The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-04-17
The WEEK

The Wolf Has New Skin.
N. d. State Bank. Hustling
Minnesota Governor Taking "Iron'
Nearly all the press correspondents
at Paris convey the impression of big
tension and the likelihood of a break
up before lasting peace principles are
arrived at. They also agree that the
difficulties arise over expansion ideas
which run counter to the professed OBJ
Jects of the war. Some powers which
exist on jingo promises have to bring
home lot of bacon or their jngoism
will resemble spoiled FISH.
President Wilson is said to be
standing firm for the IA points. This
is almost too good to be true, for
many Of us feared that the president
had taken too much Of his spirit Of
compromise to Europe with him.
Americans are born compromisers,
but we also have traditions of "thus
far and no farther" If Wilson is
standing in such fashion on our es-
sential peace principles, America will
have good reason to feel proud. These
principles are the foundation of last
ing peace; whereas the international
grab is preparation for the next year..
"Peace by Easter" is more likely a
slogan for the hungry people of Eu-
rope to chew on than fair promise.
A formal signing by four or five big
powers is Of little Importance if the
world has not been reconstructed on
a liveable peace basis. The healing
oil of mutual confession of sin and
desire for fair play has not appeared
on many of the troubled waters.
"When patched-up peace is sign
ed we shall have Europe as full Of
wrongs and injustices as it was be-
fore 1914"
Like a good many well-known sin
ners in every community, the differ
ent nations want to be saved, but they
also want the profits of sin. They
would at least like one more crack at
territory, spheres. of influence and
trade rights before the new inter-
national regime goes into effect.
Oh, innocence, thou are a jewel-in
children perhaps but certainly not in
special interest politics. In the cur
rent issue Of the Billboard, a the
atrical magazine, an apparently inno-
cent and guileless editor describes how
North Dakota is being plastered with
chautauqua sows and lecturers to
undermine the Nonpartisan league.
Worse yet, like the child who will talk
about the family skeleton, he tells
how the jobbers Of the Twin Cities
and Duluth are paying part Of the
expense Of North Dakota entertain
ment and uplift. How those jobbers
must love the farmers? All of which
means that farmers and town busi-
ness men who want to play fair with
the organized farmers had better have
their weather eyes out for the wolf
in his new skin.
Before other state legislatures had
gotten down to the big bills that Of
North Dakota had passed into history,
and now comes the announcement that
J. A. Waters, bank examiner, is to
be the manager of the new state bank.
Every other North Dakota city is dis
appointed because the bank is going
to be in a fine new building in Bis
marck, already built and adaptable
for the purpose. Before the crops
planted this spring are harvested, this
bank will be in full swing, increas-
ing the amount Of money available
for crop movement and at the same
time lowering the rate.
Now that the "fool" farmer idea
has taken shape, a lot of politicians
are wondering why they didn't have
brains enough to think of it years ago
and so prevent the Leaguers from
winning another Croix de Guerre, as
the French would say. And the North
Dakota state bankers are saying to
themselves that that long-standing
4 offensive and defensive alliance with
Twin Cities bankers was OF great
service-to the bankers of the Twin
Cities.
4 Alas, the iron in Minnesota's great
war governor has rustled badly these
! days. In his message to the legis-
llature he demanded changes in the
I primary law which would keep the
farmers and labor men from stealing
| his party. The legislature has all but
/ passed bill which kills the primary
4 for state officers and 50 meets ms
demand exactly. But that raises 2
j frirhtful lot Of mischief Of another
kind. He fears the people still Ike
]. the primary and do not wish g sc
back to the old convention vomit. 20
| now he has cold feet and month
oftar the nrimarv-killing bill passed