The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-17

and Sound
This 10 part Of the sseond Of I
series Of articles on the @Nonnartisar
League" written fer The chieauc
Tribuns.l
BY r. .. PIxLEY.
Representative of the Wisconsin
State Council Of Defense)
When the Socialists OF North IA
kota, headed by A. c. Townley, and
masuuerading under the label ot
the Nonpartisan league, gained con-
troll Of the state government. they
own hands. Their attitude can be
summed up in this statement, made
by John II. Worst. then president OF
the North Dakota Agricultural coll
lege, printed in the official organ OF
the league. and thus given oflcial
approval:
The remedy is in your hands. IL
the laws do not suit, il the constitu-
ton stands in your way, IL public Of
ficials are not sympathetic. com
manding so per cent of the voting
strength Of the state as they do,
farmers need not be told where the
remedy lies"
AS Worst had suggested, there
was a way out. and the league de-
cided to abolish the constitution.
The state already had q supreme
court which was pledged to con-
the people" another way Of saying
that the side Of the Nonpartisan
league would be upheld. Townley
and his organizers counted on a ma
iority opinion upholding the new
constitution If a test was made.
New Constitution Planned.
North Dakota, in common with
other states, had provided that
amendments in the state constitu-
ton must be adopted by two legisla-
lures and then approved by the peo-
pie. This wise provision did not ap-
peal to the Nonpartisans. They were
in control of the assembly and they
believed they would be able to
stampede the state senate. There
fore they decided to give the state
a new constitution over night.
Little need be said of the other
legislation. 1t all depended upon the
constitution, and, without that auth
ority, could not be put into effect
House bill No. A. however, which
was the new constitution, is a story
in itself Of a state gone mad In its
legislative halls. 1T passed the
house, but hold-over senators block
ed passage in the senate. The pre-
amble OF the new constitution con-
tains a suggestion Of its favoritism
for one class Of citizens:
How One Class Is Favored.
Whereas, the people Of the state
OF North Dakota, desiring to i'm
prove the economic conditions I'M
der which they live. and to broaden
hn nj
partments Of state and government.
and to that end did In the 1915
general election emphatically declare
In favor OF a state owned and oper-
ated terminal elevator system and
state owned and operated flour mills
and other things of like nature, to
the end that the people OF North Da-
kota should be enabled to control to
a larger degree the marketing of
the products OF this state, and
should conserve to those whose Ia
Dor produces the same the benefits
and advantages of such production.
and,
Whereas. the constitution of this
state at this date prohibits the do
ing of those things by this legisla-
tive assembly which are necessary
TO carry out the mandate of the
4, N0SSN oeS IAS poAAss anu
this legislative assembly being
mindful of the duties imposed upon
1t and high trust and confidence re-
posed in it by the people of this
state, and with intent and purpose,
and with an eye single to the per-
Torrance of that trust, the Iegis-
lative assembly has prepared a pro-
posed constitution /"
Gives State Free Hands.
Section "a reads: "The right OF
the state, or any political subdivis-
ion thereof, to engage in any occupa-