The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-09-28


really had the welfare. of this state
and its citizens at heart? ! cannot
imagine any good reason. Possibly
YOU can, and If you can would be
1 very glad to be enlightened.
Easy To Bond But Net TO Pay on.
Section "a Of House Bill ~ reads as
follows:
teal subdivision thereof, TO engage
lin any occupation or business for
lpublic purposes shall not be denied
or prohibited"
cuss it in connection with Section
l173. of House Bill a., reading as fol-
lows:
"The state, or any politicalt diyis-
lion thereof, may issue or guarantee
the payment Of bonds in excess OF
the debt limit provided in this arti-
Gle, provided such bonds are secured
by first mortgages upon real estate
or upon property Of public utilities
Tor industries"
Under these provisions you will
mote the state has the right TO go In
to any or all classes Of business. 1t
also has the right ito not only issue
It's own bonds but to guarantee the
bonds of any political subdivision in
the state that may desire to enter
into any kind OF commercial enter
prise. A large percentage of COM
mercial enterprises fall even, when
operated by men whose money and
businss regulations are at stake. Can
it be reasonably argued that this
same class of enterprises will be
more secure when under the super
vision and direction of whatever poll
4 451 al l.
to be in power? Certainly no sane
man will argue for such a contention.
! That being true, is it wise for the
people Of this state to enact legisla-
ton that will make 1t possible for
public money to be handled in this
manner, without stint or check upon
those who happen to be in power?
Every man knows that 1t is much
easier to contract debts than to pay
them. It will be an easy matter for
the state of North Dakota to issue
bonds and get into debt, but remem-
Der, there is always a pay day. It
is an easy matter for a farmer to go
to any loan agency and place a mort
gage upon his farm-no trouble at
all about an action of that kind. The
hardship comes not in contracting
debts but in paying them.
The debt limit Of the state OF North
s Dakota at this time is $500, 900 90
We have struggled along fairly well
up to date, but the gentlemen who
are now in control Of our public af-
fairs, by their action in attempting
to pass House Bill A, absolutely re-
moved all limits to which we might
i go insofar as getting into debt was
concerned. The only question in
their minds seemed to be not how
much debt 1t was wise for the state
to contract, but how much our re-
lsources would allow us to contract.
And when this bin was up for dis
cussion on the floor of the house,
men who were opposed to its passage
iasked that some limit be put up on the
debt. In reply to this argument one
OF the members who favored the
passage of House Bill "A, declared
that the blue sky was the limit.
A State Bond A Mortgage.
A state bond is nothing more or
less than a mortgage on the re-
sources of the state and the property
| of its citizens, and because some of
the people in this state object to
giving these gentlemen a power of
attorney to mortgage their property
In an unlimited amount they are ac-
cused of being enemies OF the COM
4 NA%NA4ASS anu representatives OF COR
/ rupt business interests outside the
state of North Dakota. And in this
4 connection 1t might not be out OF
| place to look into this matter
little and see whose property these
/ gentlemen are so eager to mortgage
Is 1t Mr.. Townley's property? No.
ne has none. Bowen is in exactly the
same position. Manahan, insofar. ais
/ know, never owned a dollars worth
OF property in this state, either real
| or personal. Lenke's property in
terests here are small, If he has any.
/ have been unable to find any real
estate which he owns in North Da-
kota. 1t matters not an iota to anv
OF these gentlemen whether taxes in
crease 100 per cent or decrease so
per cent. This does not concern them
at all, because whether the tax is
I nigh or low they pay none. But they
! are perfectly willing to mortgage
your property and my property, and
the property of all the people OF North
DAKOTA that they may try to plant
state socialism in full bloom with
one stroke. That state socialism is
an experiment, pure and simple. even
friends of the theory will admit.
Patriotism and Morality Not Wanted.
Section lat of the present consti-
tuition reads as follows:
"A, hig!, degree of intelligence.
patriotism, integrity and morality on
/ the part of every voter in govern
ment by the people, being necessary
IN order to insure the continuonce
/ of that government and the pros
perlty and happiness OF the people,
/ the legislative assembly shall make
provision for the establishment and
maintenance of a system OF public
schools which shall be open to all
children of the state of North Da-
kota, and free from sectarian CON
lltrol. This legislative requirement
shall be irreyocable without the con-
sent of the United States and the
people of North Dakota"
In House Bill "A an effort was made
TO amend the constitution by, omit
ting the following words: "a high
degree Of intelligence, patriotism, in
tegrlty and morality on the part OF
every voter being necessary in order
Ito insure the continuance of that gov
ernment and the prosperity and hap
piness of the people" "This Iegis-
lattve requirement shall be irrevo-.
able without the consent of the Uni
ted States and the people Of North
/ Dakota
7 Now that is there about this Ian
guage that could be distastefuI to
any good citizen? What possible
reason could anyone have for nur
posely emitting this language from
that section of the constitution OF the
state pertaining to the education OF
that a high degree of integrity and
our children. This language declares
morality is necessary on the part of
the citizens. Let us see if we can
possibly find a reason why these gen
tlernen would be opposed to this pro
, vision in the constitution. / can
think of only one possible reason.
Socialism is the bitter enemy OF all
forms of Christian religion; and the