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THE STORY OF THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE 



member joining, or paying his dues, in June, 

 when he had no wheat, would give a check 

 dated in October, when his wheat should be 

 sold. 



This was merely a result of the abnormal 

 marketing conditions we have been discuss- 

 ing. A farmer was compelled by the existing 

 methods to sell his wheat when the influences 

 controlling the market desired to buy it. He 

 received his pay, in other words, once a year, 

 and, as always happens under such circum- 

 stances, he lived a part of the succeeding year 

 on credit. The thing had been fastened upon 

 the state by years of practice, so that post- 

 dated checks were no novelty when the League 

 came into being. The North Dakota banks 

 took, without the least hesitation, such checks 

 from the League, which deposited them freely, 

 and it is said that in four years no bank had 

 lost a dollar by them. 



The law of North Dakota constitutes the 

 governor, the attorney-general, and the secre- 

 tary of state as the state banking board. It 

 will be noticed that this meant now an anti- 

 League majority, the attorney-general and 

 secretary of state having gone over to the 

 League's opponents. The law also provides 

 for state examiners of banks, upon whose re- 

 port the state banking board is to act. 



The bank in Fargo, the largest city of the 

 state, with which the League did most of its 



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