The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-04-01


banks, state-owned flour mills under
non-political expert management linz
tied to reasonable expenditures, a
more practical and efficient hail in
surance law, an extensive system OF
irrigation in western Dakota, increas-
ed salaries for school teachers, reduc-
ton of high cost Of living, a square
deal for the laborer, the farmer, the
business man and the professional
man, the Independent and impartial
audit of state industries, such assist
mace to returned service men by bon
us or otherwise as will express to
them the gratitude of grateful
state, state assistance to cooperative
industries, farmer representatin on all
boards, full time to health officers re-
siding at the capital, return of power
to the state superintendent of instruc-
tion, impartial enforcement of laws,
lower taxes and freedom of speech.
Farmers who were entertained by
Langer's recent speeches in which he
worked himself into a frenzy denounc-
ing the 'red socialism" of the Non
partisan administration will rub their
ewes with amazement on reading this
announcement. Isn't LANCER embrac-
ing the very program he SO vehement
ly denounced? Can it be that slippery
Bill is sliding back to the industrial
program of the organized farmers?
Or is he having his little joke? one OF
the regular old gang prediction
jokes?
THE attitude of the l. V. A. press
should dispel in the mind OF farmers
who take LANCER seriously. The Fargo
Forums attitude toward an admins
tration favoring state industries Tor
the benefit of the farmers and city
workers is well known. The Forum
"seems to be the one man on the po-
litical horizon who can accomplish that
task (redeem the state"). The knoWl-
dege of Langer's betrayal OF the Lea
que is too fresh in the Forums mind
to be- absolutely sure that he is lOo
per cent satisfactory. It adds IF we
had the power to or the disposition to
pass out political plums-whlch we
have not-Mr. LANCER would not be
our choice for governor. Mr. LANCER
is the type of man who could make a :
very good governor or very pad
one. With his energy, his initiative
and his resourcefulness he has the
possibilities of being very useful or
a very dangerous citizen. He started
on the latter course, but fortunately
for himself, and perhaps fortunately
for the state, he discovered the error
Of his way in time. J,
Once a turn-coat perhaps second
time a turn-coat seems to be the For
unn's attitude. Big business has suf1l-
cient confidence in LANCER to endorse
him for governor tho 1t is reasonable
TO assume that there is little ikeli-
hood Of his industrial program ever
beng serious enough to interfere with
the profits Of the interests that fight
the farmers. The Courier News COM
ments thus aBig business would like
ia support a man who is out and out
against state industries. It knows that
would mean certain defeat 1t knows
the only faint possibility Of beating
the organized farmers is thru candi-
date who will pretend to be for state
industries, and that's why business IS
reluctantly coming to Langer's sup.
port. II knows he is 9 traitor Tor TO the
farmers program and II hopes he vii
remain 3 traitor But it knows Bill
LANCER. 3. .,8 . !:
There is cf course = possibility of
certain big business factions refusing
Is endorse Langer and placing another
candidate III the field but the higher
ups know that every candidate piles
Is i higher naiority for the Nonpars
tisan man and they will bring conssd-
sserable pressure to bear on the recaici-
trant elements. The organized farmers
a,ould WORRY II n