Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-03-14
NO SEED

a very insignificant sum during the year.
NO SEED WHEAT.
The attempt to resurrect the Sandager
lottery bill for the purpose of amendment
and final passage in accordance with the
recommendation of the committee appoint
ed by the legislature to devise means for
procuring seed grain for the destitute
farmers of North Dakota proved futile,
and the representatives from those dis
tricts most in need of seed grain will have
to answer to their constituents for their
action in relation thereto. The seed wheat
committee was composed of representative
business men. They looked into the mat
ter thoroughly and decided the most eff
fectual and certain relief to the needy set
tiers of the state could be brought about by
the acceptance of the business proposition
made by the Louisiana lottery COM
pany through its attorney, Hon.
Geo. E. Spencer. Since the indie
finite postponement of the lottery
bill last month, when it was thought the
actual condition of the destitute had been
OAokSOAoUCus " AiOAO SoACAAA SoAiSuoo VI LIZ
drouth-stricken regions has been made and
the necessity of some heroic treatment be-
came moro apparent. The two seed
wheat measures passed soon after the holi-
days, contain unconstitutional provisions
that make them imperative in some dis
tricts most in need of seed grain. The
farmers who most sorely need the grain
have the least security to give. The seed
wheat committee found a way out Of this
dificulty-discovered a means of furnish
ing seed wheat to the farmers without TAX
ing a mortgage on his chattels. The COM
company in consideration of certain fran
chise to do business in this state, was will
ing to double its former proposition and
pay an annual license fee into the state
treasury of S15O,00O. They also received
a definite proposition that in ad-
dition to this vast sum the company would
furnish, upon NJ other security than the
personal credit of the needy farmers, $780,
600 bushels of No. l hard seed grain prior
to April 18th next-said wheat to be re-
turned bushel for bushel, without interest,
upon harvesting and threshing.
Here wa a plain business proposition.
The committee endorsed it, sent it to the
legislature, and the legislature, by its ac-
ton, refused to take advantage Of this lib
eral proposition. To reconsider a bill that
had been indefinitely postponed may not
have been the proper way to get at the
matter, but the fact remains that the prop
osition of relief to the needy farmers of
this state has been rejected.
The farmers have asked for seed wheat
and they are remanded over to the tender
mercies of the chattel mortgage money
sharks.
They have asked for lighter burdens of
taxation and they are denied the benefits
of cheaper money, incident to the estab.
lishment of such an extensive financial in
stitution.
Let every business mar and every farmer
read the offer made by the company in an
other column. Two HUNDRED AND FIFTY
THOUSAND BUSHELS OF WHEAT FREE
enoughto furnish seed to nearly all the des-
titute farmers in the state-and as a guar
antee, 100000 in money, for the due and
faithful performance of the agreement.
That was the proposition-pure, direct and
simple.
1t has been denied. Very well, what
have the moralists and kickers on the
other side got to offer? While they are
being promised tat political offices by the
skn0UnrC fhof hn ~ yyho% - khes- L.. L.
tunate constituents to do for the neces-
saries of life and the seed grain wherewith
to begin another years siege?
The lottery champions!need not be ashamed
of their records. The scheme they advo-
Gated offered speedy and permanent relief
to a distressed state. Although largely in
the majority in numbers in the,legislature,
the lottery advocates were not strong
enough to cope successfully with an ex-
ecutive veto, certain to follow the passage
of the bill. In the senate one vote was
lacking to make up the constitutional
number required to pass a bill over an ex-
ecutiye veto. This had a weakening effect
upon the house clearly demonstrated by
the vote ION the question of ref,uscitatipg
the lottery bill.
1t is now too late in the session to re-
cave returns from the farmers and bust
ness men on this proposition, but the
TRIBUNE ventures .he prediction that sew
ira of the members will be kept hustling
to evade the Indignation of their constitu-
ents when they learn the true state of
affairs and the provisions of the relief
measure offered.
Read carefully the proposition to the
needy farmers Of the state in another COL
umn
The sudden death of Superintendent