The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-22
Other Mems Views
An Editorial That May or May Not
Square With The Forums
Opinions.

The Minneapolis Tribune: De-
manding the removal of a. dozen
sheriffs in Minnesota and charging
the governor and the interests
with having violated the cOnstitu-
| ton, the bill OF rights. all the COM
mandments and most of the laws
and ordinances. a delegation, COM
posed chiefly of NonpaTtisan league
leaders and Socialist aEitatOrs mas
querading as champions Of organized
labor. have presented a petition in
boots and patent leather shoes de-
manding for the agitators the right
to hold public meetings for the dis
cussion of the war and other is
sues.
The Tribune has questioned the
propriety Of suppressing the meet
ings advertised under the auspices
of the Nonpartisan league. We have
felt that it would have been better
to have allowed these meetings and
to have arrested speakers guilty Of
seditious utterances. The author
tiles at the capitol have followed
this plan and, so far as we are in
formed, have not ordered the proven
tion of any meeting, but have left
the matter in the hands of the To-
cal authorities to exercise their
rights in preventing meetings, the
holding of which they were convin-
ced would lead to rioting or other
serious disturbances. Whether this
right has been abused has not been
made clear.
The agitators who carried their
grievances to Governor Burnquist
charges at the wrong door. 1t is
easy, and plays to the hands Of the
agitators, to level their charges at
identified interests and the "capi-
talistic press" Of the twin cities.
Such charges constitute a large
share fof the stock in trade of
demagogues. The Nonpartisan league
meetings have been suppressed, not
by paid menials Of the higher ups"
at St. Paul, but by the neighbors of
the men who were planning to hold
the meetings. The men who live in
the villages and farming commun-
tiles are best acquainted with the
character Of their neighbors who
have attempted to participate in
these meetings. They have learn
ed through observation for many
months that when the Socialist lead
ers and imported agitators of the
league schedule meet |
ing for a given place, they prompt
ly find their enthusiastic supporters
among the pro- Germans, pronounced
pacifsts and slackers OF the COM
munity, among the men who have
opposed the Liberty loans, the lied F.!
Cross campaigns and who have lent
willing ear, If not active support |
to the Bentalls, the Teigens and 9TH |
err open and Boosting opponents of
the draft and proper prosecution of
the war. That honest and loyal
farmers Of Minnesota have been
duped into attending these meet |
lngs, because Of the mistaken idea
that they were being given a voice
in the direction of some Of the
measures contained in
the platform Of the league leaders, /
Is unfortunate. These honest farm
srs are now discovering that they
are paying the inevitable penalty Of
being caught in bad company, in
addition to being exploited by the
purse fattening agitators. If these
paid agents of discomfort can square
themselves with their loyal neigh
oors. who know them best, it will
be wholly unnecessary for them to
carry their alleged grievances to the
governors door.