The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-23
Kansas City Star Man
Tells How League Seized
State Then Lost Control

ton The people had never expressed
themselves on any point here raised
by the governor. The Equity Society
parent Of the Nonpartisan League
had seen its cherished measure killed
again, and this time by those posing
as its friends. The Equity leaders are
in revolt, and it seems that Mr.. Town
ley has overplayed his hand. He is
trying to throw the blame back on the
! "hold over" senator's, but the general
| opinion seems to be that he himself
will have to do a lot Of explaining to
the farmers.
Is it The Leagues End!
1--WE have worked seven years to
get such measure through and now
it is blocked by this veto,' said one
of the leaders of the Equity to re-
porter for The Star the day the gov
ernOrs act became public.
This feeling of resentment is shar-
ed by other influential men III the
Equity Society councils, and the veto
may be the beginning of the end OF
the Nonpartisan League, that sensa-
tional and meteOric outburst Of the
| Flickcrtail State.
Outside OF the TOrrens System Act
the lowering of interest rates, Wo-
mans suffrage, the exemption OF farm
| improvements from taxation and the
adjustment of the oil inspection
graft, the recent legislative session
accomplished little of benefit to the
farmer. although it was dominated by
the league secret caucus.
The league leaders blame the '"hold-
over" senators for the lack Of results
as they managed to secure a majority
in opposition to the league. Undoubt-
edly these senator's deserved blame
for some things, as they voted agains,
some meritorious measures. But Il
Of the % senators, composing this
opposition to the league, were actual
farmers themselves, so the. blame
lacks the punch.
House Bill A. .
The real cause of the failure is
found in the determination Of the
Nonpartisan League leaders to STAN
pede the state into Socialism. The
climax of its effort was the introduc.
ton of House Bill "A, which was moth.
ing more nor less than brand new
Socialist constitution for the state
which the leaders daringly tried tC
omnibus through the legislature anG
past the people as single amend.
ment. The "h0ldovcr' senators block
ed the progress of this unique
amendment" which consists Of 5.
pages of type, the keynote section o.
which provides that the state may
engage in any occupation or business
1t would also remove the debt limi
of the state, it would remove the bar
against monopolies and railroad mer
gers; it would prohibit woman ,suf
frage; it would revoke the existing
ton, for railroad legislation and FOL
the safeguarding of the state scloo
fund. It's measures for the benefit o
| the farmer were based on state own
ed enterprises supported by unlimited
bonding. Taking this ground in 9th
err legislation, the league secret eau
Gus defeated bills for state owned
packing plants and -four mills be
cause they provided for a tax instead
| of bonding-an issue that had never
been raised by the people. 1t alst
killed two-cent fare bill and a rura
credit bill.
The Secret Caucus.
"The world has never seen as per
feet an organization as the league
nor such an ability to secure rccogni
tion of authority said A. G. Divet
leader of the house opposition, as ht
watched the milling in the lobbie:
the last night of the session. III
spite of the fact that I oppose its pro
gram, l can't help admiring the eff
cheney of that secret caucus. II