The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-20
WITH THE EDITORS
ETHICS A AND, Politics.


pers have been engaged in q heated controversy
over nice question of propriety and good taste
About month ago Leo Horst, q Nonpartisan
league organizer and speaker, was arrested on
charge of sedition Of some sort, the exact nature
|of which we do not now recall. Nothing daunted,
the young man procured his release from custody
by giving bonds, and pending trial continues his
activities in behalf of the league. The Fargo
Forum affects to be deeply offended by this
breach Of good manners, claiming that Mr.. Horst
should seclude himself until the question of his
innocense or guilt shall havt been legally deter
mined. The Fargo Courier News counter attacks
vigorously, claiming that Mr.. Horst is ready and
anxious to face his accusers; that his co-laborers
claim that he is one of the most intensely pa
triotic men in North Dakota; and that in any
case such criticism comes with poor grace from
the Forum, which. the Courier-News says
''has kept up continuous fire of criticism of the
Unita States government" To this impeach-
ment the Forum replies that to discuss its own
loyalty with Mr.. Townley's organ would be to
|pre-suppose that it knows what the word means"
When doctors of ethics disagree, who shall de-
|cide? Answer: The Chronicle will decide.
We must override the motion of the Forum that
each and every one of the Nonpartisan league or
GAMERS and speakers who have been or may be
arrested on disloyalty charges should at once i'm
mure himself in hole and pull the hole in after
him. Our ruling is based upon the fundamental
principle of American jurisprudence that every
man accused Of any crime whatsoever shall be
held to be innocent until proven guilty. Besides,
if the Forums idea Of propriety should be enforc-
ed, it is obvious that the Nonpartisan league
could be put out Of business in short order by the
simple process Of swearing out complaints against
its leaders and workers. But even that sort of
persecution would not permanently destroy the
league It would but add fuel to the flames <
On the other hand, the North Dakota Leader"
official organ Of the Nonpartisan league In this
state, announced in its issue of May 18th that
Governor Frazier State Auditor Kositsky and
IN. S. Randall will soon join Walter Thomas Mills
and other league speakers in carrying the truth
Ito the people Of North Dakota" On the same
page on which the above announcement is printed
the Leader deals with the fact that N. S. Ran
dali had been convicted of the charge Of having
obstructed the draft. Here no question Of ethics,
|of good taste or of common sense is involved.
IN. S. Randall has had his day in court He was
duly tried, was found guilty by, q jury Of his
peers, and has been sentenced by the court He
has been granted stay of judgment, and is out
on bail. Under these circumstances it is unthnk-
able that the managers of the Nonpartisan league
would permit Mr. Randall to appear on the public
platform in North Dakota as an authorized repre-
sentative of that organization If they do, every
charge of disloyalty that "big biz" and kept
|press" have ever launched against the leaders Of
the league will have found ample Justification
LA Moure Chronicle.