The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-03-20

allies in vain endeavor to bolster up
the morale Of the soldiers, while they
positively knew that they were being
licked good and plenty. So it is with
the league newspapers. They knew
that all over the state the people are
deserving their cause so far as their
high finance program, newspaper pro-
gram, educational bill, etc., is con-
cerned, and the only thing these pa
pers can do is to try and keep up this
morale. But as a matter of fact they
know they are losing out.
THINK IN lNTEREsT-sWE-
Governor Lynn J. Frazier, after
taking the constitutional limit before
deciding in his own mind what he
would do in the matter, finally signed
the Ubiquitous newspaper bill last Sat-
urday the last day he had in order to
do so. He took the limit we believe
because he left in his own heart that
it was not the right thing to do, but
Townley domination got the better of
his judgment and he fell for the die
tates Of Brinton and the big boss. We
knew that Gov. Frazier was boss
ridden but we hardly thought he was
so much so that he would stoop to
such rotten work as that newspaper
bill calls for. Muzzling the state
press and killing off lot of small
newspapers that had not taken part
in the great political fight in this
state seems to be proud act in his
life. But his action will not go down
into history as the work of a liberal,
broad minded statesman, by a long
shot, but his name will be hand
ed around as the man who feared the
boss for political preferment rather
than for his honesty of purpose. We
have felt all the time by the COVER
nor's actions that he hated to sign
that bill, and we have not changed
our mind bit in this respect. In
stead OF mature and fair Judgment
governing his action he has let ''big
business" dominate him and has put
himself before the people of this state
as the man who is absolutely domin-
ated by the bosses. We are going to
make the prediction that Gov. Frazier
has driven good many nails into his
political coffin and that if he is going
to seek any further political prefer
ment he will know that several pa-
pers have survived the deluge and will
be on the job with their little ham
mers. Thank goodness it only takes
seven thousand signers to the petit
tons to referend the bill to the peo-
pie and we feel that the people will
want to give everybody square deal,
the press a free and untrammeled
speech and that in North Dakota the
newspapers, like the Individual shall
have a right to exist and express it's
personal preference. Substituting and
muzzling the press will not get very
far with the people.
THINK IN INTEREsT-SAvE-
In every ad. that is being published
IN the league papers and others where
ratlfication meetings are to be held
for the purpose of talking over the
legislation put through at Bismarck
the ad. closes with these words: "Do
not sign any petitions until after the
meeting" Now this is another wav
OF muzzling public opinion as we'll as
trying to kill off the newspapers. Why
shouldn't the people sign the referen-
dunn petitions? 1t does not bind them
to vote against any of the league
measures, but simply gives the PEG
pie chance to have them put up to
the people for rejection or APPROVAL
as the case may be. The league lead
ers wanted the referendum before
they got it, now that they have it they
40 not want the people to exercise the
rights given them by this law but try
to kill off publicity by sending hordes
OF speakers through the country and
advertising asking the people not to
sign any petitions. There is verv
little consistency in that kind of
program and the, only deduction we
can draw from the attitude of the
league leaders is that they are afraid
TO have the people vote on the propo-
sltlon, otherwise they would be only
too willing to have their laws refer
ended. What have they to cover up.
Are they afraid that the people are
getting wise to their extravaganza pro-
gram and that they will vote it down :?
It seems mighty strange that thew
should buck the very law that thew
themselves made such fight to get
on the statute books Of the state. IF
the laws passed are meritorius then
why not let the light of day be shed
upon them and the people themselves
pass on them? That is what we have
been making this fight on for years
in this state and why the old gang
was put out of power-because they
would not let the people rule. The
league clique are adopting the same
tactics. Are their efforts along these
lines any better than those Of the So
called old gang? We have faith that
the people know whether these laws