiness" which slogans were at
forwards adopted by every milit
ant farm organization in the ma
ton; it remained the national OF
gan of the United Farmers Leagu
: until March 1st, 1884.
Supported Communist Party
Consistent with its original pun
: pose, the county edition of tn
t Producers News came out in sur
s port of the Communist Party an
S it's program and candidates, j
e 1882 and in 1884, because it wa
r the only party at that time COZ
f sistently teaching the class strue
gle and advancing a class-strugg'
d program, and fighting for a re-
It farmers and workers program /;
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

against the wan SCreeC program
of the bankers and bosses as sup
ported by the republican and dem
ocratic and other third capitalist
parties under the pretense that
their programs were programs that
would benefit the workers. The
Producers News never was, nor
never pretended to be, as many
seem to think, the official organ
of the Communist Party. The
Communist Party has only one Of
fetal organ through which its Cen
trail Committee speaks and that or
gan is The Daily Worker. The
Producers News, owned by the
farmers and workers of the area,
as a class-struggle paper, has only
been a Communist paper in so far
as it has supported the program
and candidates of the Communist
Party as set forth above, and in
no other way.
\ y
Now, as a result of the ever
deepening crisis and a better un-
derstanding of the role of the cap
italist parties, great masses of the
farmers and workers are breaking
away from the old classical Wal
Street bankers and bosses parties
and are again raising the cry foI
a mass, class, Labor party, admit
ting and teaching the class strug
gle, with a program of vital i'm
mediate demands to meet the nee
essities of the working class, AM
fighting for the interests of thu
workers and farmers all of tn
time, as against the "old deal
and the "new deal" programs o
the Wall Street parties and thei
local agents, the Producers New
again supports and will agail
fight for the slogan of a mass
class party, teaching the elias
struggle program; and in dom
this the Producers News will figh
for the class interest of the farm
: ers and workers in the future a
E it has always done in the past, bU
it believes it a bigger and MOI
effective manner.
And on this basis, the board {
directors and the press committe
Of the Producers News asks tn
farmers and workers of Sherida
county and this area to rally
the support of their paper, sprea
: its subscription, and in every wa
e possible build their paper, the p;
; per that fights all the time Il
d them and their interests, The Pr,
n ducers News.
s (Signed) Einar Duus,
/ Hans Hardersen,
: Elna Swanson,
e Harry JUL,
Il Tom Sundstad,
Is Editorial Boar
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
Coffee an

When a girl from the relief of
lice inspected Tony's cattle, she
asked about one critter if it was
a he" or a "she." And Tony
said: "Well, 1 think it is mostly
a he" And Tony's cattle did not
get any hay because they were too
young and too much che"
And when the Sunday school
teacher told them about the rules
in heaven, Push Holst's little boy
said: Cant we wrestle a little bit
up there just for fun?"
And when the report came out
that the five Dionne kids had been
born, the price of diapers and
safety pins went up.
And it is estimated that 2,225,-
goo gallons of liquor are Struggled
into the country each year.
And President Roosevelt is fish
ing near Cuba, and on March rs
he dropped the line.
And the way everybody is talk
ing war, it does look like pros
perlty is right around the corner
for the munitions makers.
And a move from bad to wors'
is moving from drouth-strickel
farm that isn't paying to a sub
slstence farm that can't pay.
And Patrick J. Hurley, forme
secretary of war, says: eft is i'm
patriotic to compel one man to en-
dure the hardship of war, Will
another is earning profit iron
war;"
And it is rumored that a relic
administrator gets a commission o
20 per cent on what he can "save.
If that is the case, then Mr.. Prem
dergast got 5000 out of the $11
600 he Saved" in January.
And the city election was o
April FOOLS day
And the crowd was very muc
disappointed when maggie" an
Eddie" did not show up at tn
relief meeting where Gonius Laul
sen was elected for the third tim
And the boy said: care you tn
kind of doll that says Mama
I squeezed you?"
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
ARCHER

