The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-03-04

ITO slop the hogs" they decide to take
a hand in politics themselves and
begin the organization of the Farmers
Nonpartisan League.
"1916-The farmers completed their
organization-name complete state
ticket, including the supreme court,
and legislative ticket. They elect
every state officer except the state
treasurer. They elect three supreme
court judges. They elect 81 out of
1l3 representatives and Is out of 25
senators. They control the lower
house, but owing to the fact that only
half the senators are elected at each
two-years election they lack four
votes of controlling the senate.
"The reactionary senator's fight
doggedly every popular measure and
temporarily hold up constitutional
revision and prevent the full peoples
program from going into effect. De-
spite their opposition, however, the
legislature passed more progressive
legislation than any North Dakota
legislature ever passed.
"1918-The farmers administration
gives the state of North Dakota the
most efficient and effective admins
tration the state has ever had. Laws
are faithfully and impartially ex-
ecuted, administered and enforced.
The peoples rights are protected and
the national government given loyal
and enthusiastic support in its war
program.
November, 1918, in the state cleo
tions, the Nonpartisan League farm
ers swept the state. They elected
every state officer except the state
superintendent of schools. They Dust
the old holdover senator's and gain
control Of the senate as well. as of
the house. They elect another Judge
of the supreme court and every
national congressman from the state.
North Dakota after two years of
Nonpartisan League administration
returns the league to power with
an overwhelming majority.
Governor Frazer was elected gov
ernor in 1916 as a League candidate
on the Republican ticket by the big
gest vote ever given any candidate
for Office in the state of North Dakota.
In 1913 he was reelected by trem-
endous majority after a bitter fight
in which the opposing candidate was
backed by all that big business could
put into the fight-money, the kept
press of the whole northwest, and all
their political tools from North Dakota
and adjoining states"
Here the publication reviews in de-
tail the governmental changes brot
about by the league administration
and legislature and concludes by say.
ing:
According to this estimate the
total saving during the first two
years of Nonpartisan league admins
tration of the state affairs has been
$54,316,758. A great deal of this
benefit has accrued to all. the citizens
of the state. Taxes have been lower
ed for every wage-worker, small
business man and home-owner as well
as for the farmer. The additional
money kept in the state by the higher
price for wheat and the state grain
grading act has benefited every
business man in the state. The Min
neapolis chamber Of commerce, the
big millers and grain buyers do not
spend their money with North Dakota
merchants. Whstever they take away
from the state of North Dakota
farmers is that much less to spend in
North Dakota.
"But since farmers constitute the
bulk of the population Of the state
naturally the greater part of the
benefit comes directly to them. Ac-
cording to government statistics 80
per cent of the population is rural.
Eighty-nine per cent of So, 1885, 58 is
$48, 341 1874, which is the farmers
share of the saving. The commits
sioner of agriculture says there are
Al, 900 farms in the state so this makes
every farmers share over $721. This
is return of over $500 per cent on
his investment of $11. Pretty good
returns don't you think? And the
work is just begun"
After again reviewing the results
of the 1918 elections the publication
continues:
"This will mean the state terminal
elevator at least-the elevator for
which they have been fighting for l2
years. It will mean state hail in
surance, for which they have been
fighting for for years. Above all it
will mean that the government is ac-