The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1917-03-16
Thundcrbolt TO
Equity Assets
Society Was Not Consulted and Had
No Idea That Terminal 1isI
Was to Die

Socsety was NOT Consulted and HAD
No Idea That Terminal Bill
Was to Die
WORKED FOR SEVEN YEARS
Discusses Bonding as Compared With
Taxation Which Has Worked
Well Other Places
"The news came as a thunderb0lt
to me-" said President M. p. Johnson,
who, with Secretary M. v. Boldly OF
the state union Of the Equity, was in
terviewed briefly on the veto os s.
B. "a.
Il couldn't believe, until saw the
governors message in print, that the
report could be true. At no time did
we receive any intimation of the gov
ernor's intention, nor were we con-
suited as to our views in the matter.
The equity has worked seven years
for this bill. It carried out to large
extent the Equity's ideas of what the
bill should contain, and had the gov
ernor signed it, as we fully expected
him to do, it would have been great
aid to the Equity movement.
II can't say what the next step Of
the Equity will be. anticipated that
a conference will be held in the near
future. I am wondering what the ef-
feet Of this league move will be In the
attempts to organize Minnesota, now
under way. If Minnesota comes to
the conclusion that the North Dakota
Equity union has assisted In building
up an organization which intends to
block everything the Equity has work
ed for, don't believe the league will
get very far in Minnesota.
$50 far as the farmer is concerned
a direct tax is the equitable plan, to
my mind, in the building of these uttl-
tiles. haven't the exact figures, but
I believe the Minnesota penitentiary
at Saltwater has paid back into the
general fund something like $350,000.
after paying off the bonds issued for
it's construction. All Of this money
comes directly from the pockets OF
the farmers, who were the sole con-
sumers of the prison products-agri-
cultural machinery and prison twine.
Every interest in Minnesota however,
the big factories, the railroads and
the banks, benefit from the decrease
in taxation which results from the
profits turned into the general fund
by the prison.
Had the prison been built by direct
taxation to begin with, everyone in
the state would have contributed his
share, the burden would not have fall
en- alone on the farmer, and everyone
would have shared alike in the reduc-
ton in the tax rate which would have
resulted when the prison reached a
paying basis It's as long as it is
broad. Whether it's bond issue or
a direct tax, it must be paid in some
way The bond issue, however, puts
the entire burd en- on the farmer. and
the direct tax passes the burden
around and gives everyone chance
to help. The same thing would ap-
ply to terminal elevators and flour
Mills. FL.
"The Equity has taken several
tumbles, but it always has got up
again and kept going. don't think
the Equity has finished its work in
North Dakota and Minnesota. can't
say what our next move will be, but
l, for one, have no intention of quit
Ing" -
Senate Bill "a gave Governor Fraz-
Ter authority to name. his own COM
mission, to spend any part Of 100000
In investigating the feasibility Of ter
minal elevators, and to stop there, IL
the plan did not appeal to him 40
practical. His hands were not tied In
any way. 1t was the first measure
which has passed the North Dakota
legislature which made any adequate
effort to look into the terminal eIe;
vator "a proposition. The people last
fall approved a bill calling upon the
railway commission to conduct, an In
vestigation, but by the time the votes
had been canyassed, only 80 days re-
manned in which the rail board could
carry out the provisions Of the act.