The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-10-15
Interesting Statement By
UemOCrauC chairman
q. <. Ericksonl

| Anent this Outcry or alarm, horror
ana rage at the program OF the Non
PARTISAN League tor staIe owned and
operated elevators and flour mills, l
recall the pubic memory to some per-
| rlnent facts OF recent record.
Ine I5If scsoivu oI the Montana
Legislature suDIIiLIed 10 d referendum
vOle OF the people a measure auLnor-
LING tne issuance OF $zov,vuU.Uu In
| srate bonds Tor the construction of a
| gram elevator in the city OF Great
Fails, to be owned and operated by
the State
There were no Non-Pastisan League
members that Legislature. The men,
bership was made up exclusively Of
democrats and republicans.
The measure received an Overwhel-
ming vote of approval at the election
OF 1918. With the exception of one or
TWO small counties, every county gave
it substantial majority. Every coun-
ty in the state containing a substan-
tlal banking and commercial status
voted for the biIl
AT the legislative session of 1919 a
bill was passed to make this vote of
the people effective. Both branches of
that Legislatures were overwhelmingly
slpubliican. A democratic governor
signed the BILL
subsequently the matter of the con-
stitutionality OF this particular meas
ure was tested in the supreme court
OF Montaa and unanimously affirmed.
The right of the state to go into the
grain elevator business was thus es-
tablished as a proper exercise of the
states constitutional powers.
a .nis enaIl .clcfis.ls; lealure or tue
farmers NON = artisan League program
Is staLe sOclsLlsm, IL IL pe WICK
ed and dan4eiUnB 1ssxHn upon fepaD-
incan nstnu.ions, ~ a1legsd by the
republican candidate for governor,
tnen the supreme court of Montana Is
as guilty OF -un- as the
Nonpartisan League: Moreover, the
supreme court of the United States
has also decided this question and the
judgment OF that high court and the
Montana supreme court are absolutely
at one.
The TRADE of Senator Dixon and his
supporters amounts, in fact, to an in
dictment of both these high courts as
guilty OF promulgating doctrines that
are an assault upon American insti-
tut1ons. These courts are thereby ac-
cused of paving the way for a reign
of Lenine and Trotzky in Montana and
the United States" It, is also an in
dictment of the good sense, the loyal
ty and Americanism of the legislature
that submitted the elevator bond bill,
OF the huge majority of Montanans
that voted their approval of 1t, and of
the subsequent repu bhcan legislature
that passed law to make the eleva-
tor bond bill effective.
But moreover, If am correctly in
formed, Senator Dixon has a l,espon-
sibility of his own III this matt or. My
information is that s5enator Dixon has
repeatedly stated to friends that he
voted for the prope ,sed issue of $780,
10000 state bonds fir the construction
and operation OF a, state grain elevator
IN the City of Great Falls. The Ssna-
tor is respectfully invited to make.
contrary statement
Ii the Nonpartilsan League program
IN this matter 'of grain elevator is
such terrible menace to the repub-
lean institutions3' now as the Sena-
or so heatedly flsserts, why was it a
ess menace whe II he voted at general
election two years ago?
What had the apparent intention of
If the Nonpartisan League at that
ime to go into the republican pri-
naries for the tgovernorship this year
o do with the Senator's vote for a
League prin1ip'o and his
'glo rification of that vote?
NJ