MIDDLEMEN ELIMINATED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12717, 12 August 1919, Page 4

MIDDLEMEN ELIMINATED.

AMERICAN FARMERS JOIN FORCES. RADICAL SOCIALISM. • While so many experiments in radical Socialism are stampeding Europe, the farmers of North Dakota, America’s great grain State, are taking the bit in their teeth, too, and ai;o galloping off to pastures of public ownership amid the startled surprse of the rest of the Republic (states J. \V. T. Mason, the New York correspondent of the “ Daily Express.”) Four years ago North Dakota demanded that the Legislature build a State-owned terminal grain elevator for the purpose of breaking the grip of the outside distributors and middlemen. 'i'!ie Legislature, in obedience to the old-time political machines, sat still and did nothing. Farmers had always done as they were told in the past; why not now? But, somehow, the war fever got into the people of North Dakota. Also, there was a man in the State named Arthur C. Townley. This person, hitherto inconspicuous and unknown, suddenly developed traits of spontaneous leadership. He organised what is known as the "’Non-partisan League.” He rallied the farmers to the league, and Arthur C. Townley and the Non-par-tisan League aro now the dictators of North Dakota. TRULY RURAL. North Dakota has a total population of about 600,000. The State has no manufacturing industries. It is wholly rural, with scattered villages, none having a population exceeding 20,600. Since there aro no complex cross-cur-rents of life within the State, the cooperation of all its citizens for their own mutual benefit has been easy. The Legislature and the Btate officials have become subordinates of the Non-par-tisan League, and as such North Dakota has vast series of experiments to make life easier and richer for the agriculturists. State-owned gram elevators, a Stateorvned bank. State-owned mills. Stateowned building and loan associations, a State-owned newspaper, or rather, one owned by the Non-partisan League, are some of the ventures under way. ’ An amendment has been made to the State Constitution, permitting North Dakota to engage in any industrial enterprise it pleases, and a commission has been created to inquire into what industries tlm Sente may enter with profit. It is all being done for the sole benefit of the farmers. For instance, the i a mis of North Dakota are wort mi nod for a total of £60,000.000. The ‘average rate of interest paid on the mortgages is between eight and nine per emit. The new Jlt-ate Bank will lend the farmers money at 6 per cent with which to take up these mortgages..This will mean a saving chum for the farmers of over £1,500.000 per year in interest, or nearly £2O per farm. IN REAL EARNEST. F'or every halfpenny per bushel which the State-owned grain elevators and mills can save the farmers, the total saving per harvest will Djh £500,000. The State-operated building and loan societies are prepared to finance the erection of £IOOO homes on an payment of £2OO, the balance to be paid off in the form of what is now an average rental. In various other wavs the State Government expects to help the people. A commission has been busy ordering rate reductions on the transportation lines within the State, and encouragement has been given to the farmers to open bank accounts instead of boarding their money, through a -law guaranteeing the samty of bank deposits.

The farmers of North Dakota declare they are determined to eliminate, as far as possible, the middlemen, and though making more monev themselves, redimr. prices to the ultimate consumers. There are various predictions of disaster for this experiment in AmeHcan agricultural life, hut it is unsafe to count on the farmers failing to make good. They are deadly in earnest- And to meet the ther have imnosed on themselves a! income tax. in addition to the Federal income tax.