Everybody remember the s'
election on Saturday, April :, ..,i
Gerhart Johnson was a plea'I sa
caller at the Joe Whitish nome
Sunday. WHIT
L. f. Boelens and Clarence q" On.
ish called on Harry Whltisn
day. ..-;tod j
The AL Harley family vlSi''
the Outlook country Sunday " YER
Mr.. and Mrs. Jimmie he l
invited out to dinner Suno D.so. 70
Slim Kazeck delivered -u O-
the Louie Marsh ranch l Tatsop
Ole Flakne and Charley M' Sat-
were at the Joe Whitish h0n"
urday. IN Pier
Ed Boelens were shopping =
tywood Monday. hosn seen
Ducks and geese have . Il Just
going north, so spring mus
around the corner.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
Official Proceedings Of
County Commissioners

At 2 o'clock p. M, March 4, 1885,
the board of county commissioners
met in regular session, all mem
bers of the board and the clerk
present.
Nels Christensen was allowed
$50 for medical purposes.
Delegation from east of Reserve
appeared before the board in re-
CARDS to roads east of Reserve,
and resolution was adopted and
sent to the State Highway Com
mission.
Horace Bolster, State Lnad Eco
nomist, appeared before the board
and discussed the plan of purchase
of sub-marginal land, and the clerk
was instructed to obtain informa-
ton from same.
At 5 o'clock p. M, the board
recessed until 9 o'clock a. M, Mar
9Th.
At 9 o'clock a. M, the board
resumed, all members of the board
and the clerk present, March 5.
On motion the following claims
were allowed paid and the clerk
instructed to draw warrants there.
for on the different funds:
General Fund
Employees, February salaries
$2,712.51.
Niels Madsen, petty cash, $193..
80.
J. G. Debing, registering births
and deaths, $55.75.
L. G. Zeidler, supplies county
buildings, $24.45.
Lincoln Lumber Co., cabinets
relief office, $40.07.
Mountain States Telephone ant
Telegraph Co., telephone service
$74.5O.
E. S. KOser, expenses, $500.
F. D. Morck, bond premium, N
| MadSen, SZU.
S. C. Faaborg, insurance, Law
office, $45.36.
Ted Storaasi, coal, county build
ings, $9O.5O.
Plentywood Herald, count,
printing, $384.25.
William Melsbary, services, ad
dressograph, $20.1O.
School District No. 20, rent, Cc
buildings, $255.
Tribune Printing and Suppl
Co., supplies, $42.5O.
A. ]. LANCER, rent, county al
torney's office, $25.
Martin J. Peterson, salary, $5I
First State Bank, bond, Olso
and Peterson, $46.5O.
| Office Specialties Co., typewrit
er, $11O.
o. J. Collins, February salar!
$50.
F. ]. Fishbeck, February salar!
$50.
City of Plentywood, water, G,
buildings, $12.45.
A. C. Erickson, February salar!
$50.
Bancroft Whitney, law librar,
$3.50.
, Montana-Dakota Power Con
pany, lights, county building
J $61.31.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
Resolution

Whereas, an emergency seed and
feed loan will be granted to farm,
ers in Sheridan county through the
federal government, and
Whereas, it becomes necessary
for Sheridan county to supply
equipment for the clerical force
which will prepare the Necessary
forms for the farmer applicants,
and
Whereas, Sheridan county is
without funds to finance the pay.
ment of the clerical force for this
work, but can supply the Necessary
typewriters and other office equip
ment.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved
by the board Of county commits.
sioners of Sheridan county, to ash
the Montana Relief Commission
for funds to pay for such clerical
help to take care of the work in
connection with this emergency
feed and seed loan.
That the board of county con-
missioners of Sheridan county, IN
the event this project is granted.
will abide by the rules and regu.
lations as have been, are and will
be promulgated by the Montana
Relief Commission for the compile
ton of this project.
The following vote was had on
this resolution: Commissioner o.
son voting "aye," Commissions
Hunter voting "aye," Commission
er Tango voting "aye."
Certificate of county clerk an
recorder:
| 81, Niels Madsen, clerk and re
corder of Sheridan county, Mon
tana, do hereby certify that tn
foregoing resolution was adopts
by the board of County commits
sioners Of Sheridan county, Mon
tana, at a meeting held by then
on March 9Th, 1885.
In witness whereof, I have here
unto set my hand and seal thu
( 9Th day of March, 1885.
(SeaD Niels Madsen,
, Clerk and Recorder
= Sheridan, Co., Mont
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

