The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-02-15
SEND A PETITION IN BOOTS.

-- r -
st. Paul Daily News: The North Dakota senate has defeated
blouse Bill %Forty-four" by a vote of 29 to 20. This is the bill
providing a new state constitution for submission to the people
"a constitution under which the Nonpartsan League program
The people of North Dakota have voted for state-owned ter
minal elevators year after year, only to be thwarted in each leg
islatve session by the gang which ruled the state regardless
of the peoples will or welfare. Last tai. the Nonpartisan League
program swept the state by a tremendous majority. A new lower
house was elected, but half the senate holds over. It contains a
majority of the Old Guard.
The Old Guard majority, stubborn and defiant, has turned
down the law the people want. What steps the embattled farmers
of North Dakota will take now we have no means of knowing: The
steps should be definite and drastic enough, however, to impress
these hang over senators with the power of the people and the
wrath of the righteous. If a few thousand courageous and de-
termined farmers invade the capitol of North Dakota and present
"a petition in boots it might serve to convince this gang that the
people are supreme.
The Good Government League is dead, but it's soul goes march
ing on. From Fargo comes out pamphlet this week bearing the
rather significant title: "A Socialist Constitution for North D-'
kota, Do You Want That or the Constitution That Has Stood the
Test for rs Years." The pamphlet makes comparisons between
the new constitution proposed in House Bill A. and the "consti-
tuition that has stood the test for rs years." the inference being
that the constitution should not be changed at all because it has
"stood the test" Like most other literature of this character
that has flooded the state during the last year, it bears no author
ship. Even the name of the printer has been carefully omitted,
although from the union label it appears to have been printed in
Bismarck. It is not such a difficult matter, however, to venture
a close guess on what interests are behind this big publicity cam
paign. And, like it's predecessors, it will be taken with a barrel
or two of salt by the average North Dakotan.
The standpat senators who killed House Bill A are attempting
to Justify their action by the fact that the Nonpartlsan League
was not born at the time they we're elected and consequently they
were not committed to their constituents to support the league
program. Neither was the present little unpleasantness between
Uncle Sam and Germany born at the time these solons were
elected. But we note that they did not hesitate to take leglsla-
tive action in the form of a resolution pledging their support to
President Wilson in the controversy. 1t is barely possible the
honorable senators were looking for some excuse to justify their
procedure.
If YOU want to be designated as a thinking mar" by the gang
nress of the state you must oppose the farmers program on con-
sti+utional revision. Yes, it must be admitted, the gang is doing
sonoe n,ofound thinking these days. The farmers have been
taking theirs out in thinking for the last twenty years. Now they
have gotten down to some real action-and are letting the other
fellows do the meditating.
The Woford Mirror says North Dakota's "bone DRY" pro-
h;h;tion law will contain a clause prohibiting hardware dealers
from selling corkscrews.