Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-14
TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER

The Fargo courier-News. which has been accepted
rs the chief daily mouth piece Of the Townley organiza-
ton. declares that in all probability the state-owned in
stitutions. mills. elevators, ETC.. will be located in those
places where the largest amount of bonds of such institu-
lions are sold. It calls on the business people Of Fargo
to subscribe literally to these institutional issues. and
raps the Forum over the knuckles for its failure to give
similar advice.
1t is not always possible to ascertain what the policy
of the Townley management may be from its expressions
of its newspaper organizations. Announcements are made
one day to be denied the next or to be ignored entirely
as action is taken in exactly the opposite direction. But
II we are to accept the statement in the Courier-News at
it's face value it is the intention Of those in charge of the
new Industrial enterprise of the state of North Dakota
to locate those plants and institutions, not with reference
to the best service to be given the people of the state, but
In accordance with the degree Of financial support given
by the people Of a community to the plans and policies
Of the powers that be. In other words, the industrial
enterprises Of the state are to be peddled out, put up at
auction, sold to the highest bidder.
This method is not at all new. It has not been fol-
lowed by reputable institutions. but it has been followed
quite generally by those of a shady character. We are
all familiar with the manner in which railroad stocks
have been peddled about the country in years past when
stock statesmen would seek to place the largest possible
amount Of the securities in a community with the under
standing that if a certain amount Of sales were reached
the proposed line would pass through that particular
town. If a map of some of these railroads had been
drawn in accordance with the prospects held out by the
promoters, the main line of such a railroad would look
very much like a SPIDERS web which had been hit by a
tornado. Among people who are at all familiar with such
matters the very fact that the sale of stock is announced
as one OF the things to govern the location Of the railroad
is accepted at once as conclusive evidence that the whole
thing is a fake, and what is true Of railroads in this re-
spect is true very tragedy Of all other institutions seeking
new locations.
The state of North Dakota is about to build one or
more large terminal elevators. 1t is about to build or
acquire one or more mills presumably of considerable
size. The only possible excuse for the launching of the
state into enterprises Of this kind is that the people Of
the state need the service which can be given by these
enterprises. The state will be served better if one of
these plants is located in a particular place than il it is
located at some other place. 1t is obviously the duty of
those, who have charge Of these matters to select the To-
cation which in their best judgment will give the state
the best service and this entirely apart from the sale of
stock to the people in any community. II this stock is a
good investment it can be sold on it's merits as such. If
it is not a good investment it is an act of bad faith to at
Tempt to foist it upon the people by urging them to COM
pete with each other for the location of one or more of
these plants. .