The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-12-24
NORTH DAKOTA
ENGAGED N FOUR
BUSINESS VENTURES

|"#HNNAL 80 THm Mrnhtn " i
FARGO. NJ ID. Dec. 1f.-rhe state
Of North Dakota N engaged in -four
lines OF activity usually followed only
by private interests. Thesc are:
4, Insurance flor public building
and for cropaD.
2. operation of mill and elevators.
4. Operation OF a bank,
A.. Operation OF a home building
association.
These activities are part Of the in
dustrini problem, backed by the Non
partisan league. Tho n three
usmat ARE undnr tho control OF the
Industrial commission Of the state
Possibly the most ambitious OF the
-four proRrams ~ shat for n chain Of
state owned mills and elevators. A
state owned flour min with a capac-
ity Of 1875 barrels "a day Is In operation
at Drake. A 1000 barrel n day mill
and a i.5OO,0 900 bushol elevator are
being built by the state under one
roof at Grand Forks. These Will be
ready In time TO handle wheat OF the
1921 crop. II IA expected.
Only beginning.
The mill and elevator syntem n
TO bo only o beginning, says II. r.
More. state secretary Of the Nonpar.
tIsan league. the plan being TO ST. aply,
eventually machinery 10 handle live
stock and other farm products. The
final aim, according to Mr.. More, Is
to handle, store, manufacture and
dialrihute IN finished form all these
products from within h state, thus
avoiding transportation to distant fac
tory points and costs involved by
passage through h hands OF middle
mon.
The program OF the state bank. ac-
cordinR to MIR. More. Is to extend
credit to tho farmers and 10 mobilize
mOncy la the state at Joints whore
n Is most needed. by r~edepositing "
in local banks at these points. The
wentcrn end Of tho state. impover-
ifhed by five ear OF crop ~failures,
has had until recently $1,000, 600
ally drawn from that section. he
says
Before the November election a law
provided that al, public funds In the
state be deposited in tho state bank.
but an Initiate law passed at that
time now makes tho depository OF
county. township, municipal and
school moneys optional with the
t%roncurers OF these respective funds.
The capital stock OF the bank is
: $4,000, 00O.
The home building association.
which Is IN its infancy. has built
about 100 homes throughout the
state.
Mr.. Moro suys the plan IL to build
homes costing $4,000 or loss and sell
them for n cash payment OF one-fifth
tho value and the rest in 10 or 30
year payments. The monthly pay
mont on a $1,000 house after the
$1,000 has been paid would be S2S.G4.
including interest, under the 20 year
plan.
Buildings Insured.
All public buildings in the state are
insured against fire and windstorm.
There 10 n demand according 10
league officials. that this insurance
be made available Tor private build.
ings. Tho administration OF this tax
Is more economical than In cid line
companies and as soon az a sinking
fund has been accumulated the coss
which now Is about equal TO that
charged by the old line companies
VIII he lowered. Mr.. More a
A three cent per acre tax Is levied
on all tillablc land for the state hail
tax. Last year this tax cost the far.
mcrs who Insured their crops rs
cents per acre. This nc.
cording TO Mr.. More. with a cents
per acre charged by private companies
for nail protection. Both forms Of
state insurance. he adds, are making
money.