THE STORY OF THE NONPARTISAN LEAGUE 



Evans went out and took counsel with a 

 farmer whose team he saw hitched to the 

 railing in front of the town's one store. He 

 ended by signing up the contract, but he had 

 to wait several days for his money. 



This was early in March. He now got his 

 seed and the rest of the machinery he needed; 

 also some pigs to supplement the two cows 

 and the chickens he already had. The land 

 was in good condition; his plowing had been 

 carefully done. He seeded late in April and a 

 month after was hopeful of a good yield. 



Meantime a baby had come and the doc- 

 tor's bill and other expenses, with food sup- 

 plies and fodder for his live stock, had begun 

 to eat into what the seed and machinery had 

 left of his $702. When the wheat was cut 

 and stacked his money was about gone. 



Interest day was close by and he saw that 

 he would never be able to meet it and get 

 through his tnreshing, so he approached the 

 banker about a loan on the horses and harness. 



The banker demurred. The bank did not 

 do that kind of business; first-class loans on 

 unencumbered real estate was its line. But 

 he thought he knew where the loan could be 

 effected and sent him to what was called (by 

 the farmers) a money shark in the next town. 

 The shark made the loan easily enough 

 at 16 per cent, and an undervaluation of all 

 the chattels. 



26 



