The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-08
THE Dakota EXPERIMENT.


There are Indicators that ] Nom
partisan League machine in North
Dakota has slipped a cog. In special
message recently sent to the legisla-
ture, Gov. Lynn J. Frazier recommend
ed the appointment of a committee
ito investigate the illegal and inn
proper expenditure of state funds and
Illegal accounts of public officials.
TIL. Nonpartisan League system laid
itself peculiarly liable to disquietude
and suspicion Tao moment it achieved
political victory. Tho in spirit it was
intensely democratic, in method l. was
the sublimation of autocracy. SO long
as 1t had as its moving incentive the
belief of the North Dakota farmers
that they were being victimized by
powerful outside interests. it followed
the leader, pat up money, took orders
fro.- central authority and functioned
with the efficiency of an arm.
But success put a terrible strain
upon the strong human nature ele-
ment involved. When the farmers had
everything their own way, they had
more leisure to question what was be-
ing done with their funds. The be-
ginning of trouble of this kind came
with the failure of a powerful state
bank which had been favored with
the patronage of the Townley inter
ests and had handled millions of dol
lars of Nonpartisan League money.
The danger in any movement for the
betterment of a class is in the sub
stitution of the political organization
for the business organization. The
successes among cooperative organi-
cations have been made by keeping
the control among those who actually
contribute to the support of the or
ganization. The successful organiza-
tions are independent and self-sup-
porting and do business on business
principles. A political organization
does not do business on business prin-
ciples. The qualifications that get a
man elected to public office are not
necessarily the qualities that make a
capable business man. The right to
have a voice in the administration of
business affairs is not properly based
upon the same reasons as the right to
have a voice in making OF laws af-
fecting personal rights and liberties.
The management of business ven
lures should be in the hands of the
owners or patrons where the use of
capital is required, or where support
is dependent upon the patronage of
a portion of the community. This is
notes the success of the enterprise.
but because it is just and gives a
proper recognition and incentive to
those who contribute to the success,
at the same time lay lg no burdens
upon those who are not directly in
terested and whose activities and re-
sponsibilities are in other lines.
There is no better way of trying out
proposals to substitute new methods
for old than by the competitive test.
The most economical and serviceable
method should be adopted, but 1t
should prove its superiority. and not
expect to be adopted upon a theoreti-
cal showing. In many states farmers
mutual companies, for insurance pro-
| IeCIlOns ana 1OF the Op6FdIlOn OF
creameries and elevators. are well
! established. They have demonstrated
their service. Other. but less numer-
GUS, mutual companies handle live
stock, and merchandise, and great
numbers of local banks are controlled
by farmer stockholders. All of this
is a natural and gratifying develop
ment, and nobody can set any bounds
to 1t. The movement Is free to go and
| ought to go as far as 1t can demon
strate it's efficiency, and that may be
farther from year to year. II the
farmers wish to buy up the stores
mills. packing houses. banks and
newspapers in localities where they are
able to do it, there is no ground for
objection. so long as they use only
their own money. But when the under.
take to use the money of the whole
people. trouble is almost certain to
follow.
i