Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-09
REASONS FOR REFERENDUM

4uS MeelAuS u VOtcI on MONDAY evening at WQlCA
the bills which are to be submitted to the people in July
were discussed was an extremely useful one inasnuch as
there was given at that time by the several speakers E
critical analysis Of the bills passed by the legislature.
where are to be referred, and Of those initiated by petit
ton which are also to be submitted. The general purpose
of the referendum is well understood and the movement
meets with the approval of a very large number of peo-
pie, a fact which is indicated among other things by
the large number Of names which have been attached to
the petitions. But the analysis given at Monday evenings
meeting gave to the minds Of all present a clearer con-
ception Of the defects in the bills passed and. OF. the
methods by which it is proposed to remedy those defects
In the submission Of these various measures there is
attempted nov interference with that which can properly
be described as the league program. The essential fea-
ture Of that program is the installation Of terminal facil-
tiles for the handling Of wheat and the making of pro-
vision for the manufacture Of -four. That is the thing
which has been demanded from the beginning and
around which the entire discussion conferred, and is the
only thing which, was in the minds Of the people until
outsiders seized upon the situation as an opportunity to
try out their own particular fads and isms at the ex.
pense Of the people Of North Dakota.
The statement has been made in the subsidized So
cialist press that the opposition to the league is deter.
mined to wreck the entire industrial program including
the elevator proposition and that in order to do SO it pro.
poses to substitute for the elevator plan proposed by the
0NS.N" 49, ~SSB - AkkSA
unavoidable and intended to fail. That charge is false
The plan which is now proposed involves two things
First the entire elimination Of what would really be a
one man industrial commission endowed with unlimited
power and charged particularly with the expenditure OF
$4,000. 900, on the elevator and mill project. There is pro-
posed as a substitute for this elevator and mill project
another involving the expenditure Of S. 900, 900 instead
of $~5,oo0.oo0, and with a stronger, better planned and
more reliable commission charged with the work Of man.
aging that proposition alone. The substitution of the
larger commission in which a majority shall rule for the
proposed commission in which the governor would be
practically an autocrat. is in itself a desirable improve
ment. The appropriation Of $4,000, 900 is ample for the
purpose of experimenting on a large, comprehensive
scale. If a commission can not make a $4,000, 900 propo.
suon win it can not win with IS, 900, 900 to spend. and
the other ~$3.o0o,o00 might as well be saved for the tax
payers. These bills were all made clear in the summaries
given by the various speakers and the other bills were
treated in like manner. 1t is the plan Of the Independent
Voters association to have presented to the people at
large similar information 50 that every voter may under
stand exactly on what he is voting. II there isla COM
plete understanding the voters Of the state may be trust
ed to dispose Of the matter in q sane ana intelligent
manner. @