Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-09-20
Am0nq State Politicians

N. B. Black, secretary of the North
Dakota Good Governement League,
has just sent to the press the "declar-
atoms of principles" of the league.
1t follows:
THE North Dakota Good Govern
ment League is organized to act as a
clearing house for information con.
| corning every person who aspires to
public Office under the laws Of the
State, and to gather and distribute
statistics and arguments, pro and con,
on all measures that seek enactment
into law, so that the voting public
may have unbiased knowledge upon
which to base it's decision. We are
convinced that never in the history OF
the civil life of our country has there
been a higher call to greater service
than that which confronts the citizen
of North Dakota today, under the op-
Grafton of our primary election laws.
1t will be our earnest endeavor so
to direct our Investigations and in
formation that the leadership and the
sentiment Of all political parties with
in the State shall put forth for public
Office on their respective tickets only
such candidates asFare worthy and Of
good report" and to create such a
public sentiment in favor of character
and efficiency in sthe affairs govern
ment that the reputable citizen will
no longer fear the "mire of politics"
when urged to sefve' his municipality,
state or nation.qss 1s ....,2e s.Nf,
1--WE believe that when any. person
officially announces himself as can
didate for public Office he at, once
becomes, in a measure, a public ser
want, and the people are. entitled to
the fullest information j. concerning
him. The attempt on his part to pre-
vent the. public from obtaining this
information should bebregarde1 unfa-
vorably, and an evidence of lack Of
confidence between himself and those
whom he seeks to serve.
1--WE insist that the moral and bust
ness character of every man who as.
pires to office in this State shall con-
form to the highest requirements of
law and decency, and that his equip
ment, by education or experience,
shall be such as shall insure efficien-
cy in the position that he seeks, to
the end that the public business may
be conduced as economically and ef-
ficiently as any private enterprise.
"The true function of representa-
tive form of government, like ours, is
to protect the lives, the liberty and
the property of it's citizens, without
distinction, or discrimination. We he.
lieve, therefore, that every citizen,
and all classes of citizens. whether
residents, or non-residents, are enti-
tied to equal protection before the
law Gin the courts, and at the hands
of the legislature) in their liberty
their property, and in all of their
legitimate transactions.
1--WE favor an intelligent and care
full exercise, by the State, of it's regu-
lative power over all business con-
Germs and enterprises, to which it's
regulative power extends, whenever
necessary to protect the interest, or
the welfare of our citizens, but we
are unalterably opposed to having
the State use the taxpayers money
to engage, generally, in business en-
terprises, which, from their nature,
are in no respect of public charac-
ter. but are essentially private.
"Our courts are the prote ,tors and
custodians of the rights of liberty and
property guaranteed to each citizen
by the constitution, and i: is their
duty to protect them in these rights
and guarantees. against all agrees
sions from every source, when their