The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-18

are eager to pay tribute to the faith
full tillers of the soil as well as to
him who rules the destinies of people.
think a better feeling and a more
confident spirit of enterprise is mani
fest everywhere in our land and l
dare say, that the relationship be-
tween neighbor and neighbor in
business sense has also received in
spiration in the direction which is
better. .. 49,.
Life offers no task more grateful
tran that to promote good fellowship
q good faith and only wish could
find words Of emphasis which are
adequate.
Much Capital Represented.
"The capital represented by the re-
tail lumber interests in North Da-
kota is, as you must realize. very
great. It would be pleasant if we
could co2npile statistics on this point
and think we should do it, But even
without such statistics at my disposal
feel confident that the capital in
vested in the retail lumber business
IN this state aggregates a sum total
great enough to compare very favor
ably with the capital of other business
interests including banks.
This being the case it should, go
without saying that we are entitled
to a full hearing where such hearing
is in place. If we have failed to re-
cetye proper consideration in the past,
1t is perhaps owing in a measure to
lack of assertion. But even assertion
may not have avaiIed under eondi-
tions so completely out of harmony
with good business rules, as have
recently held sway in North Dakota." {"
Talked of Legislation.
ut is important that organizations
like ours should concentrate their eff
forts primarily upon the legitimate
furtherance of their own direct inter
ests. But should it not also be the
duty of men representing the intel
ltgence and the capital, which are held
in trust by the participants in this
convention, to make their voice heard
for Ideas of larger scope2 Modern
business imperatively demands simpli-
fication Of method and the elimination
OF waste. While we are striving to
comply with this demand in our own
affairs, we allowed the management of
our public affairs to drift from bad to
worse. When 500 to 1000 bills are in
! troduced in a short legislative session
and finally disposed of in few days
in a manner that few legislators can
really tell what they have done and
when the same men can make appro-
pftdtiOnS OV per cent IN excess or the
income of the state it seems time for
thoughtful men to give this branch of
public business some consideration
with a view to evolving a plan which
will tend to displace irresponsibility
and waste by responsibility and wise
economy.
Personally, feel that the disre-
gard for law so rampant at the pres
ent time is largely owing to the farci-
cal manner in which laws are made
and unmade.
I would suggest that this conven-
| tion, at it's convenience, pass a reso-
luton authorizing call for con-
vention Of delegates sufficiently num-
erous to be imposing from every busi-
| ness interest In the state, including
farmers and bankers, for the purpose
Of preventing their drifting apart and
becoming antagonistic, to promote a
better feeling and a better understand
ing for common interests and eventu-
ally to discuss better methods for the
management of our public affairs. We
can no longer afford to overlook the
greater and broader obligations for
common good