The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-28
WITH THE EDITORS
A SOCIAL SHOCK ABsORBER


American people took note. The news was that
the legislature of North Dakota had passed two
bond issues tctaling $15,00O0O0, of which $10,-
600 900 was for the rural credit system Of the pro-
posed North Dakota state bank and $5,O000O0 for
state owned elevators flour mills, and warehouses;
Until last year the debt limit Of the state was
5000, 900. There is no limit now. That single fact
and the use already made of the freedom to vote
credits indicates what is going on. But these are
only hints.
| A couple Of years or more ago the eastern news
papers and periodicals told something of the Non
partisan league, an organization of farmers in the
northwest based mainly on the idea suggested by
it's name. The war screened it's subsequent devel
cpment. Today it is active in thirteen states.
Begun as a league of farmers in behalf Of farmers,
it is joining hands with radical labor groups, and
one of it's active agents, an |. w. w. worker, is
busy among them preaching the doctrine of CO.
operation between workmen and producers. Its
president, A. C. Townley, familiarly known among
his enemies as After Cash Townley, used to be
active in the Socialist party. The vice president,
Thomas Van Lear was the Socialist mayor of Min
neapo!is who hobnobbed with Senator La Toilette.
Other leaders are Herbert f. CASTOR, well known
Socialist writer, and Walter T. Mills, Populist sup
The purpose of these men is to establish national
party which shall embrace all the elements Of dis
content in the country and fetter capital in the
interest of labor.
Meanwhile on the small stage of'the capital of
North Dakota farmers in full possession of all the
machinery of government are giving an act that
may be regarded as curtain raiser for the nation
wide drama in contemplation Apparently mere
~ CHI
about the business of looking out for themselves
with thoroughness the Russianist soviet might
well envy. ...,
1t was not until the fall of 1918 that the league
came into it's own. Then it captured the assembly
by 70 of 1l3 members and the senate by 80 Of as.
| 1t has the governor and four or five members of
the state supreme court To insure perpetuity in
the enlarged electorate it has organized a womans
auxiliary in every precinct. Thus armed, the
league proposes ~
to place the nonopolistic control of most OF
| our basic utilities in the hands of the public
| and to eliminate the middlemen who now
control our markets; to bring the producer
and the consumer closer together, and to
givesthe workmen of the city and the farm
ers Of the country proportional represent
! tation in the congress of the United States
and the legislatures of the various states.
"A national movement will come if the North
Dakota movement is successful" The pace of that
movement is not slow. AS soon as the league-con-
trolled legislature organized it proceeded to|
put the state constitution in the way of rapid
alteration by the device of an emergency referen-
dunn initiated by 1000 electors Opponents of the
league say what was done was illegal, but the
changes suggested and carried by popular vote are
now being given effect, part of the constitution.
One exenpts all farm improvements from taxa
ton. Another takes the limit off state indebted
ness Another makes amendments of the consti-
tuition simple and expeditions matter. Another
imposes an acreage tax to create state insurance
fund. Another requires four-out-of-fve supreme
allows the state and any county or city to engage
in any enterprise, industry, or business not con-
nected with Intoxicating liquor. ..s
The way thus paved for "the programme of
state socialism, the legislature lost no time in put
ting through list of bills described as follows:
An act for the building Of state terminal
elevators and flour mills.
An act which makes the state kind of
building and loan association.
! An act for the creation of state hail
insurance fund.
An act creating an industrial commits
SIGN to manage these industries and enter
prises.
In explanation of what they have done the
leaders say: 1--WE have been living under indus
trial autocracy, and the people will not tolerate it
any longer. If our opponents were intelligent and
patriotic, as they pose to be, they would welcome
i thiS movement az a social shock ahsOrhpr hut