The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-03
MUST PRODUCE
SAYS
SON, In
WEEKLY LETTER
League Judge Insists the
Farmers Entitled to More
Than Change in Officers
A WOULD HAVE
BEEN RULED OUT
Says Form Void and With
out Effect-No Reason
for Delaying Benefits

Bismarck, n. D., Sept. 3.-"There
j can be no great civic reform until
We. devise some means of making
public servants as faithful and eff
cient as those who serve the big
corporations. There can be no argu-
ment for extending the public busi-
ness until 1t is done with as much
efficiency as private business. That
is a pointer for the Nonpartisan
league.
So says Justice J. E. Robinson, of
the North Dakota supreme court, in
one of his weekly letters, just issued.
Justice Robinson, elected last fall by
the Nonpartisan leagues endorse
ment, leading the leagues field OF
candidates for the supreme court.
The chances are ten to one that
the league will carry the next elec-
tion, but the farmers will not con-
tinue to pay for organizing merely
to obtain a change OF public servants
when the one proves no more eff
cient than the other, continues Jus
tice Robinson.
Il note that our good Nonpartisan
governor is giving lawn parties after
the manner of Julius Caesar. IL
must be that he is thinking of cross
ing the Rubicon or Of the election
next year. ! wish he were to write
some letters and show how he is do
ing his duty better than any other
governor. ! wish he were to think
of keeping tab Of our public servants
and making them more efficient.
They seem to think, some of them
do, that they have a perfect right to
go and come as they please and to
draw pay for doing work which they
leave undone.
Compared TO PopuIist Party.
"Once upon a time the Populist
party sailed into office on a tidal
wave of reform, and Of course was
with them. But they made no re-
forms, they followed strictly the
footsteps Of the old liners, counting
on a second and third term in office,
and one term finished their inglori- |
Gus career.
"The people soon grow tired and |
disguised when they elect to Office !
a lot OF reformed who make no at |
tempt TO reform anything. At the !
last general election, the Nonpartisan |
league, under the able leadership of |
General Townley and his Big Five, |
won a great victory. The campaign |
was well organized and ably con-
Quoted, and IL was based on thou |
sand assurances Of much needed re-
form. These have not yet been made |
manifest. but certain it Is that with /
in a short time the league must de-
liver the goods or go the way of the |
Populist party. The people look for |
good, efficient service, the reduction /
of taxes and substantial benefits /
to millions OF dollars The i
people who ask for bread must not
be. given a,stone. a good tree must
bring forth good fruit. BY their
fsaFafka uhnH fhnF9a
n. B. No. a Not Workable.
1t is true that i'm matters Of legis-
lation and constitution making the
league has had an excuse. 1t met
the determined and skillful Opposi-
tion Of old liners and 1t showed no
tact or skill in conciliating them or
in law making. To make q few
to the constitution
bill was presented containing the
and the entire constitu-
tion. That was III b. No. "A. It con-
tanned AZ large printed pages in
which the amendments were like a
needle in a hay stack. While this
bin had no emergency clause, 1t
provides for the submission OF the
same TO a vote az q special election
10 be held In June, 1917. Now as a
bill without an emergency clause can
have no force or effect until the fol-
lowing July. this viii would have
been void even though Ii had re-
ceiyed every vote In the house and
Ia the senate.
There are only two ways OF
amending the constitution. One Is
The way specified In the constitution
itself and the other Is BY way OF
convention, the way by
which the constitution was framed
and adopted. BY a majority OF each
house. the legislature might have
passed d valid act providing for an
slecfion of delegates TO 3 constitn-
Continued on Page Two.