The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-05-01

ings and is selfish and tax Stacker is
in favor of the single tax. Despite all
the beautiful pictures painted by men
who talk socialism and agitate for
living, we know that the exemption of
farm improvements from taxation Just
means shifting the tax burden onto
the poor man.
Now let US come to the laws passed
at the session this past winter. know
your space is valuable and that is
why l am going to discuss the most
important measure just now and take
others up later if the occasion should
demand it.
We will consider the Industrial Com
mission measure.
Let US take it for granted that the
majority in North Dakota want the
state to own and operate flour mills
and elevators. We will not discuss
| whether or not it is advisable or
whether such move on the part of
the state will prove panacea for our
economic ills. We will assume the ma
pority wants state owned mills and
elevators.
! What would be the greatest danger
from such step on the part of North
Dakota? The five million dollars
spent would not put any of us in the
poor house if the state-owned flour
mills and elevators were burned to the
ground the first day the industries
started to operate and there was no
insurance on any of them. Spread
over the entire state, five million is
not such big amount The only dan
ger would be the creation of a politi-
cal machine. Opponents of govern
ment ownership, or state socialism as
it is called, use the argument that
state socialism would permit the party
in power to build up a political ma
chine that would be hard to beat. The
men who framesl the laws at Bismarck
know that. What did they do to re-
move that objection?
! Iwant Mr.. Mork or any other league
supporter to answer that question.
! As the industrial commission law
now stands the entire control of the
state owned industries is in the hands
of the governor, attorney general and
commissioner of agriculture. Two
years from now all these men might
be defeated at the Solls. That would
mean that the bosses of our state
owned industries would step out, caus-
l. ing disorganization in the businesses.
Can any business, the management of
which changes every two years be
success?
Even to date we find the industrial
commission being used as the founda-
ton for political machine The first
office went to nonresident Of North
Dakota. No attention was paid to the
mans qualifications Those making
the appointment looked for man who
had given best services to the Non
partisan League which had elected
them. They appointed the editor of
the Nonpartisan Leader Our soldier
boys (three of them put in applica-
tions) were overlooked.
In the columns of the Nonpartisan
| Leader we find the argument that the
| industries will not be located in hos
| tile cities. That means that if Minot
/ is the logical place for the state-owned
mill but is opposed to the men select
ing the site, another city will be chos-
en-. There again we have the indus
trial commission degraded to politi-
cal machine
If the men at Bismarck had decided
to have an industrial commission COM
posed of nine or ten men. had arrang-
ed that some of these men were select
ed for long terms to avoid the chang.
ing of management as result of an
election, then I'd say the Industrial
commission measure is good thing,
provide dof course that the majority
want state ownership Of the proposed
industries.
Following the lead of the Nonpar-
tisans, suppose the candidates offered
by the opposition are elected next
time. Would new governor, attor-
ney general and commissioner of ag-
riculture be likely to retain Mr. Nor
ris as secretary of the commission ?
Decidedly not He would be discharg-
ed as would the ,nen he appointed.
If the leaders of the Nonpartisan
League who have convinced the farm
ers of North Dakota that his state
should jump into state socialism and
operate flour mills, elevators, pack
ing plants, creameries, ETC., ETC., had
passed laws not aimed at creating q
political machine instead OF an indus
trial commission, men like myself
might fall in line. AS it is cannot,
with the best interests Of North Da-
kota at heart, support a measure
which will build up political machine
for the Nonpartisan League or any
other political organization at the ex-
pense of all the tax payers.
Few leaguers l have met are in ia
vor of the newspaper bill or educa-
tional measure. Many are opposed to
the one-man tax commission. cir
culated a petition to help referend
them and if Mr.. Mork wishes any dis
cussion on any Of them will be glad
to take him on if the editor Of the