Robert L. Wheeler, February
salary, $50.
M. J. Peterson, mileage, $40.
A. R. Rice, distributing relief
feed, $16.5O.
Monarch Lumber Co., supplies,
county buildings, $48.5O.
Olaf Aasheim, mileage, $12.88.
Addressograph Sales Agency,
supplies, $8.74.
c. N. Rostad, registering births,
1925.
George S. Wheeler, taking care
of relief feed, $50.
Henry Hunter, per diem and
mileage, $36.62.
A. J. Olson, per diem and mile
age, $4O.68.
Carl Tango, per diem and mile
age, 1896.
Road Fund
H. R. Heppner, road mainten-
ance, $5O.4O.
H. R. Heppner, road mainten-
ance, $500.
Continental Oil Co., gas and oil,
$11.88.
Robert L. Wheeler, mileage, $4.-
90.
J. o. Johnson, road maintenance,
$3.50.
Percy Budke, road maintenance,
$36.
c. W. Wilson, road maintenance,
$65.
Road Fund
Old Age Pension, pensions fol
March, $547.
Samuel Dodd, February salary
Anna Anderson, 8 months rent
Opal Weller, SIS.
w. R. Greer, 8 months rent
Jones and Jorgensen, $54.
Montana State Tuberculosi:
Sanitarium, supplies, SOC.
Montana State Tuberculosis
Sanitarium, care of patients, SIP.
so.
Mrs. o. T. Benson, confinement
: Mrs. R. Marks, $40.
Ted Storaasli, coal, poor farm
and county poor, $24.68.
William Hanisch, rent. BERGER
bakken girls, Sc.
Niels Madsen, petty cash, s1O4.
81.
William C. wachter, coal t
: poor, $13.75.
Ole Nereson, rent, Bundt fam
/. lily, $40.
D L. G. Zeidler, supplies to poo
farm, $S.75.
Edw. c. Peterson, groceries t
poor farm, $20.S6.
Ingwalson Co., groceries to poo
farm, S15.17.
Millers Pharmacy, prescription
to poor, $3.50.
+. Lake Mercantile, supplies, Thee
Theiser, Sc.
, Lawrence Anholt, coal, Adar
Graft, SO.
!, Acme Coal Mine, coal, Goodma
Sneva, $1.30.
: Signe Bentsen, care to Berg
J, children, $50.
Paul Kurtz, agent, 2 month
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

At IL o'clock noon the board re
'cessed until 2 p. m.
At 2 o'clock p. m. the board re
stunned, all members Of the boar
and the clerk present.
On motion the following BAN
security was approved: First M
tional Bank of Reserve, Hon HON.
Owners Loan Corporation, $l'0oO
On motion the monthly report
for the month of February, lS'g
Of the sheriff, clerk Of court a lI
the clerk and recorder, and "
clerks trial balance were approve
Treasurer granted leave oil .o ss
sance for one day, March 10, l'o.'
Treasurer and county attoin ~
granted a leave of absence tor ="
days, beginning March 20, 1850 a.
At 5 o'clock p. m. the boaru o.
| journed.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
Required Reading for Sheridan
County Farmers

