The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1910-01-21

Devils Lake journal: Congressman
Gronna did a disreputabIe stunt lasl
Tuesday There was a bin for the re-
lief of the homesteaders in some ot
the northwestern states--includinc
North Dakota-under consideration. n
| mis- characteristic and chean atternnt
20 make a little political capital our
OF 1t the Lakota politician allowed his
zeal TO get the better of his yeracity
ana administered a deplorable black
eye 10 the state that has honored him
with seat in congress.
The bill, in itself, was all right and
should have passed, as Ii finally did,
Out no good cause Is ever promoted by
preVarlcation or Misrepresentation
In the course of the running debate
pending the passage Of the bill. Mr.
Gronna butted in and proclaimed to
tne world a series of damaging caIum-
MES against the fair name of North
dakota which must not be permitted
20 go unchallenged. Among other things
ne said. page 516 of the Congressional
Record:
one thing we should take into con-
sideration is that they are having a
switchmen's strike on nearly ali the
railroads and II is nearly. Impossible
for many of these settlers 10 obtain
tuel for their use in the new coun-
try"
And again:
There are, perhaps, cases where
many poor people have settled on the
iand and are without fuel and provis-
ions and they should be PERMITTED to
ieave their homesteads If they choose. y
AS the discussion advanced Mr..
Gronna grew bolder and made use of
the following language:
AT the present time it is not a uues
ton of the price of the coal at the ter
minals but the question is simply this.
that they are without coal"
And further along he stated:
The roads viii not be fit. to travel
until the 18th of May and it would be
almost impossible for these people to
get on the land until that time
These quotations are taken from the
Congressional Record of an. IL psees
SIC and SIT.
While it is nominally true, that we
nave switchmen's strike i'm North
Dakota the other conditions which Mr. |
Gronna SO pathetically portrays do not |
obtain. The strike has not prevented |
the railroads from distributing both /
tuel and provisions to meet the needs
OF the people in every section of the |
state. There has been no scarcity of |
either in any locality so far as we can
learn.
People without fuel and provisions
would perish and If such a condition.
existed anywhere in the state the fact
would be published broadcast with all
It narrowing details @
Neither the railroads nor the public
highways have been seriously blockad-
ed at any time. Devils Lake has re-
oeived It's daily mail regularly every
day, sometimes a little late. never more
than three or four hours and then us
lally on account of conditions existing
N other states. There are teams in the
city every day from the remote rown-
SHIPS of the county indicating that the
oublic highways are passable and have
been all winter. There is plenty of
snow to produce good sleighing and
everybody is taking advantage of it.
What is true here is true in all Sec
tons of the state. The statement that
The roads win not be fit to travel until
.he middle of May, coming from a con-
sressman whose duty 1t is to protect
he interests of the state is unpardon-
Ible. Mr.. Gronna spent the holiday
'acation in North Dakota and ought
10 have known the conditions that
,xist.
Thls state is spending annually $780,
700 TO promote immigration. In addi-
nm m hi
he state has its enterprising real es-
ate men, who are spending energy,
ime and money for the same end.
Congressman Gronna squarely antag-
'nizes the object of all this expenditure
# time, energy and money by his mis-
statements. Who would want to mi
rate to a state where the homestead
RS are without fuel and provisions on /
-ccount of snow blockades and where4 |
now drifts render the public highways