Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-25

tblld4iS were COnOuCteO WITH d IcIlkAOuS
fervor and in a loftiness Of spirit
which recalled the French Hugenots.
the Scottish Covenanters. the Pilgrims
who landed on the rocks of Massachu-
setts, and other devoted little bands Of
men and women who, In all ages,
have refused to count the cost when
the principles in which they believed
were at stake. AS the movement grew
and began to assume the appearance
of success that prospect Of success
attracted others, and a motley assem-
blage of business incompetents. po-
litical discards and professional crooks
added themselves to its membership
In its later stages, drawn by the pros
pect of personal advantage. The in
evitable happened. The state admin
istration elected under Populist au-
spices proved wasteful and inefficient,
and those who had hoped for real re-
form became troubled in spirit. The
very earnestness of some of the orig
inal members contributed to the trou-
bles of the party, for each little group
had its own vision which was incon-
sistent with the visions of others, and
the conflict engendered suspicion and
distrust. The greed and ambition of
the self-seeking element asserted
themselves. cliques and factions were
formed, and the organization which
Its economic propaganda for one
solely political, either melted or dis
integrated. and the party finally ceas-
ed to exist
Following the Farmers Alliance as
business organization came the So
ciety Of Equity, which. under various
names and in various forms. confined
itself at first chiefly to the promotion
of the cooperative spirit among farm
Thrn1yoto tivSo {<e,
members 1t has established elevators,
warehouses, creameries. stores and
various other agencies for serving its
membership. These enterprises have
not always been successful, because
the management has not always been
wise. But many Of them have been
very successful, and enough success
has been achieved to demonstrate that
cooperation along these lines is posi-
BILE and serviceable if it is coupled
! with good business judgment and in
tegrity.
The Equity society. in this state,
While it did not organize as q polit-
tcal party began to seek the aid Of
the state government in the carrying
out of its plans. Chief among the de-
mands made was that the state itself,
rather than it's citizens as individuals
in cooperation with each other,
should erect and operate at one or
more Of the great wheat marketing
! centers terminal elevator or ele-
| vators for the handling of North Da-
kota wheat. This action was authoriz-
ed by constitution amendment, and
the board of control was directed by
a resolution Of the legislature to un-
dertake an investigation of the facts
surrounding the business of market
ing wheat with direct Difference to the
feasibility Of the entrance of the state
of North Dakota into this particular
line of business. The board reported
at the legislative session in 18Th. and
the report, which was an exhaustive
one, covering many printed pages. and
citing numerous facts from the experf-
ence of states or provinces which ha Il
undertaken such enterprises. was I'M
favorable. The board advised the leg
islature that in it's opinion a state
owned elevator would be an exceed
ingly costly venture for the peonIe of
North Dakota. and that it wouid not
cure or improve the undesirable mar
kct conditions of which the shipners
of this state complained.
In the meantime there had been in
iected into the discussion the .nirit
of personal and political controversy.
In many cases men we're FOR ~.
against the terminal elevator, not be-
cause of anv facts which might he
ELECTED or any report that might he