Quotation from New Deal radio speech, Dec. %:
Our data shows that the general or specialized farmers
need have fear of the competition of part time farms
The average income for the first of the 800 farms sur
Veyed was S140o per farm year. most of which was
consumed on the farms"
The cat jumped right out of the bag Part time
farm or subsistence farms, will not produce cash for
the people living them. We are to be stuck ont in
the sticks and forgotten -
LEM HARRIS, at Sioux Falls Conference
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

rent, Mrs. A. Drager, $40.
Alice Clawson, allowance for
March, $25.
Joker Brien, care to John Shar-
cite, $40.
Sheridan Milling Co., screenings,
poor farm, $500.
Elgin Cafe, 2 months meals,
Frank RhOdy, $50.
City of Plentywood, water to
poor, 81.
Mrs. H. B. Haugen, professional
service, $40.
Northumberland Power Com
pany, rent, w. C. Goodchild, $40.
Andy G. Anderson, room and
board, Theo. Theiser, SIS.
Ovidis Grimerud, allowance for
March, $40.
Herman POhle, coal, Mat Gull
lord, SIS.
Mrs. Olaf N. Gronvold, care to
Mrs. B. Van Pelt, $40.
w. D. Roy, extraction of teeth,
Mrs. K. Heyn, 81.
Mary E. Miller, care to John
O'Grady, $50.
Evelyn Miller, care to Mrs
Billet, SAP.
L. D. Folsom, doing chores fol
Mrs. Mann, So.
Montana-Daokta Power Com.
pany, rent, w. C. Goodchild, $40
E. E. Stambaugh, milk, pool
farm, $11.2O.
Martin Storaasli, delivering mill
to poor farm, $3.50.
Sheridan Memorial Hospital
rent and care to patients, $423.76
Fulkerson-Nelson Mortuary, flu
neral expenses, Storaasli, Jensen
Davis, $3.50.
M. P. Jackson, 2 months rent
Joe McBurney, -$12.
J. C. Storkan, February salar,
and glasses, $12O.
Security State Bank, house rent
Chaffee, for 4 months, $24.
J. L. Sorem, groceries to poo,
farm, 1898.
c. N. Rostad, prescriptions t,
poor, $3.50.
Plentywood Drug, prescription
to poor, $27.20.
E. ]. Luchan, 2 months rent, A
Petersen, $40.
Mrs. Jurdie Smith, rent, Loutz
enheiser, So.
Mrs. A. V. Hopkins, rent, Cal
Anderson, $40.
Mary Aspelund, 2 months rem
Vern Sachow, $40.
Dan MCGOWAN, 2 months rem
C. Gronvold, $40.
A. o. Hendriclson, 2 motnh
rent, Tom Welter, SIP.
William Ertner, rent, H. Sach
Ow, SIS.
A. o. Hendrickson, rent, Make
and Hansen, $40.
Library
Ruth L. Johnson, February sa
, airy, 500.
Mrs. L. E. Skor, services at
: brary, $6.40.
Mountain States Telephone ar
) Telegraph Co., telephone servic
$4.10. !
A. c. McClurg & Co., book
$11.83.
At II o'clock noon the board +,
cessed until 2 p. m.
4 AT 2 p. m. the board resume
all members of the board and Il
b clerk present.
County agents annual report fl
5 1884 was presented and ordere
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
MARRIAGE LICENSES

Willard A. Zachor and Emily
Martha North, both of Portal, N.
d.
Henry Lipscomb and Esther Mel
by, both of Dagmar.
Lloyd Whitish of Archer and
Vera Whitish, also of Archer.
Walter Evanson of Upham, N.
D., and Bernice Melgaard of Noon
an. N. d.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
LETTER TO
CONTINUED from page II

