The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-12-22
FIGHT. STARTED
ON N. ?. POWERS
BY A. LASUEUR
Declares That Legislation Must
be Changed Regarding
Program
CITES HIS OBJECTIONS
Uses As a Slogan for Attack
',,Take Your Industries Out
of Politics"

! y
terized as one OF the big Four" Of
the Nonpartisan league, now Twin
Cities attorney, has addressed an
open letter" In the form of a PAM
phlet to Governor Frazier, advocat-
ing a complete. reform Of the legis-
lation enacted to put the league pro-
gram into effect. His slogan is take
your industries out Of politics"
Practically all state officials today
received copies of the pamphlet. The
Fargo organ Of the Nonpartisan
league refers to La Lueur's plans with
sarcasm Mr. La Sueur is vtriolc in
his attack upon the methods adopt
ed in putting through the legislation,
( William Lemke being one Of his par
ticular targets. III ia
1t was reported before the election
that faction was working in the Nom
partisan league to onst Lemke from
his powerful position in the state,
The open letter has been published
in the form Of a thirty-two page pam
phlet and is being circulated in a
limited way from 1903 Pioneer build
ing, st. Paul. A note on the back
of the cover page is as follows:
Members of the Legislature can sec
ure a few extra copies on request it
desired"
Refused Space ,,
After explaining that he was un-
alterably opposed to the "Lemke meas
ures' and that he fought it furious
ly during the session without sue
cess, he explains that after the final
adoption of the political exigencies"
program he tried to get the consent
/ of the league officials to the publi-
| cation Of a series Of articles in an
entirely friendly spirit in the league
papers, discussing how The program
ought to be. carried out but that he
was absolutely refused any space in
the league papers.
Among his criticisms of the bills
establishing the industries and tfie
state bank, are several which are
! exactly the same q, ihose made by
the independents. AS an example, re
garding the auditing Of the expendit-
ures of the Industrial commission by
itself, he says:
/ T. Reports to Itself =
"The fact that the Industrial COM
mission will practically by reporting
to ITSELF will tend to weaken the
confidence Of the people of the state
in their management of the differ
ent industries and especially of the
state bank. The bank examiner is an
employee of the governor so that it
/ nropfi1o11u m tc n of
and reports to the industrial commits
, sion by the industrial commission with
no check upon the conduct Of the i'll
stitution whatsoever"
I LeSueur suggests that it was mostly
an accident that the league was able
to retain control of the Industrial
commission.
/ In connection with the objection to
Section l Of the above, 'he says, re-
ferring to his comments on the dang
er of political manipulation, 'Is it
not clear that the league ticket would
have met defeat in the fall election
if the Republican landslide had not
come to its assistance. AS it was
the margin was uncomfortably close
And would anything have saved the
day if the election had come after
the passage of the initiated laws?"
Must be Changed
In conclusion, Mr.. LeSueur says:
II have no axe to grind. 1t cannot
make one pennys difference to me
what you do, or what you do not do,
in the way of financial returns 49,.
Even though l no longer have any
property rights in North Dakota,
still dread to see the splendid men
and women Of that state compelled to
endure injustces which do not op-
crate for the benefit of any citizen
of the state, the whole benefit of which
goes to interests out of the state, and
which are absolutely unnecessary and
stands in the way of the prosperity
fall For once, forget your per-
sOnal bitterness; for once forget per-
sonal differences and get together and
do this thing right. All North Da
kota must pay for it, if you do not.
impossible tasks should never be
imposed and that is an impossible
task to be performed in the way the
law says that it shall be performed,
and there are many other things, like
the curtailment Of expenses and gen.
eral economy, that will need lot
of attention at the hands of the
legislature. ...
None of these things am l touch
/ ing upon in this pamphlet l cannot
afford the expense Of printing them,
and you do not need advice concern,
ing them. But did not want you to
think that this pmaphlet covers the
whole field of what this Legislature
ought to do. for it contemplates no
such thing. This is simply friendly
warning to take your industries out
of politics.