The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-20

camouhage for the complete reversal
of the intent of the present docu-
ment. Thus House Bill Al proposed:
Sec. 173. THE STATE OR ANY
POLITICAL DIVISION THEREOF,
MAY ISSUE OR GUARANTEE THE
PAYMENT OF BONDS IN EXCESS
OF THE. DEBT LIMIT SPECIFIED
IN THIS ARTICLE (S5OO,O0O) PRO
VIDED SUCH BONDS ARE SECUR-
ED BY FIRST MORTGAGES UPON
REAL ESTATE, OR UPON PROP
ERTY OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, EN-
TERPRISES OR INDUSTRIES.
Is not this the limit of Socialism?
Can the reader have any doubt of
the purpose of the trainers of that
document to involve the state in all
kinds of Socialistic enterprises-to
the utter ruination of the credit of
the state and of private property val
ues in the state?
The Sky is the Limit"
"'The sky is the limit" boastingly
exclaimed one spokesman for Town
ley in the heat of the debate in the
House when the opposition to House
Bill "A begged the Townleyites to ac-
cept some amendment fixing the limit
70 rthe bonding of the state, offering
to go to five million dollars, to ten
million, to twenty million, to twenty
FIVE million, to thirty million.
But still they were jeered exultant-
" as the Townleyites realized they
had the votes to pass the bill in the
House and hoped to whip enough Sen
ators into line to pass it in the upper
branch.
''In Gods name, is there no limit?''
exclaimed the leader of the opposition.
''The sky is the limit" came back
the defiant Townley cry.
And that was the death signal for
House Bill Al, because many people
of the state began to realize the dan
ger of such a proposition to the future
prosperity of the state, and the Sen
ators took renewed courage and stood
their ground manfully.
The sky is the limit with Townley-
ism-in every move the bosses of the
movement make The reader will
have plenty of evidence as this nara
tive continues. But it is a good thing
10 remember:
''THE SKY IS THE LIMIT" FOR
TOWNLEYISM.
The Public School and University
funds of North Dakota are largely
derived from a sacred trust of land
grants from the United States govern
nlent given years ago to the state
when the support of the schools was a
serious question because of the new
ness of the country.
This sacred trust fund now is val
ued at some Sixty Million Dollars
worth of lands, the income from which
Is loaned to farmers of the state or
first mortgages and the interest de-
rived therefrom is turned into the
University and Schools fund.
One of the most amazing PROPOSE
tons of House Bill "A was the opening
up of this fund to possible manipula-
ton and possible misuse, if not poss
ible footing.
State School Funds in Great Danger
The makers of the present Consti
tuition of the state surrounded thii
l fund with safeguards that have helt
it inviolate through all these years
Yet see what the Socialist Constitu
ton made possible. First it cut ou
: the provisions that the moneys of thu
: fund could be invested in UniteC
States bonds, or the bonds of othe
states that have not repudiated thei
: Indebtedness, or of bonds of countie
: or townships or municipalities within
the state. The apparent intent wa
to make the moneys available princi
pally for loans on bonds of the stat
of North Dakota-and with the stat
engaged in various Socialistic enter
n prises there would be great need o
5 turning the school lands fund owe
e for the bonds of these enterprises
s Note that even United States bond
S were put on the black list
But most surprising of all was tn
e cutting out of the present Constitu
s ton the strong section that give
o these sacred funds their greatest mea
+ sure of protection from manipulation
s It is as follows:
l. Sec. 165. THE LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY SHALL PASS SUIT
ABLE LAWS FOR THE SAT-
y KEEPING, TRANSFER AND DIS
IS BURSEMENT OF THE STAT
d SCHOOL FUNDS; AND SHALL RE-
n QUIRE ALL OFFICERS CHARGE
a WITH THE SAME OR THE SAT-,
is KEEPING THEREOF TO CIV
v. AMPLE BONDS FOR ALL MONEY
A AND FUNDS RECEIVED BY THEN
r AND IF ANY OF SAID OFFICER
lie SHALL CONVERT TO HIS OW
1t USE IN ANY MANNER OR FORM
# OR SHALL LOAN, WITH OR WITE
n OFT INTEREST. OR Shall nF