AGRARIAN PARTIES AND THEIR POLICIES 183 



town in the northwestern part of the state. An 

 executive committee was selected to formulate a 

 program, which was as follows: 



"State ownership of terminal elevators, flour mills, 

 packing-houses, and cold-storage plants. 



"State inspection of grain and grain dockage. 



"Exemption of farm improvements from taxation. 



"State hail insurance on the acreage tax basis. 



"Rural credit banks operated at cost." 



This program appealed to the farmers of North 

 Dakota. It was not original with Townley and his 

 associates, but it reflected the views of farm organ- 

 izations of the state and seemed to offer a remedy 

 for the economic evils with which the farmers were 

 afflicted. 



That it did appeal to the farmers is indicated by 

 the rapid growth of the organization. Before the 

 end of the summer of 1915 there were 10,000 mem- 

 bers, and before the close of the year the number 

 had increased to 26,000. In September, 1915, the 

 "Nonpartisan Leader," the official paper of the or- 

 ganization, was established. This publication was 

 circulated widely and was read eagerly by those who 

 were interested in the new organization. 



The Nonpartisan League was well organized and 

 ready to enter upon its great task of gaining control 

 of the state government in the general election of 

 1916. In March of that year the League delegates 

 met in state convention at Fargo for the purpose of 

 nominating candidates for state offices. Lynn J. 



