Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-12-10
IN the throes Of depression and dis

in the throes Of depression and dis
aster 4 $3.50 IF.
/ All the world heard Of these pro-
gressive measures. AL the world be-
came interested IN these remarkable
were over the United States and
Great Britain were filled with xthe
praises of New Zealand It was dur.
ing this time that everything happen
led in New Zealand which has ever
happened to make that country ia
nous. A. - - 4l5zs7..17---,.- ~.
During these years of almost uni
versal Industrial disaster there was
not one bank failure in New Zealand
There was no unemployed. There
were no Industrial quarrels. There
was no poverty which called for spe-
cial attention because of any unfortu-
nate industrial conditions. This is
the only country, and this the only
time in history, when for SO long
period and involving such resources
and such numbers of people labor has
been able to have it's way in the adj
ministration Of public affairs.
Always the Same.
In Australia and in all of the sew
eral states Of Australia, just as rap
idly and just as far as the Labor par
ty has come into control, similar meas
ures have been adopted and similar
results have followed.
In San Francisco, in Milwaukee, in
Toledo, Ohio;' in Hamlin, Ohio, in
Schenectady. N. Y; in Minneapolis,
Mimi, under political parties control
led by labor, and in North Dakota un-
der the Nonpartisan league, so far as
state or municipal government can
effect changes, the administrative
work of parties controlled by labor
everywhere Immediately made an end
to the use of the police, the militia and
the courts and prisons as a means of
defeating strikes or preventing free
speech of forbidding public assem-
blage or interfering with the COOPER
alive or industrial organizations of
labor.
What the Farmers Did.
In North Dakota a political move
ment controlled by the workers in a
great industrial organization, as is the
Nonpartisan league, has succeeded in
securing control of all the political
powers Of an American state.
In North Dakota the state author
tiles have been used not to suppress
free speech, not to prevent public as
semblage, not to interfere with in
dustrlal organizations, but instead it
has been definitely called into service
on many occasions for the purpose
of protecting and preserving these
rights
The last session of the state legis-
lature, the first one under complete
control of the Nonpartisan league,
! found the state entirely without-labo
legislation of any sort. The body
| was in session for 81 days and during
that time it had enacted into law every
piece of legislation asked for by the
trade unions, and in many instances
were able to detect and cut out legal
Jokers' inserted under cover in the
laws proposed, but intended to work
great injury to the cause of labor.
There was not one thing that was
asked for by the representatives of
labor that was not granted.
Constructive Reconstruction.
But this state has gone farther. It
has created mills, elevators and mar
kets, with authority to purchase, build
or operate any factory, plant. equip
ment or market necessary to the man
ufacture and sale, of the agricultural
products of that state, and the state
mill and elevator system is already
in operation with the most satisfac-
tory results
1t has established a state bank
which will provide credits at cost to
the local bankers and through them
to farmers, merchants, manufacture
ers and others. 1t has provided a
system of building and improvement
under which the unearned rakeoff of
the lumber trust, the hardware trust,
the brick trust, the glass trust, the
cement trust and the real estate COM
bines will be taken out of the cost of
construction in the Improvement of
farms and in the building of homes.
1t has further provided that the
state will provide credit for four-ifths
OF the sums necessary to establish
homes in towns or on farms in. the
country, and that at the lowest rate
of interest.
A Leadershi p-Safe and Sane.
In point of labor legislation it is
the whitest state on the map. In
point of publicly owned undertakings
under which the workers will become
their own employers, and from which
unearned incomes will be entirely ex-
Guided, it leads the nation. None of
it's enterprises have any stockholders
or privately invested interests of any
sort. They will never pay dividends
to private owners. There are no pri-
Vate owners to whom any such pay.
ment could be made. All the services
are provided at cost. If they earn
more than the cost, such surplus earn.
ngs will be made to disappear by
reducing selling prices and so lower.
ing the cost Of living.