Evening star., 1919-04-17
Points to Low Pay of Experts.


I suggested to Mr.. Townley that
the objection was not to the nomen-
clature of these things. but their
ficiepcy and would choose according
as it believed the government or pri-
vate owners would do the job better.
and I inquired what incentive he
thought there would be for men of
executive ability who have the "know
how" to get INTO the railroads or
utilities if the highest salary they
could get was about $4,000 a year.
We'll" said Mr.. Townley. there's
no question that state. and govern
too low. But. while the salaries of
officials might be fixed. there is no
objection to hiring experts at higher
sums. In North Dakota our highest
official gets $1,000. but in the opera
ton of our state bank. for instance.
to get expert help"
questioned Mr.. Townley about two
things which opponents of the league
had cited to me. One was the chain
of cooperative stores in which the
leagues officers are interested and the
other is the proposed measure in the
North Dakota legislature whereby
only one newspaper in every county
was hereafter to be selected as a
means of putting out of business
newspapers now fighting the non-par-
tisan league.
"At present" said Mr. Townley. "the
county commissioners pick the legal
newspaper, and frequently it goes to
newspa pers of small circulation. The
provision to pick the newspaper by a
state printing commission Will last
only until the next general election.
when the people in each county will
vote for the newspaper which they
wish shall get this advertising, just
as they would vote for a sheriff.
''Of course, it is between now and
the general election, which is more
than a year away, that the damage
will be done if it is going to be done.
The bipartisan league has news
pa pers in nearly every county. 1t is
expected to select it's own newspapers
and thus get a strong hold, because
the partisan league has given its
members the impression that all other
organs but it's own are subsidized or
| controlled by the interests
| Such an attempt to establish firmly
! the non-partisan league newspapers is
bound to react against the league it
self. and when the measure comes be-
fore the people in the referendum in
/ June it would not be surprising to see
them reject it. Certainly the oppo-
nents of the non-partisan league, who
have denounced nearly everything
that the league has proposed, are not
/ in a position to carry conviction on
this vulnerable point. because other
things obviously TO the good of the
farmer are not sanctioned. though pri-
vately many men will admit they are not
as bad as they seem. For instance,
the state-owned elevator.
| Some Aids to Townleyism.
| There's no doubt that Townleyism
| wouldn't have gotten very far if the
powers that be had believed in a
state-owned elevator. and il some
| exercised against those who were
asking exorbitant rates of interest for
loans to the farmers. The railroads
I and the manipulation of freight rates
didn't help to keep down TOwnleyism
but to breed it. And the only en-
couraging thing about the situation
/ today is that the opponents of such
| changes have seen how far and how
powerful any class can become If a
skiIlful agitator comes along and takes
advantage Of the weak spots in the
economic machinery.
The big question is whether the op.
ponents will fight to the last ditch OF
begin to recognize the merit Of thoss
things which ought to be remedied
Now appears to be the opportunity
for there is a revolt on in the ranks
of the non-partisan league them
state treasurer. secretary of state and
state auditor aligned against Town.
ley. who is called too dictatorial and
autocratic. Also the blue sky Law
commission of North Dakota, com
pOSed of the governor the secretar,