The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-03-15
TWO OPPOSING FORCES AT WORK.

The state Senate and in a measure The House ve*y clearly DEM
|onstrated during the legislative session that two opposing frrces
were at work. The one and unmistakable force is the will of the
vast majority of the voters of the state, clearly and Enthusiastically
expressed at the September primary election and again at the
November election. The issues were clearly and alphabetically
declared. The whole state rang with the program of the Nonpar-
tisan League. There could be no mistake as to what the farmers
of the state demanded.
On the other hand there was an opposing force which as clear
ly expressed its intention to thwart the purpose of the League
and, when put to the test, went on record by defeating every
League measure that the farmers voted for.
Of the two forces the latter was the more powerful with the
majority Of the Senate and the minority of the House. A certain
amount of respect must be accorded to any influence, from what
ever source it ernanates, that is more potent than the expressed
will of the people. But how locate this influence? Where is it's
stronghold and where is it's castle?
These are difficult questions to answer. One thing, however,
lis undisputable; every big interest in the country was with the
majority of the Senate. Also every man of considerable wealth
who made his money by the disadvantages that farmers labor I'M
der. To say that Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade
rejoced would be s%uperfuous.
And yet these facts do not clear the situation. All this may be
true and the facts here stated may be purely Incidental.
The fact remains, however, that the governing force in the
Senate was stronger than the will of the majority of the voters of
the state.
The question then recurs; is this a dangerous condition? Is it
a healthy condition when a power turks within the state that is
more powerful than the majority of it's voters?
The principles of democracy are on trial. Men may differ in
their views, nevertheless no hidden directorate should exist. The
game should be an open one. Invisible government is the foe Of
democracy.
Without condemning or praising either side to this contro-
versy it may not be out of place to call attention to the dangers
That TURK WlCnln our government When the majority as expressed
at the polls is rendered impotent by men, many of whom are alb
soutely sincere, and yet who are impeled or hypnotized to use
their influence against the will of the majority and in favor Of
the interests that have had a strangle hold on the states chief
industry for years. Naturally those interests do not intend to give
up their dominance without a struggle.
There remains, therefore, but one course to pursue; continue
the discussion; examine every phase of the issues in the light of
reason and common sense and settle these vexed questions law
fully and for all time. If farmers are mistaken; if the corpora
lions and their representatives think they are in better position
to advise them as to their best interests, then that issue may as
we'll be made even more prominent.
Little heed need be given, however, to the theory that the ag-
rcultural interests had better suffer than to do aught that will
initiate against the wisdom of the trainers of the constitution.
What's a million dollars annual loss to the farmers compared
with the possible introduction of an innovation-tho our whole
natural history is the result of innovation! Is this plea sahsfac-
tory? Think it over-Editorial by John II. Worst in New Rock
ford State Center. s
Now that Howard B. Wood, late speaker of the House in the
Fifteenth Assembly, has been placed in charge of the Nonparti-
san League headquarters in Fargo, will those who have been fight
ing the league because Townley was at the head Of it, turn about
and support the farmers organization, or will they continue the
tight! These guardians of the farmers" have professed great
solctude for the league, but Townley, to their notion, was impos-]
slble. Now they have the opportunity of proving their good inten-
lions. Wood is not even a socialist. He is just a republican and
a farmer, who has been successful But we fear he will not sat
isfy the discriminating taste of a few.
The Grand Forks Herald these days seems able to find a "jok-
er" IN every bill passed by the last legislature-just as FAST as
the governor signs them.