r 



THE STORY OF THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE' 



street. Mr. J. M. Anderson, the president of 

 the Equity, protested to the chief of police, 

 who was present, but was threatened with 

 arrest and manhandling if he did not keep 

 still. The enraged farmers in the audience, 

 when they understood what was happening, 

 started for the stage, and but for the coolness 

 and restraining influence of Mr. Anderson a 

 battle would have followed, with bloodshed 

 and possible loss of life. Mr. Anderson finally 

 induced the farmers to yield, under protest 

 and pressure, and the meetiag was broken up 

 by the authority and connivance of the gov- 

 ernment of Fargo. 



In spite of every obstacle, ingeniou? or 

 merely brutal, the Equity went on. I have 

 not known a more gallant fight against heavy 

 odds; the fidelity with which its officers and 

 members stuck to it through the darkest days 

 is not less than heroic. The men that carried 

 it through will never be celebrated by the 

 trump of fame, but they gave, nevertheless, as 

 worthy exhibitions of steadfast moral courage 

 as are ever shown on a battle-field. 



Every month now it was handling more 

 and more of the farmers' grain. To handle 

 grain it must have banking accommodations 

 because it must meet sight drafts made on the 

 graiQ it received, but it must wait for payment 

 for the grain it sold. 



Now the backers of the Equity are the 



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