The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-03-21

the important UlllS Pc@o0Su
+icIa tells of the precedents Tor them
The third article will deal with prob
obJn effects of these new laWs.)
Since the North Dakota Legislature
has adjourned, there has been
marked lack of specific criticism OF
anv particular acts passed. There
has been no attempt to say "This bill
is wrong, for such and such
reason"
Opponents of the farmers have
contented themselves with trying TO
brand the entire program by calling
It socialism," or speaking OF the
bills, as whole, as "untrled expert
ments." ~,
As a matter of fact, these bills are
far from being. new experiments.
Every industrial measure on the list
is a COPY or adaptation of plan that
has been tried, elsewhere, either IN
other states or other countries, OF
both.
The state of Louisiana, the port OF
Seattle and the Canadian govern
nent all have in active operation
nnhliclv owned terminal elevator and
warehouse systems for hanqnng
grain and other farm products. All
These systems have been successful
in enabling farmers to get loans at
easv rates on their produce, IN pro-
vidirg a more open market, N In
oreasing the return to the farmer and
in adding to tho prosperity of the
section in which the system operated.
PRECEDENT FOR STATE BANK
The Bank of North Dakota com
hines the systems and policies OF the
federal reserve banks and the farm
loan banks of the United States, but
with a method Of operation IN the
making of farm loans that is much
more simple and workable than the
federal system. Many European
countries have the combined reserve
and land bank plans operated by one
institution. This is notably the case
of the National Bank of Sweden,
which this var celebrated its 25Oth
anniversary. During the European
war Swedish money held its value
better than mat of any other Euro
pean country, showing the stabillzlng
effect upon moray of strong Dank
operating for puyhc service rather
tnan private p-v--t.
The home building plan is an adap-
tation of the building and loan plan
as operated succc~----y by private
business in n airy every state OF the
Union. The only difference is that
privately operated firms, not beng
under usuary laws, have operated at
such profits as to prevent the nome
buyer from reaping the advantage
that can be obtained under collective
buying. That the plan can be oper-
ated successfully under state control
has been shown by the experience OF
New Zealand and West Australia.
R,R. LAWS FOLLOW MINNESOTA
The bill fixing railroad rates on a
distance tariff basis, to cure dlscrlm-
nations against North Dakota busl-
ness practiced by the railroads, is al
most an exact copy Of the Minnesota
rate law, secured as the result OF the
efforts of the late George Lotus.
This act has saved the shippers OF
Minnesota millions of dollars and has
been upheld by the supreme court OF
the United States.
The bills in the taxation program
are all based upon the experience OF
other states and nations. The reclaS-
sifcation bill is an amendment Of the
present North Dakota law, changed
SO as to exempt farm improvements
from all taxation. The income tax
bill is based upon the Wisconsin and
federal income tax laws. The new
provision, taxing unearned incomes
at higher rate than earned incomes,
is taken from the income tax law Of
Great Britain. The corporation OK
else tax bill, the oil inspection tax
aud the motor vehicle tax, are all
based on laws in successful operation
in numerous other states.
The new North Dakota labor laws
are all taken from laws in successful
operation in other states. Each law
is d copy Of the best law on the sub
ject, so that, taken altogether, North
DAKOTA now has labor laws better
than those of any other state. The
wOrkmen's compensation act is based
on the acts of Ohio and Washington,
both Of which have the state insur-
anco plan instead of handing the
business over to private insurance
companies, and the federal act. The
anti-injunction law IS copy Of the
Maryland act. The coal mining code
is based on the laws Of Colorado
Washington and other states. The
minimum wage law, eight-hour law
fu-l-creW law, and others have been
enacted in number of the more
progressive western states.
STATE fire insurance Of public build
ings is copied from the Wisconsin
laws. State bonding Of public off.
cials has previously been tried sue
cesstulLy in North Dakota and else,
where.
HAIL INSURANCE FROM CANADA
The new North Dakota stall mai
insurance law is an adaptation Of the
Canadian law, which provides rev
enue by q fiat acreage tax, with Al
additional optional feature, which
allows landowners to carry their owl
risks, if they like, after paying thu
preliminary acreage tax.
The consolidation of all state edu
catlonal institutions under one head
enc Of the most bitterly fought bill
IN the League program, is in sue