Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-26
NEW BLOW-UP
AT CAPITOL
IS
tcontinued from Page l,

have formed a two-thirds majority>on
the printing commission which would
have opposed the use of the state
press as q political football.
Kositzky Saved Prater.
Kositzky saved Prater then. and Mr..
Prater vas well aware OF the fact.
Wires were pulled, and the chairman
of the railway commission, an cleo
tive official, was substituted for the
secretary Of the board of university
and school lands as a member of the
printing commission. Mr.. Prater's
gratitude, however, does not appear to
have led him to the length Of adher-
ing to Mr.. kositzky in the latter's in.
the referendum and initiative Of re-
cent legislative acts fully as %zealously
as Mr.. Kositzky is advocating the use
of the referendum and the initiative
to correct what he considers unwise
laws. T
There may be no actual break be-
tween kositzky and Prater. There
need not be to place Mr.. Prater's
head in jeopardy. He is so thorough
whose autocratic domination of North
Dakota politics is now being fought
by Hall and LANCER, and he is so close
a friend of Neil C. Macdonald, whom
Miss Nelson owes no love, that Mr..
Prater can expect no sympathy from
three-fifths of the members of the
board Of university and school lands
should, for instance, Major Frank
Henry, the most efficient land COM
missioner, state officials have admit
ted, that North Dakota ever had. re-
when Prater's two-year term expires.
Major Henry resigned the Office of
land commissioner in the summer Of
1917 to take command OF the first
battalion of the Fighting First when
this regiment vas mustered INTO fed
eral service. He has been overseas
about Is months, and General Persh-
ing has esteemed him so highly as
to retain his services; for the time be-
ing, with the occupational forces In
Germany, where Major Henry is serv-
ing as military governor OF Coblenz.
Henry Home by Mid Summer.
1t is expected by Major Henry's
friends that he will return by mid
summer. He may have other plans.
but should he expect his old job back.
or even maintain a receptive attitude
for it, there are 10000 soldier voters
in North Dakota who control at least
another 10000 votes who are COM
mitted to the belief hat soldiers who
gave up good jobs to go to France
to fight for their country should have
those jobs back on their return, If.
they want them. And the soldiers.
seem to feel that this should be the
rule. no matter how active In patriotic
enterprises may have been the ci-
villains who remained at home and
held down the good jobs left behind
by the lei who went to war.
knowing these things, Mr. ,Prater y
in frequent conference with the gov
secretary Of the board of university
and school lands is looking for a soft
place to light when the blow-up
comes. In the meantime he is dill
gently opposing the referendum and
initiative and insisting that it is bad
politics to sign n petitions not en-
dorsed by MI. Townley.
There are other matters in state in
dustrial bonds, perhaps Of even more
general interest. Involving: HE invest.
ment of North Dakota's birthright Of
$50, 900, 900, with which the state was
endowed by Uncle Sam as a perma-
nent school fund. It seems probable
that a majority Of the members Of
the board may hold that these funds
are better invested in first farm mort
cages at. five per cent. OF. in school
bonds at four, as, at present. than In,
the securities Of the state whose
value, under the acts authorizing
these bond issues, is held by some
legal authorities to depend largely
upon the administration in power
and the success of the economic pro-
gram which they are designed to A.
nance. r.