The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-01-13
PROGRAM TOBE
IN OPERATION
IN'THIRTY DAYS
Prediction Made by League Or.
gan Believed to Come from
A. c. TOwnley f..
TWO NEW BILLS SENT IN
Association to Manufacture and
Distribute Farm Products
Home Building

Within thirty days the Nonpartisan
league, q farmers organization which
completely controls every branch OF
government In North Dakota, the ex'
ecutive, administrative, judicial and
legislative, will have under way in
this state q more radical experiment
In pure democracy than ever has been
attempted by any other American
commonwealth. .
This statement Is made, it Is believ.
ed, on authority Of Arthur c. Town
ley, president of the National Non.
partisan league. and 1t has been pub
lished in the leagues official organs.
Less than three years ago Townley
walked out to F. B. Woods ranch,
near the little town Of Deering, pen
niless bankrupt, walking through the
bitter cold and the snow of mid-win.
ter because he could not afford to
ride. Today he is the chief execu-
tive and the absolute master of the
most powerful farmers organization
in the history of America, an organic
alton with 250,C00 members, and
with annual revenues in excess of $3,-
100000 ~.
what the Program bs.
The program which the Nonpartisan
league intends to place in effect in
North Dakota within the next thirty
days-and there is no power in Ameri-
ca short of the supreme court Of the
United States which can halt the
league, was outlined in the second in
augural message of Governor Lynn j.
Frazier. -
1t includes: +
A state industrial commission to com
prise the governor, the attorney gen
era and the commissioner Of agrtcul-
ture and labor, which will finance. es.
tablish and operate all Of the many
state-owned industries, utilities and
enterprises for which the leagues
public ownership am endment to the
North Dakota constitution paves the
way. "A bill creating such commits
sion and giving It almost unlimited
powers. u: carrying an emergency
clause which will make the act effec.
tive from the date of its passage, and
providing an appropriation of 100000,
already has had It's first and second
reading in the house. Ef 4
A Bank OF North Dakota, which is
to be central reserve agent for all
state banks, the sole repository Of all
public funds of the state, its counties,
townships and municipalities, and
whose $2,O00,00O capital is to be pro-
vided through the sale of state bonds.
This bank will be under the control
OF the state industrial commission. Its
principal office must be in North Da.
kOta, but the industrial commission
may establish branches elsewhere as
1t sees fit, and the bank may deposit
its surplus wherever it chooses. The
Bank of North Dakota reserves to
itself all the powers of any ordinary
institution of this kind, and 1t also
becomes fiscal agent for the state and
all OF the many state.owned utilities,
enterprises and Industries which the
league program contemplates. 1t has
the privilege of fixing its own rates
of interest, and it may loan money to
the state or to any civil division there:
of; to any state-owned enterprise. or
to the farmers of the state, on first
mortgage security.
The North Dakota Mil & Elevator
association, provided for in, bill en-
d0rsed by the league caucus and In
trOduced in the house today. declar.
ing the purpose of the state to en-
gage In the manufacturing and distri.
button OF farm products of every de-
scription, and for this purpose es.
@tablishiag system of warehouses,
terminal elevators and factories, to
be controlled and operated by the as
sociation, which in turn will be man.
aged by the state industrial commits
sion.
The Home Building Association Of
North Dakota, endorsed by the league
caucus and provided Cor In a bill in.
troduced in the house today, declaring
the intention of the state to engage
in the enterprise of providing homes
for residents of North D.kola.
The capital of the North Dakota
Mill and Elevator association is fixed
at $4,000, 900, to be raised through tue
sale of state bonds. The association
may acquire property, construct el..
yators. mills and factories, and do all
other things necessary incident or
convenient in the manufacturing or
marketing of all kinds of raw and
finished farm products It's powers
include fixing the price at which
these products shall be purchased and
sold, and the establishment of bureaus
and agencies within or without the
state for the sale or purchase of farm
products.
The home building association also
is under control of the state industrial
commission. It is empowered TO util.
ise funds acquired through appropria.
tfon or deposits for the building and
purchasing of homes within the
state for members of Home Buyers
leagues. Such league is defined by
the act as voluntary association of
ten or more depositors in the state
home building association. When.
ever q member has deposited 20 per
cent OF the whole purchase price Of
Q homo or farm be may make applica-
tioa to tho association to buy such
home or farm and selt IL 70 him up-
= tCeatinucd, % PaSe Nght.) s