The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-20
Editors Note: This article from
a leading periodical pictures the
political upheaval in North Dako-
ia from the eastern viewpoint, in
which lies its chief interest to
North Dakota readers.

| A new power is rising in the West
tand is cousin to the Populist party
and the Farmers Alliance of other
| days. remarks the Buffalo Enquirer
on the inauguration Of Governor Lynn
| j. Frazier. of North Dakota, who was
| elected by the Farmers Nonpartisan
Political League. a party that stands
for State elevators, State hour-mills,
State packing-hOuses State hail insur-
ance. and a State rural credit sys-
tenn This journal and others won
der what the harvest will be-wheth-
err the usual total failure. or an un
precedented success OF the State in
business The Boston Herald says
that as political laboratories" Okla
homa California and Nebraska will
have to step into the background for
time and allow North Dakota to
bask in the Spotlight A Bismarck
(E. d. correspondent Of the New
York World calls attention to the fact
that Governor Frazier ten months ago
was unknown outside his own pre-
cinct, and before that time had farm
ed ever since he was graduated from
l
enteen years ago. The Farmers Nom
partisan League at the late election.
we are reminded. captured every cleo
tive state Office except one, and elect
ed three justics Of the Supreme Court
who have Endorsed the program Of
State owned utilities. The tillers OF
the soil, this informant notes, control
every branch OF the state government
Except the senate; where the consH-
natives Outnumberf them by three
votes, while eighty-tiVe per cent Of
! the members of the lower house of the
legislature are committed to the
! leagues program.
Secret Organization.
The Worlds correspondent goes on
to say that the league is secret
organization" and only actual tillers
of the soil'' are eligible to member
ship. 1t has $4,000 members in North
Dakota and is spreading to South Da-
kOta, Minnesota. Iowa and Montana.
The revolt which has "called many a
Cincinnatus from the plow' we are
advised is primarily a protest against
the Juggling of grain prices and the
speculation in food prices by the
chambers OF commerce. and the pur-
pose of the league is to put the
speculative markets out of business
through cooperation of the state and
t he farmers in the. distribution of land
products" AS to ways and means,
we are told that the farmer-legisla-
tors plan constitutional convention
to raise the debt limit of the state
from $200.0OO to an amount which
will allow the accomplishment Of their
aims.
A Bismarck correspondent of the
New York Tribune says that it is diff
ficult for ali fastener to understand
the utter subsection of this great
Commonwealth to alien interests
which preceded the farmers revo-
luton. effective with New Years. He
calls attention to the fact that the
interests" are resident in St. Paul
and Minneapolis, and belong to Min
nesota They are not amenable to
North Dakota's regulation or con-
troll so that in North Dakota the case
has always been one of submission
or revolt" The present revolt came
with the suddenness Of one of those
"twisters' which occasionally tear
through the state. The Farmers Non
partisan League was founded less than