190 THE GREEN RISING 



vantage and can continue to do so. The idea of 

 corralling all the loose funds at the capital of the 

 State and of getting along without aid from outside 

 was a mistake." 



It is too early to forecast the permanent influence 

 of the Nonpartisan League on agrarianism in the 

 United States. Those who proclaimed heartily that 

 the reverses that had come to the state-owned agra- 

 rian industries in North Dakota had been the cause 

 of the failure of this farm movement, did not take 

 account of some of the most fundamental aspects 

 of the situation. 



"An interesting movement," says Haynes, "which 

 has aroused heated controversies, and has also raised 

 the hopes of many people, is disappearing as have 

 so many similar undertakings in the past. Town- 

 ley's idea, a Ford car, and $16 produced a remark- 

 able organization. Just what its final influence may 

 prove to be remains for the future to show us. Cer- 

 tainly, it emphasizes the value of leadership lead- 

 ership plus a sound constructive programme." 5 



While this interesting movement seems to be dis- 

 appearing, as Professor Haynes suggests, it empha- 

 sizes much more than the mere value of leadership. 

 It emphasizes the widespread dissatisfaction of the 

 farm population of a large part of the country with 

 the agricultural economic situation. The fact that 

 some of the policies of the League were impractic- 

 able does not discredit the validity of the cause of 



s Haynes' Third Party Movement, Chap. VII, p. 170. 



