The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1920-10-06
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1920

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1920
WHO ARE THE SOCIALISTS
"Save the state from socialism is the battlt
cry of befogged visionists and goggled dreamer
of pap to be ladled out should they succeed il
overthrowing the progressive element now il
control of North Dakota. That expression does
not apply to men who are sound thinkers the
opposed to the great movement forward insti
tuted by the farmers and the workers, because
they will eventually see the light-they are
fair minded. 1t does apply to those who would
defend, right or wrong, the ''big interests who
would crush the life blood out of the worker
the farmer and the limited mercantile dealer
A comparison of the past with the present.
in economic development of North Dakota,
should allay any MISUNDERSTANDING as to the
charge of socialism" if socialism it be-.
The Hail Insurance law-frst enacted in
1913,/ by a Republican legislature, (before the
League was born)-and approved by L. B.
Hanna, stalwart Republican governor. Law
amended by the Nonpartisan legislature in 1918
to extract the festive joker.
The Surety Bonding law-frst enacted in
1915, by a Republican legislature, (at a time
when the League was unknown) and approved
by. L. B. Hanna, Republican governor. Law
amended in 1919 to remove jokers inserted by
old gang.
State Fire and Tornado Insurance law-en-
acted4by Republican legislature in 1915, but
vetoed by L. B. Hanna, who feared it might
not work" and who now sees the law, ~re-enact-
ed by the farmer legislature, working so that
it has saved the state $50, 100000 and paid over
$4,000 in fire losses.
State owned mill and elevator -appro
by two Republican legislatures (1911-1913) and
by popular vote in 1914, when there was no
Nonpartisan to raise the ghost of Socialism and
brighten us all to death.
State Bank Depositors' Guarantee law
Pledged the people in Republican and Demo-
cratic state platforms as early as 1907-19O9-
and never enacted into law, because it did not
look good to the bankers-not because it was
Socialism.
There is yet one more to be mentioned, one
intimately concerning some of those who now
80 loudly shout Socialism" It is Chapter 100,
1919 Session Laws. 1t defines and prohibits
prostitution and established new rules of ,evi-
dence whereby the crime may be fixed. It is
the farmers free love bill"-and it has teeth
In "old gang" days, it never could have passed
thru the state legislative mill. That law is based
on more Puritanic principles than even the
Puritans of 1920 dared call for.
Disgruntled politicians, discredited standpat
tiers by the scores and hundreds, should look
well to their "laurels'' before they cry social.
ism"
Reserve the right to believe as you will but
there is not a single thinking man in the bread
state of North Dakota who is honest with him.
self, who does not know that the laws passed
by the farmers are the best and most advanced
and progressive ever offered to the people OF
any state in the union. The fact that one STATE
after another is following suit, is the evidence
next to the best-the best, that the farmers q
North Dakota are satisfied,-and they pay al
the bills of the state along with the workers
and by workers we gracefully include the mer
chant who runs a store, the professional ma
and the other citizens, Now, just who are thu
socialists?
S NO SHORTAGE THIS YEAR
The United States has produced a good crro GRO
ofWheat-an abundance for domestic use ant
z goodly8s store f~orSexport. tyhas Z record crol
END E&N%@ES