Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-07
Senator From Kenmare Wants Names
Of Alleged Signers of Resolution
Purborted Affixed By the Committee

There has been perhaps more ar
gument for and against House BIZ
No. 44-the so-called Nonpartisan
league constitution-than any meas
ure that ever can,e before the North
Dakota legislature. and although it is
defeated, I wish to say few words
in regard to its legality and merit,
in view Of the fact that there were a
good many misstatements made by
one-Townley, both as to myself and
his secret caucus pet measure at Ken
mare January 80.
There have been some resolutions
published in several state papers pur-
mittee at the above meeting. claiming
that am not citizen Of the Uni
ted States. thereby holding my seat
in the state senate contrary to law.
If any such resolutions We're signed
by anyone. I will consider it a great
favor if those parties will make this
fact known and leave their names at
the Office of the Kenmare News. IT
anyone has made this charge or
signed these resolutions, I hope they
will have manhood enough to make
their identity known.
I realize that owing to the fact that
! am the only representative out of
seven from Ward county who op-
posed House Bill No. "A. good many
farmers will believe the Nonpartisan
league organizers when they tell them
that ] am opposed to the farmers in
terests: but ] am sure the time will
come when the farmers will realize
that they have only been misled.
January 81: THE farmer is queer
animal and will do nothing for him
self-somebody must do. it for him.
The farmers think they organized
themselves, but they woke up in the
morning and found themselves or
ganized." Does he not admit himself
that he fooled the farmers?
All other measures that have been
considered during my legislative ex-
perience have been considered on
their merits. but 1 have heard no ar
guments in favor of House Bill No.
~ based on the merits Of the bill.
The only argument advanced is that it
is the farmers program, backed by
the Nonpartisan league. Even this
! argument is false because the facts
are that it is a Socialistic program
o. KID by the secret caucus COM
posed of 1.-THE Big Five" and legisla-
tive members who are so duped with
Townleyisn that. they have. even
program. This is one branch of rep
resentative government of the Town
ley type.
Space will not permit me to say
much as to the merits and demerits
of this bill, but I wish to call atten-
tion to some of its most staggering
provisions Section "a provides that
the state or any political subdivision
thereof may enter into any occupa-
h,,c{
v1des that the state or any political
! subdivision thereof may issue or
guarantee bonds in excess of the debt
limit. provided such bonds are secur-
cd by first mortgages on public util-
tiles or industries. Section 16b Of the
old constitution. which safeguards
the state school fund. Is omitted from
II. B. No. a., which was no doubt
done for the purpose Of dumping pub
lic utilities bonds into this fund un-
der section 1853 of H. B. No. "A 80
that the raising of the debt limit to
half million is merely a bagatelle
compared with the above provisions:
and when Townley was asked before
the audience at Minot on January Al
IL the proposed debt of half a million
was the limit. his answer was 1.-The
sky is the limit one way and hell the
other-and he evidently told the
truth. Those who advocate public
utilities back up the argument by the
fact that the North dakota nr,son
twine plant is a success, but they
evade the true facts in the case. IL
the North Dakota twine plant was
run by the state as an independent
institution, hiring it's employees the
same as private enterprise, what
guarantee have we that the state
Would not nave to pay an annual de-
felt OF several thousand dollars. Any
fatr-minded person knows that the
state would have to maintain an or
ganization at the state penitent,arv
to care for the inmates Of that in
stitution whether we had a twine
plant there or not, and tho fact that
the twine plant Is run in connect,on
with this institution, practically with
the same organization, and getting
all the labor done by the inmates af
about l5 cents per day, is an absolute
proof that the state twine plant is no
that would be run by political favor
ties appointed from time to time when
such institutions would come in direct
competition with private industr,ea
managed and run by experts who
have made their particular line NJ
business a life study.
l am not opposed to all public
OWHeo enterprises because I believe
that some can be run to advsntaus
but let us try out some Of those thst
are Of a more cooperative nature
first before we plunge the stat. intn
some of the most hazardous busltesa
ventures. At the Minot meetIn~
January 81 Townley was asked the
| following question: "If the ,,.t.
should enter into an international Gle.
vator venture and suffer a loss of i'm
millions, how would tho deficit h.
raised 2" To this question Townley an,
swered: "Why, by direct taxation !"
There Is no certainty that all this n,n.
posed enterprises would be sucnsss.
ful. In fact. chances ore Just opDo,,..
and of course the people womb hau.
admitted by Townley. -"
am in favor Of state -oyned s,or.
age elevators within the stats ~,hc,.
grain may be stored and cleaned tx
transit; state hail Insurance.: ths r"'
duction on the exemption on Y.r,o
improvements and farm implsm nj
from taxation: substa ntlai sid ~
rural and consolidated sct,0OIs. sts ~
bonding OF all municipal 0fionrs = ~
rural credit banks. have a1vm~s
favored the above and eysrythine .tsn
thak MoalA AasA = tsadsaay T. Ssttss ~