Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-03-08


ra1BUSE from points east Of Illirois should be
sent to him.
FARMERS LEGIsIATIoN.
The Watertown Courrier-New speak,
ing of some of the bills now pending in
the legislature truly says:
The present Dakota legislature is con-
fessedly a farmers legislature. both
branches having large majority OF farmer
and alliance hlemberS. The farmers made
a fight for the legislature and won. In
fact in many districts the members were
conceded to them with practically no 0ppo-
ssition. The result is that they have so
they have everything their own way. The
power to legislate is in their hands, but
this power carries with it q response
bility OF more than ordinary weight.
When legislative bodies are composed of
members, variously distributed among all
classes and professions. no class or pro
fession can be held responsible for the acts
OF such body. Not so with the present
Dakota legislature which presents the ano-
maly OF class, legislature. avowcdly
elected as such, 50 that whatever legisla-
ton is had will be regarded as farmers leg
lslation and they alone will lie held re-
sp1nsh5e be oeTWss rhsi majority k 50 DEy Eysg ,ys
allowed themselves to be carted about by
the railroads the same as other legislative
mOrtals. and their friends who art, shrewd
enough to see a few rods in advance of
Their political noses are becoming con-
cerned about the record this Legislature is
going to make for itself, and the
influence it will have upon the elec-
tions. in the futurc.s' * q
1t will not do to say that they were led
OF forced into thing against their jutlg-
ment, or that there was a pressure brought
to bear which they could not rvsist Such
an admission would be fatal. as showing
that q farmer Legislature j. 10 more to be
trusted than the average Legislature com
posed Of politicians.
Iruer words were never spoken. The
Legislature is farmers legislature but
they have no intelligent idea as to what
they want to accomplish or how they ex-
pect to get it. Take the railroad
legislation for Instance: House bill
Ne. % was introduced. 1t contained
the accumulated wisdom resulting from
two years research as to railroad legisla-
ton. One of the brightest young attor-
neys IN the territory drew the bill. It
was revised and re-revised again and
again by the alliance officers and consid-
cred by the alliance convention at James
town. 1t was further revised by alliance
members, most Of it's radical features be-
ing removed, and then further revised by
the railroad committee of the two houses
and then presented to the legislature.
1t appeared to be satisfactory to the far
mers, and the railroads did not object to
it, but the bill was slaughtered in the
house the first chance they got to vote
on it. Then came the Morris bill, which |
is copy of the Minnesota law. It is un-
questionably strong medicine. If
rates are too igh, they
could be reduced under that bill;
If there are wrongs to correct it would
reach them. If there are interests of the
people to protect this bill would effect
that purpose; but it was regarded too
radical and the farmers fearing
it would work injustice to the rail-
road companies and prevent railroad
it was voted down, or what
to the same, seems to be left
suspended beyond the reach of a majority.
Now the alliance bill is again intro
duced-emasculated it is true-and yet
it is all that can be had and the farmers
Of the territory demand it's passage. It
may not do any good, but everybody con-
cedes that it will do harm, and the farm
ers want it.
But there is another bill pending that
will amount to something; that will put
100000 into the treasury during the
coming summer, nearly 100000 within
ten days, but it isn'ta farmers measure.
It is in conflict with their expressed
opinions contrary in spirit at least to
the demands that they have made upon
the legislature, and yet there are farmers
in the legislature who tremble when it's
passage is spoken of lest it should be
condemned by their constituents.
The people Of this territory are not
idiots or childen. They can make up
the record Of this legislature even better
than the solons who cit in either the
east or the west end of the capitol. Show
them something better than the measure
they have been talking about and they
will adopt and approve.
Give them their alliance bill to satisfy
their demands in that direction, and
then give them the Walsh taxation bill
and no man need fear return to his
constituents; but to adjourn without
these even with the first without the ad-
vantage of the other, will be to adjourn
without doing anything that the people
can commend The passage of the Swan
ston bill and the Walsh bill ought to be
accomplished tomorrow.
The TRIBUNE has looked up the ques-
tion of vetoes and finds that the organic
act ia an exact cOpy Of the constitution