people as to who would make a
good member of this committee
to represent the labor class, we
selected Mr.. J. G. Van Hee, an
active relief case No. 34-1361.
Mr.. Stenehjem and Mr.. Van Hee
selected the third member for
this committee, Mr.. P. M. lie
barth, a resident of this county
for a great many years, tax
payer and manager of the Occi-
dent Elevator Company. l des-
ignated Mr.. Ziebarth as chair
man of this committee
ct quote these letters to show
you that Mr.. Prendergast felt that
in appointing this committee, he
had complied with DR.. Buffers let
ter of February %, and felt that
it was not necessary to call a
meeting of your organization in
order to select this member.
"This matter was handled in
good faith by Mr.. Prendergast and
we are extremely sorry if there
has been any misunderstanding
relative to this committee. How
ever, in order that DR.. Buffers
verbal statement to you in Helena
might be conformed to, I have in
structed Mr.. Prendergast by tele-
phone to call county meeting for
the selection of the labor and gen.
eral representative on this com
mittee and to disregard his pre-
vious appointment. I confirmed
this conversation by wire this
morning.
"'This will confirm our tele-
phone conversation of yesterday
relative to calling countrywide
meeting for the selection of the
county representative for the
grievance committee. Kindly
take care of this matter at
once
GAS soon as Mr.. Prendergast has
| had an opportunity to advertise il
the local papers for this meeting
and the representative is selected
by popular vote, the formation Of
this committee will be carried out
with what we trust will be salts
faction to everyone concerned.
ct have made this rather leng
thy explanation in order to show
you and point out to you as {
fair-minded citizen that your state
ments that we were attempting t,
play some kind of game with thu
people of Sheridan county, wer,
without basis and could not hav,
been expressed with any facts a
hand to substantiate them.
"Yours very truly,
montana Relief Commission
(Signed) ed. M. Warren,
"Ass't. Administrator.
Gonius Laursen's answer to thi
letter follows. No further com
ment is necessary:
Reserve, Mont,
March 81, 1886.
Montana Relief Commission,
Helena, Mont.
"Dear Sir:
"I received your letter of Marc
21st. This letter you close wit
the following paragraph: Z hay
made this rather lengthy explana
tion in order to show you and poin
out to you as fair-minded cit
zen, that your statements that W
were attempting to play some kin
of a game with the people of Sher
idan county were without basi
and could not have been espresso
with any facts at hand to substan
tate them
"First, I want to thank Won fo
your lengthy explanation, becaus
it leaves the impression that tb
Helena office possibly is not in
cluded in this game.
"Next, am going to try I
prove to you that a game is be
ing played against the peonle =
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

At 5 o'clock p. m. the board
recessed until 9 o'clock a. m. Mar
6, 1885.
At 9 o'clock a. m. the board r.
sumed, all members of the board
and the clerk present.
On motion the following canrpl
lation was approved: Contract No
10 Amortization Plan in Paymen,
of Taxes in the name of Selm,
Erickson.
On motion the following appoint.
ments we're approved: Henry n
Goodman, deputy treasurer; Lillian
Fisk, clerk in treasurer's office
Floyd Willard, clerk in treasurer,
office.
The following resolution was in
troduced by County Commissions
Tango:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
MARKET NEWS

The market news this morning,
April A, gives the following prices:
Durum Wheat .......S .85
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05

Affidavit
State Of Montana,
County Of Sheridan. ~
John P. Weller, being fir.
sworn upon his oath. So OOf!
says; uepOSes
That in the year 1918 =, -.
ne obtained a seed loan FROM =, q ~
ldan County, Montana; that + . Saef'
after and some years later ~ snere,
the said seed loan in full. tL ~ PAD
said seed lien attaching mo nav me
to his real estate was rever ~. "a. and
fled. salts
Wherefore, your affian+
that the Board Of County Cor S,as'
sioners of Sheridan COUNTY aus I,is'
tana, satisfy the said seed lien w,
mark the seed loan as maid u
John P. Weller
Subscribed and sworn 70 No..
me me- this 26th day of Februar,'
| (Notarial SeaD Elf G. Anda,,..
Natary Public for State Of ME- u
tana, residing at Westby, Mort.n.
My commission expiree Ion ~
1886. &C.
Resolution
Whereas, John P. Weller has q,
fered sufficient proof of the nav y
ment of the seed loan due Sbs3
dan county, Montana. from him
Now, Therefore, Be It ResoIvo,
that the said seed loan be cancoI
led and marked paid and all lien
in connection Herewith released
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-04-05
FRIDAY APRIL 5, 1872,

filed.
The The following resolution -,
f tr'l'Et was adopted and a and al,
spread on the minutes. Ordered