Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-10-31

can loan money to farmers, workers and merchants fo1
PRoFITEERS RAISE SLUSH FUND
These are measures which will interfere with the profits
of the grain gamblers, miuers, packers, mortgage holding
trust companies and insurance concerns, land Spectators
and railroads. That is why these Big Business interests
have raised a huge slush fund and are spending thousands
Of dollars daily in a desperate effort to confuse and brighten
the people in the hope that the passage of this program
may be prevented.
The grain gamblers, crooked grade jugglers and mnlers, liter
ally rob the farmers of this state Of millions of dollars every
year. Naturally they do not want to see the people own and
operate flour mills or terminal elevators. 1t would interfere
with their profits, so these interests contribute to the slush fund.
The great trust companies of Chicago and the Twin Cities
hold mortgages against North Dakota farm lands aggre-
eating $3o900oy0o0 This money draws an average rate
of 9 per cent interest. In other words, the farmers of
North Dakota are paying an interest bill of $%27yooo,ooo a
year. The establishment of a State Rural Credits land bank
would make it possible for the state to loan money at 4 per
cent interest on longtime terms. This would save the
farmers of North Dakota %$150o0,o00 every year.
WHY BIG BUSINESS CONTRIBUTES
Naturally the men who get this $15 100000 in unnecessary in
terest object to having this income cut off. That is why they are
helping pay for the dishonest advertisements which are appear
ing in every subsidized newspaper in the state.
The condition applies to the insurance interests, the packers,
the railroads and the land spectators. The program which the
Constitutional Amendments makes possible strikes directly at
their profits and they are cheerfully contributing for the pay.
Inent of the advertisements which are intended to scare the people
into voting against these measures. 1t will be money well in
vested for these Big Business interests if their plan succeeds.
What are the ten Constitutional Amendments which these Big
Business interests consider so dangerous? Briefly they pro
vide:
For the Initiative and Referendum;
For the Campaign Pamphlet issued by the state which will
fairly and fully discuss both sides of all questions to be
voted upon;
For the Emergency provisions which make it possible for
the Legislature to pass emergency laws which may go into
effect before submitting same to the people;
That no measure initiated by or referred to the people
may be vetoed by the governor or repealed by the Legisla-
lure unless two-thirds of the legislators so vote on roll call;
That proposed amendments of the Constitution, if agreed
to by a majority Of the Legislature, must be submitted to the
people; and that 10000 voters may by petition also place
proposed Constitutional Amendments on the ballot;
That the Legislature may exempt city homes and farm i'm
provements from taxation;
That the Legislature may provide an acreage tax to be
nsed in creating a state Hail Insurance Fund;
That the state may issue or guarantee the payment Of
bonds for public utilities, provided that all bonds in excess
Of 100000 be secured by first mortgages and that no
public utility shall be bonded in excess of $10,0 900;
That the state, any county or city, may make internal i'm
provements and engage in any industry, enterprise or bust
mess, not prohibited by Article 20 Of the Constitution, but
Aneither the state nor any political subdivision thereof shall
otherwise loan or grant its credit or make donations to or in
ID of any individual, association or corporation, except for
The reasonable support of the poor, nor subscribe to or be-
poration.
MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE RESPONSIVE
Six Of the foregoing amendments simply make the state gov.
sEnment more responsive to popular will and safeguard the
people against corporate control.
These amendments are not experimental. They already