The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-10-16

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THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
TO AMEND SECTION 1876 IN ARTICLE as
amendedsby ARTICLE IS of amendments to read
as follows: THE STATE, ANY COUNTY Oh
CITY MAY" MAKE INTERNAL IMPROVE
MENTS AND MAY ENGAGE IN ANY INDUS
TRY. ENTERPRISE OR BUSINESS NOT PRO-
HIBTTED BY ARTICLE 20 OF THE CONSTITU-
TON, BUT NEITHER THE STATE NOR ANY
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THEREOF SHALL
OTHERWISE LOAN OR GIVE ITS CREDIT OR
II MAKE DONATIONS TO OR IN AID OF ANY IN
DIVIDUAL, ASSOCIATION OR CORPORATION,
EXCEPT FOR REASONABLE SUPPORT OF
THE POOR, NOR SUBSCRIBE TO OR BECOME
THE OWNER OF CAPITAL STOCK IN ANY
ASSOCIATION OR CORPORATION.
The leagues proposed amendment eliminates
from Sec 1876, Article XII, the saving clause: "Nor
shall the state engage in any work of internal i'm
provement unless authorized by two-thirds vote
of the people,"
The proposed amendment would enable the
state, or any county, township, town or village to
"loan, or give it's credit or make donations to- any
Individual, association or corporation who might
be in favor with the current administration for the
furtherance of any scheme with which this fav-
ored one might be obsessed.
The only business prohibited by Article Xxx of
the constitution is the manufacture of intoxicat-
ing liquor.
Mr.. Townley and his associates already are en-
gagged in this state in the publication Of news
papers, the organization of publishing companies,
the organization and operation of banks, in the
operation of mortgage and loan businesses, in the
operation Of a chain of mercantile establishments
and in half-dozen other more or less closely re-
lated enterprises.
With state administrations and legislature
favorable to Mr.. Towney and his associates there
is nothing to prevent their unloading at their own
price, any or all of these enterprises on the good
people of North Dakota. '"The sky is the limit
as to the am,':nt which the state may invest in
such schemes through the guaranteeing of bonds,
up to 100 per cent of the capitalized value. ss~
Mr.. Towney and fellow socialists might act in
the best faith in the world in "surrendering'' to
the state the various schemes with which they
have amused themselves. Socialists, as they are,
they do not believe in private initiative, in indy
idualisn or competition. They are advocates of a
state monopoly not only of property but of all the
agencies by which property can be produced or
acquired. They would reduce us all to dead level.
They would subserve everything to the state
But admitting that Mr.. Townley and Mr.
Bowen and Mr.. LeSueur would feel no personal
qualms of conscience during this unloading pro-
cess, and conceding that North Dakota,s wealthy
farmers can, for time, bear the increased burden
of taxes which would follow these wholesale bond
issues, can even Mr. Townley assure us that the
state can with even reasonable success operate
string Of two three dozen newspapers, or flock
Of struggling banks, or a chain Of stores?
In the matter of reform, Mr.. Townley is not a
retailer. He believes in doing business on whole
sale basis. He would, overnight convert our state
from prosperous commonwealth occupied by am
bilious individuals into a socialistic unit where
private initiative will be abhorred and personal
incentive abolished, and where even the land we
till will be occupied by us only as tenants Of the
STATE.
The short cut to socialism proposed by Mr..
Townley is self-evident. Direct coniscation of the
farmers land would, he knows, result in reyolu-
ton and cause the downfall of his plans. But in
direct confscation through the medium of burdens
which the farmers have voted upon themselves
is something which will be achieved by such in
sidious processes that Mr.. Townley believes and
hop1 he can keep his dupes deluded into sense