Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-04-18
NoRBEcK AND SOCIALISM,.

Wnen we VISITED the village OF
Henry. not long ago, we incidentally
met and %conversed with our old and
valued friend, Hon. John T. Belk,
who. mildly and in a friendly spirit.
%upbraided Us for having gone over
to socialism, as he put it, referring
to u announcement that we pro-
posed to give the farmers OF South
Dakota a square deal.
AT the time that our Henry friend
took us to task for our leanings to-
ward what he denominated socialism,
we had not received Governor Peter
NOrbeck's personal and political mes
sage to the people of South Dakota.
recently issued in pamphlet form. but
we We're favored with a copy a few
days later.
We CONFESS our surprise to note that
MI. Norbeck has gone farther. much
farther, in endorsing these "socialis-
tic" ideas than the farmers organiza-
ton seems to have dreamed of going.
We are indebted to Mr.. H. l.. Loucks
for a compilation of Mr.. Norbeck's
views with respect to these matters,
and we condense them into the small
est space possible to convey their full
meaning.
On page 6 of this personal message,
Mr.. Norbeck declares for state hail
insurance. by saying: " Some people
condemn this as socialism: / consider
it simply cooperative; cooperation
secured through the machinery of the
state; through the servants OF the
people who are drawing salaries for
attending to the business of the state
and the welfare of its citizens. The
purpose is to secure good insurance
at cost for the producers of grain"
On page 10 Governor Norbeck dis
cusses a state cement plant. adding:
THE state can well afford to operate
such n plant at cost in order to re-
establish competition and reduce the
price to the consumer"
On page IL, Mr.. Norbeck declares
in favor of a vital principle Of the
s%ingle-tax.. After suggesting that n
proposed amendment to the state
constitution should ~ adopted affect
ing taxation, Mr.. Norbeck adds: THE
%speculator holds land in idleness; it
goes up in value each year because
the adjoining farmer builds up and
improves the country. 1t is. in my
opinion, fair that the Spectator
should pay a larger part of the taxes
and the actual homesteader less"
On page IA Mr.. Norbeck, concern
ing terminal elevators, says: Il be-
lieye the state constitution should
be so amended as to grant authority
TO the state to construct and operate
terminal elevators and Touring mills
and packing houses
On page IS Mr.. Norheck concludes
d discussion of the fuel question in
the following language: While the
state nay not be able to mine coal
cheaper than experienced mining COM
panies, / am convinced that our peo-
pie will not reap the benefits of the
fuel from u own coal fields unless
the state should take hold of the
matter"
On page 45 Mr.. Norbeck unreser-
yedly endorses the free school text
book proposition in the following;
This logically leads to a system OF
uniform free school text books. This
is coming. Why not now? Why not
do it at the next regular session OF
the legislature. | am going to rec
oniInend 1t in my message
1T is my personal opinion that feed
and bedding. being mere Incidents OF
transportation of live stock to mar,
ket, should be furnished at cost.
Governor Norheck. therefore, has
put himself On record in favor OF thu