The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-10
Other Men s Views
An Editorial That May or May Not Square
With The Views of The Forum

The San Diego Union:
Old-fashioned Populism, with all the modern
trimmings, is the tune OF the platform OF the
North Dakota Farmers Nonpartisan league as
adopted for the state Of Maine into which the
Dakota propaganda has penetrated.
This declaration of principles" provides for
utilities especially Of railroads, coal, iron and
copper mines telegraph telephone and water
powers"
proved and largely adopted by the Prussian au7
tocracy to appease the Social Democrats of Ger
The agrarian platform urges farther that ito
lower cost of living, government should regu-
late prices, and to make such regulations effec-
tive advocate national state or city ownership
of grain elevators stockyards, storage ware
houses, flour mills, fuel yards and other agen-
cies of distribution.
Note the canny discrimination against every
agency of productive and distrbutiVe utility eX-
cept those which are controlled for the personal
profit of the North Dakota agriculturst. OBJ
serve that in this plank Of their platform there
is no mention of any regulation" or reduction
Of prices of farm produce or grain under private
control Heads we win; tails everybody loses.
1t is also prescribed that the farm and loan
law shall be so amended as to make it more
within reach Of all farmers and Of all farm
purposes
Holy smoke! Do those North Dakota farmer
politicians want the earth and the fullness
thereof? Aren't they satisfied with the govern
ment loans already extended to them long
time and low interest? Is it not enough that
they enjoy a privilege granted to no other
Industry! 10 De sure some OF the SIbIeS dTS
giving away old age pensions, mothers pen
sions accident and health insurance, workmen s
compensation, houses to immigra hts, and other
Socialistic emoluments modelled on the Prussian
economic plan; but thus far it has not been
proposed to open government paWnshop FOR
pledges from doctors, lawyers merchants, bank
ers, dressmakers, chiropodists and manicures.
AS was to be expected from his belated
Pefferism the Dakota Socialists insist that all
taxes shall be assessed in actual land values
exclusive of farm improvements; all land held
out Of use TO be taxed at its full rental value"
Here is our old old friend Single Tax; our
long-lost brother who is found again pitching
hay and choring around the barn Of the North
Dakota farmer. They say Henry George was
born farm, but he never worked at 1t; so
he made no provision for exernptng farm land
from his basic formulate Of the unearned incre-
ment. The Dakota Nonpartisans have amended
the philosophy of Progress and Poverty"
AS a matter of fact the demagogues behind
are they business men Of any sort. They are
professional politicians and agitators capitalizing
the horny listed Of the soil to promote their
own political purposes for whatever political
plumber there may be in 1t for them. They
are a wise bunch They propose individualism
for the farmer and Socialism for the rest Of the
people.
They are fooling the farmer, for If they sue
coed with farmers votes In freeing farm land
not hesitate to demand that the state shall own
the land to protect the people from the exac-
tons Of the land barons."
If the North Dakota movement" could suo
coed, the farmer would eventually be reduced to
the servile condition Of the European peasantry
and the "tenantry" OF Irelands absentee land
lordism, E"