Grand Forks daily herald., 1916-03-08

titular senatorship have their way Mr..
Clapp will he returned to st. Paul on
| or about March 4. 1917, and the Hon.
Knute Nelson will be relieved of his
loneliness
THE FARMER AND GOVERNMENT
Tho letter of syvert Williamson OF
Grafton on the non-partisan league is
marked by good temper and restraint,
features which are too apt to be lack
ing when political subjects are un-
der discussion. The letter, however.
contains some statements which mer-
it consideration.
Mr.. Williamson says: ''The farmers
of North Dakota have for some time
entertained certain real or fancied
grievances. chief Of these being that
they are practically unrspresented in
the legislature, despite the fact that
theirs is the majority vote" This IL
surely fancied grievance, for II Mr..
Williamson will look over the lit Of
members Of the legislature he will
find that that body has at ali times
| contained large percentage Of farm
era, and that it now contains, II not q
majority. at least a worry large number
Of persons who are farmers and who
have no other occupation. If to these
be added members who are engagsd
IN other occupations, but who own
and operate farms Of their own, and
who depend on those farms for a con-
siderable portion Of their income, It
will be found that the farmers have
not merely plurality, but a decided
majority in the state legislature.
If We are to understand that, while
farmers have unquestionably been nu-
merous In the legislature, the men,
bers who follow that calling have fail.
ed to lesislate as they should have
done on matters in which the farmer
is interested. it is surely possible to
point out wherein they have failed.
What has the legislature done that
was injurious to the farmer: What
has 1t failed to do which 1t should
have done and which would have ben
efited the farmer? II there have been
delinquencies Of this kind, It ought to
be possible to say what they are.
So far as The Herald can recall at
this moment, the only important
movement which was urged a. being
of special advantage to the farmer at
the last session Of the legislature, and
which was there defeated, or postpon-
ed. was that for the building Of a ter
minal elevator in another state by the
government of North Dakota. That
Is matter of business. and it should
be considered on business, and not on
political grounds. The only reason
why that project was defeated was
that mon both in the legislature and
out of 1t were convinced by all the
evidence that it had been possible to
obtain that such an enterprise would
not correct the evils which were com.
planned Of, and that it would be a
rash and dangerous experiment,
wasteful Of the money Of the people.
That is the opinion Of very many ex-
perienced and practical farmers who
surely have nothing to gain by at
tempting to block anything that 10 in
the farmers interest.
But, aside from matters Of detail,
and specific legislative questions,
what is the duty of a member Of the
legislature Of the state? Does he 70
there "a a farmer, or = lawyer, or 4
merchant, to look after the special in
tereets OF his own business. If 30 he
Is ne=lecting the plain duty imposed
on him, and violating one of the car
dinal principles Of representative gov
ernment Our whole system OF Kov.
eminent is based on the principle that
all mon. whatever their station or oc-
cupation, are equal before the law.
and that the man who assumed tho
obligations Of a lawmaker or admins.
traitor is thereby bound to act for tho
entire body Of his constituents, not a
members Of this or that craft, but a.
men and women. members Of the
community and citizens of the state
and nation. Any other conception Is
utterly false and mischievous. No
other principle can be permitted to
govern without disaster to the state,
1t Is interesting to note in Mr.. viii.
liamson's letter the spirit Of reserve
with which he regards the activities
OF the Non-Partisan league organic
ers. He believes that the farmers
should be organized to protect their
rights although he does not appear
to be certain of what grievances they
have to complain. Because the League
offers means OF organization he vol
comes the league. although he is not
in accord with the plan to have the
league leaders placed in a position of
autocratic authority But that IL tho
essence Of the whole leasue move-
ment If it does not succeed fully in
that 1t fails disastrously. The whole
league movement is based on the pur-
pose Of q handful Of men to dominate
the state and dictate its policies, aad
1t Is rather dangerous thing for
men to undertake to secure the cor
rection Of such evils a. may exist
among US by placing in absolute DOW
er a few men in whose record there Ia
nothing to show that they will be
careful Of any interests but their own.