New-York tribune., 1919-07-06
T ORTIZ DAKOTA'S trumping
of the Nonpartisan League

special referendum election,
when seven measures departing
greatly from established ideas Of
state legislation were indorsed by a
majority of 1000 votes, has awak-
ened a nationwide interest in what
mas been termed an experiment in
state socialism and genuine eco
nomic democracy"
The most important measures OF
the seven provide for state elevators,
a state bank and an official state
newspaper for each county. The
state will handle grain, finance
credits for farming purposes to the
extent of s1O,000,OOO, manufacture
flour, ard is given the power to take
up other industries as it sees fit.
"The Fargo Courier-News," "a
ron-partisan independent news
paper" one Of the leading exporents
of the league in North Dakota,
printed the following editorial the
day after the voting:
Especially encouraging, as showing
the growing solidarity of farmers and
workers, is the gain registered in every
city for the league bills over the vote
received by the amendments last fall.
"Once more, by a smashing victory,
the people Of the state have given their
approval to the farmers programme for
industrial democracy. 1t is to be hoped
that this vote is final. Too long has the
state been torn with strife by the
bitter fighting Of big business, desper-
ately attempting to hold its ill-gotten
privileges, its exorbitant profits.
"The opposition wanted vote on
the league programme, and it has had
it. The vote has gone as all other votes
have gone. 1t is the duty Of the oppo-
sition now, as true Democrats, believ-
ers in the rule Of the majority, to work
together Loyalty for the success Of the
programme desired by the great ma
jority of the people"
Representing the more conserva-
tive elements of the citizenry, "The
Grand Forks Herald" heading an
editorial "a Surprising Phenom-
enon," says:
Thursdays referendum election In
dicated that the citizens Of Grand
Forks seemingly do not care much for
the welfare of their state, for only
about fifteen hundred votes were cast
in the eleven precincts Of the city.
This is a low-water mark which quite
naturally prompts the question wheth-
er or not a majority of the local voters
are wholly Indifferent to the vital is
sues of the day.
Attempts to offer adequate expla-
nations Of the painful and surprising
phenomenon will be in vain. and even
an expert crowd, psychologist would
hardly be able to give correct state
nent of the reasons governing the in
difference displayed here. But whatever
ca ses the too plainly apparent lack Of
understanding and interest, the cold and
unalterable fact remains that a city
which formerly has been able to cast
2.400 votes or thereabouts now, with
the increased population, cannot do
better than present the poor showing
of fifteen hundred"
"The Wichita Beacon" sees only
Bolshevism in the methods employed
by the league and the things it ad-
vocates, remarking:
at is impossible to realize the truth
of the situation in North Dakota with
out knowing the methods of propagan-
da used by the Nonpartisan League
leaders.
"The propaganda employed by these
men is the shrewdest psychology ever
seen in politics.
ain the first place, the man who
joins and pays his SIC is made to feel
that he has a financial interest in the
success of the thing as an organiza-
ton and that all outsiders are plotting
the destruction Of the movement if
they 60 after Townley. In the second
place he is subjected to q constant