Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-06-12

No two conditions are exactly
alike. In reading E. Benjamin An
drew's History of the Last Quarter
Century of the United States we find
an excellent picture of conditions in
the South during Reconstruction.
There are differences between those
conditions and North Dakota affairs
today. Thousands Of voters in tsi,
state cannot read English. Thou
sands of others have never paid any
attention to the problems Of self
government. And today their pre-
JUDGES are being played upon by
"carpet-baggers" more vicious than
those who invaded the South.
Read the following quotations
from Andrews history. Isn't it q
fact that we are hearing many of the
same things in this good, old state
right now?
1.-THE good carpetbagger and the
bad alike somehow exerted an influ-
ance which had the effect of morbid
" inflaming the negro's sense of in
dependence and Of engaging him in
politics. His former wrongs were
dweh upon. and the ballot held up a
providential means of righting than.
The negro was too apt a pupil. not
in the higher politics of principle.
but in. the politics of profit and
'swag.' The average negro
expressed his views on public affairs
by the South Carolinas catch: DE
bottom rail am on de top, and we's
gwinter keen it dar.' Thu reformers
complain of taxes being too high"
said Beverly Nash in 1874, after he
had become state senator; I tell you
thet they are not high enough. !
want thfm taxed until they put those
lands back where they belong, into
the hands of those who worked for
them. You worked for them;i YOU
labored for them and were sold to
nay for them, and you ought to have
Them -
''Ths tendency of such exhortion
was most vicious. 49, II. was mart.
or at least an effect, Of the carpet-bag
policy to aggrevste race iealousies
and sectional Misunderstanding.
There is a constant FIGHT in a do
mocracy to perfect our form of gov
eminent, and there is always room
for Improvement. But, today, while
the average voter is appealed to in
high-sounding phrases, and similar
exhortations to those of the Southern
carpet-baggers resound throughout
the state. those same carpet-baggers
have slipped through law after law
for no other reason in the wide, wide
world than the desire to get their
hands on more of the "swag."
Picture Townley and his gang in
the saddle in ~ South during the
days Of reconstruction. What a
spectacle. He was born only fifty
years too late.
We have "carpet-bag" rule in
North Dakota today-not farmer
rule. The farmers of North Dakota
haven't any more to say right now
in state affairs than the editor of
this paper. 1t is Townley rule, "car-
pet-bag" rule-and we all know it
whether we'll admit the fact or not.
These things have to be fought one
at a time. as they develop. But in
the larger sense, it isn't the merit
or demit of this or that law. It isn't
a question of the printing law, or
the Administration law. It is simply
a question whether or not A. C..
Townley can convene the legislature
in Bismarck every two years, put
through the bills he wants, and then
proclaim to the public: "Here is the
farmers program. Well stick; we'll
VIM"
If even two or three of the refer
ended laws are beaten on June 26th.
it will clip the wings of the Car. It
will prove to him that he must trim
his sails and stay somewhere within
reason, or that the general voting
public of the state will clip his
wings for him.
Boys from Emmons County will be
invited to Reserve Officers Train