Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-11-08
kON.PART|SiIA|N
LEAGUE CAREER
UNPARALLELED
Organization Unique in Political
History of State and
Nation
TO PRACTICALLY CONTROL
DAKOTA NEXT TWO YEARS

IT,, Non-Partisan league, which
was the most important factor in yes
terday's election, is an organization
with out parallel in the political his
tory OF the state and nation. Brough:
into being at the mass meeting held
in this city during the 1915 session O.
the legislature when the big fight was
made on the EQuity's terminal eleva-
tor bill, the league, under the direction
OF ToWnley, Wood, Bowen, Evans and
other leaders in farmers movements,
in less than two years has grown from
its initial membership of thirty, each
of whom paid $3.50 to present men,
Der ship of $4,000, with annual dues
Of 50 per member: with an official
weekly organ which has larger sub
scription list than any other farm pa
per published in North Dakota; with
a million.dollar auxiliary corporation,
known as the League Exchange, and
other accessories, which make it one
Of the most powerful malgamation of
farmers ever formed in America.
Local Men Aided.
Many of the original thirty mem
bers who formed the Farmers Non
Partisan Political league at meeting
in the Bismarck Commercial club
rooms in January, 1915. were from Bur
leigh county. c. A. Sawnson of Dris-
coll, at present a director in the
League exchange and in the Equity,
was among the first, six men to sign
up" The membership fee at first was
fixed at $3.50. Later, when the league
bought a number of automobiles and
placed experienced organizers at work
in every section Of the state, the fee
was increased to Sc. and subscrip-
tiOn to the Non-Partisan Leader and
Pearson's magazine was thrown in.
Still later, the membership fee was ad-
yanced to 50, where it still stands,
with an auxiliary membership for bus.
mess men, who may contribute but
who have no voting power, at S..
Dominated Primaries. X
Last June the league easily dOminat-
ed the primaries, nominating every
man whom it endorsed. Three candi-
dates were placed in the field for plac-
es on the supreme bench. The league
had legislative candidate named In
every district. Every state officer on
the Republican ticket, with one excep-
ton, was picked by the league, which
ran thep Urinary vote on the govern
ship up to more than 75,O0O-the high.
est toll in the history of North Da-
kOta.
Collects Huge Fund.
First and last there has been paid
into the league by North Dakota far
mers and business men between $780,
900 and $500, 900. The League ex.
change has sold in the short time
which has elapsed since its incorpora-
ton tens of thousands of dollars worth
Of stock. Members claim the league is
at its Zenith today; that there have
been few defections from the organi-
cation since the pSimaries, and that
these have more than been made up by
new members added by organizers
who are constantly at work.
.- Interesting Experience.
The practical domination of state af-
fairs which may be expected from the
league during the next two years will
prove an interesting experience. Many
Of the leagues members Of the house
and senate will be men with previous
legislative experience; a very large
proportion, however, will be men who
have not formerly participated active
" in the. state government.