Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-27

league. lhe Bank OF North Dakota Speedly found
itself unable to meet its obligations to- it depositors,
and these depositors, being chiefly public bodies
found themselves out of funds with which to carry
on their ordinary business. 1t became necessary for
municipal bodies to borrow on their own merit OF. on
the personal credit of their members in order to be
able to meet their current running expenses; and all
the time money raised by taxation was being with
drawn, turned into the Bank Of North Dakota, and
by it distributed among the various political
agencies of the League.
The Mill and Elevator association, a branch of
the Industrial commission, and operating under its
direction purchased a mill at Drake and started do
ing business. From the day of Its beginning busi-
ness at that place, it was conducted at a loss, and as
the facts have shown, the utmost wastefulness and
extravaganza were shown in the management of the
plant. A start was made on the construction of a
large mill and elevator plant at Grand Forks. The
affairs of the state had become so involved that it
was impossible to obtain funds for the completion
of this work, and the buildings stand now, half COM
pleted, exposed to the elements.
A Home Builders organization was organized
for the ostensiblc purpose. Of facilitating the build
ing of homes at moderate expense by people of mod
est means. The affairs of that institution were as q
whole, handled as those in other departments of the
state, and one of the scandals of this administration
has been the manner in which the funds of the build
ing association purporting to have been raised TO-:
the accommodation of the small home owner have
been manipulated so as to enable the attorney gen
eral of the state and other men prominent in the
state administration to build palatial residences for
themselves.
Ayear ago when the entire country had entered
upon a period of dcflation following the war activiS
necessary in order to avert a serious financial condi-
ton throughout this state. Had there been no inn
pairment of the states credit by the unwise and
reckless operations of this administration, the or
agencies would have been able to carry the
state through without serious impairment. With
the blot upon the states credit which then existed
it was apparent that the work would be one of ex-
traordinary difficulty. Under the circumstances
bankers and responsible business men generally in
vited the state administration to a work of co-opera-
ton in order to save the people loss and financial
embarrassment, and to facilitate the handling Of the
states business during the next few months. All
in this direction were rejected. The adj
ministration insisted upon the full program of So
|cialism to which it was already. committed and
would listen to. no proposals looking toward a mod
crate measure Of compromise. An investigation of
its accounts by'a competent and impartial profess
sional accounting house revealed such a condition OF
affairs that the refusal Of the administration to CO.
operate is scarcely to be wondered at. The states
affairs in all its departments which were subject to
this control were in such a middle that no method
Iof Cooperation could have been devised which
would have saved the state from the odium Of the
exposure of the deplorable condition existing.
Responsibility for the state of affairs prevail
ing conferred in the industrial commission, composed
of the governor, the attorney general, and the COM
missioner of agriculture and labor. These three men
the industrial commission had charge of
the Bank of North Dakota, the Home Builders as
ISOLATION, the Mill and Elevator association, and the
collection and distribution Of all funds belonging to
the public bodies of the state. The defiant attitude
of these officials made it plain that no remedy was to
be sought at their hands. There remained but one
thing to do; namely, to apply to the existing situa-
ton the recall law to retire these three officials and
to provide for the election. of others who would
recognize more clearly their duty to the state and
who would not feel bound to carry out the behests
of an ambitious politician. For that reason the con-
|%vention held at Devils Lake last spring, composed Of
popularity chosen representatives from every district
in the state, after mature deliberation, decided that
the recall of these officials was advisable and neces-
sary, and recommended that an election for this pur-
pose be held this fall. In pursuance Of that decision
petitions were circulated and have been signed by
much more than the number of persons necessary to
make the demand for the recall effective. The date
of the recall election is October 28th.
As to the prospects, it is the custom of contest
ants in every election to claim success at least until
the votes are counted, and often afterward All
claims as to the result of the approaching election
must be interpreted with this fact in view. There
are certain conditions Of record however, which may
enable the unprejudiced person to reach conclusions
[of his own. Governor Frazier was first elected by a
majority of more than 10000. In a subsequenb cleo
ton his majority was cut to, 1900. In the election
of last fall with the voting population doubled BY the
inclusion of the women his majority was cut to
4, 1000; and this in the face Of the fact that he was a
candidate on the Republican ticket and that the state
majority for Harding was more than 10000 In the
same election measures initiated BY the people and
which were voted on therefore without the applica-
ton Of the party label were carried BY the Independ-
|ents BY rnajorities averaging about 10000. judicial
and educational candidates elected on the non-party
basis and endorsed BY the Independents were elected
by large majorities in spite Of the strenuous opposi-
ton Of the League organization. Observes who
have fnVNaff0afnd cnndsfsnne IN varinfsa Afefrir<n5 the
summer report that there has been ! decided change
ID tFise districts in the attitude Of many Of the
voters, and SO far as cansb be ascertained, this change
IS entirely away from the League toward the Inde-
pendent side. Under these circumstances the i,di-