Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-12-28

callyt forced the voters to- either swAl-
low whatever methods were proposed
by the League Officials with out criti-
cism or suggestion. orsvote against the
The people Of North. Dakota have
spoken for the program With their
vote Mt every. election since the first
amendment .of the constitution, per-:
hitting the establishment of. terminal
elevators. N~o1tpossible} quibble or eva
sion anobliterate that fact.
Not one OF the five laws initiated
and passed at the lasts.election indi-
Gates any change in sentiment on the
protests against the way In which the
program is being carried out. Some Of
those laws are not even related to the
program in the least degree. These
are simply protests against things that
have been done by the League Officials
that were not connected with the pro-
gram on which the League was elect
ed to power. i4 III
So much bitterness has been en-
gendered in this positicai battle that
judgment on all sides seems to have
surrendered to hatred. The time has
come to CALI halt on'this sort OF pro-
cedure IL the state is to have any
measure Of prosperity or peace. Just
as long as. the bank and the industries
are 1HVOIVcU IN every cASCtLoAt Jucs ~
long will this condition continue to
exist. -,44ss% .t
Fort this condition I blame more
those opposed to the League program
than anyone else. It must be admitted
that IL the majority Of the people OF
the state wished to carry. out. the
League program they had under every
principle Of free government the right
OF do It.. s5
After IL had once been firmly estab-
lished legally that the people Of North
Dakota did wish to try this program.
opposition except, in the way Of friend
" effort to do 1t in the best way pos
sible should have ceased until q real
and fair trial OF the bank and indus
tries had been made.
For tying up the program to the
politics Of the state blame h Nom
partisan League. 1t Is this that has
made the continuation Of. the fight on
that. basis Of bitterness and unreason
inevitable. II that condition is not
prevented in the future, inevitable In
Jury. to the state must follow, and has
in ON Instances already begun.
7 Many splendid laws have been en-
acted by the last two administrations.
The passage of the grain grading Law.
compensation law, and others, mas
been Of great benefit.
A legislature has now been elected
which is quite evenly divided between
the contendfng forces. Are you going
continue that sort of fight until your
state becomes a byword? Now. It
ever, is the time to recognize that
while some OF you have been elected
by .Nonpartisan forces: and some OF
forces, still all Of you together. lave
the power to either make or mar the
fortunes Of your. state by the iegis-
lation which you will enact a. the
coming session Of the legislature.
Surely, now when the forces are so
nearly equal, is the time for the elect
ed representatives to recognize the
fact that responsibility rests upon all
of you. Rise above politics while your
political ambitions long enough to do
your duty by the people and to pass
legislation, taking these industries and
the North Dakota bank out Of politics
forever. This can be done II there
are enough members in both house
and senate who can rise high enough
above the smoke of politics to realize
their duty to their state and their con-
stituents... m
Never can the program have a fair
trial while 1T is tied. to the politics Of
the tate. Never can the farmers OF
the state stop fighting o it until 1t
has had q fair trial. The extOrtions
which the farmers Of North Dakota
have suffered are too, great to permit
them to surrender their right to have
a air trial Of their program.
Just q little cool reflection must
show any reasonable person that the
carrying OUT Of the program in a sane
way can never injure any legitimate
business in the state. Every business
man doing any useful service to the
people of his community will be bet
ter of for the successful carrying out
OF the program. That is clear. II
the program is fairly tried tn q sane
way and fails. the cost to the people
of the state will neve equal the dam
ages already suffered by reason Of the
senseless fight SO long continued. !.
Take your program out Of politics
and then your political fight will not
threaten the very existence of the eco
nomic structure of your state. Your
political fights will then become pure
~ political lights, and will not be felt
as they are now on the economic side.
To be sure. big interests will doubt
less still attempt to secure ADVANTAGES
through controlling politics. but you
farmers can and should maintain your
organization with which to win your
political battles. This will not plunge
your program into the whirlpool Of
politics. This will be using; political
power simply for the protection of
your Industrial program. This will
prevent your ~ elected officials
from s~urrendering to the temptation
mend their political fortunes. This
will prevent officials elected from the
opposition from doing that when they
are elected to Office.
TO take your. industries out of poll
tics will secure for those to whom you
sintrust their administration a sense
Of security and freedom fromrpohttcal
influences that will enable them ia
llse ali their efforts to make good in
tingtheir positions 10 long as they make
good in them, at least for long terms
OF Office, long enough for them "a
have the opportunity to make good.
Is It too much to hope that the
governor Of the great state Of North
Dakota and a maj6rttysof both houses
OF the Legislature can see this plain
matter in q sufficiently broad Hight ia
act together for the rood Of the state
with a political gun on each hip?
Surely North Dakota still produces
men who can do this. 4 y#5.
Il am not submitting any bills to be
passed. \ have no pet hobby to ride,
Do can freely say there maysbe.al hum
died safe variations in the actual
legislation BY which the! bank ana The
Industries may bs reorcanized soias q
take Them ont Of political nd ministra-
ton. 4 am nov simply making SUE.
gestions thatfwould aid IN tho riEht
Oonstructiye s-s;.Egestsous
First: Take the bank and the In.