Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-24
MYSTERY SOLVEDo - PER-
HAPS.

There has been amazement all over
the state as there has been reached
more complete understanding OF
the conditions under which ma
1or1ty of the house members at Bis
marck are operating. 1t has not
been an uncommon thing in AIneri-
can politics for little groups OF men
here and there 10 submit more or less
completely to the dictation of others
But when this has been done, those
who have been so Influenced have
usually felt sense OF shame because
OF the position in which they We're
placed. They have sought TO keep
the facts from public view. and have
striven to present az least the APP
pearance of free men.
It has been said the history OF
American government presents no
parallel to the conditions which now
exist in Bismarck, where a majority
of the members of one branch of the
legislature have so far waived their
right to individual judgment and in
dependent action as to submit them
selves TO the domination of a secret
caucus which is ruled with rod OF
iron in the hands OF one man. That
is not quite correct. We have had
one such case before, but the men
who subordinated themselves in this
manner were not white men.
In the days of southern recon
struction, Immediately after the war
the state OF South Carolina had
negro legislature. and its membe
ignorant and inexperienced, many Of
them illiterate, and not a few of
them corrupt was dominated COM
pletely by gang OF carpetba ggers
from the north. men who had no in
terest IN the state except as source
of supply, and Indifferent to the in
terests of those who were the real
citizens OF the state These men.
foaters and transients, ruled the
state of South Carolina. They is
sued orders, and the orders were
obeyed
But this is not a fair parallel
The members Of the North Dakota
legislature are white. not black.
They are not illiterate. Many Of
them are inexperienced, but un-
doubtedlE most Of them are honest
Presumably they have the same dis
inclination to he bossed, and herded.
and kicked around, that other intel
ligent white men have Then why
is It?
Is the explanation 10 be found in
the pledge that Mr.. Burnett read at
the Hillsboro meeting. and which
Messrs. Townley and Lenlke admit
ted to be the one which had been
sent to him TO be signed in token OF
his. attitude as Il public officer II he
should be elected? That document
it will be remembered. pledged the
individual to vote and act. and do
snndry things "as from time 70 time
shall be outlined by the league ="
Everyone who knows anything about
the Nonpa rtisan league knows that
it does not outline ANYTHING except
"a that thing is outlined ~ Mr..
Townley. Therefore when man
signed that pledge he bound himself
to do as Mr.. Townley told him. Did
~-'N~AA'''A.'
sign that particular pledge. and is
it because they signed it that they
are now acting In manner which
is incomprehensible to the public,
and which must be hunilia,ing 10
them?
II that is the explanation. the
members may he reminded that they
rest under more binding utilization
than that under which rhev have
placed themselves to Mr.. Townlev.
They have been elected not as the
servants of Mr.. Townley or the So
ciety over which he exercises SWAY.
but OF the entire people Of their dis
Il tricts and Of the state of North Da-
kota. They have taken an oath to
support and defend the constitution
OF their nation and state And no
pledge or other obligation which
they may have assumed can absolye
them of the duty which they owe.
and which they have sworn to per-
form. They have been asked to con-
Ader the constitution Of the state as
"a thing OF small moment, a thing
Il that, according to Mr.. Manahan. for
iHstante, we have no time to con-
sider. But let them remember that
the constitution is the law, the
fundamental, basic law of their state.
that it was adopted a. that law. not
bH Tho convention which framed IT.
ss but ~ the people who approved and
ccspted # by their votes: that what
~ defects and inadequacies may
r the supreme law, and the
,s that strikes at It is the hand of
81 ssLSKrcly.