Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-02-28
HOW THE THING mas WORKED.

HUpilcHt"d IN lH chieI eAacnfIAlB.
HOW THE THING HAS WORKED.
Tho work Of organizing tho Non.
partisan league vas begun Just aboht
SIX years ngo. IN tho light Of recent
developments IT, is intersating. and 1t
may be useful, to trace Tho develop
mebt Of this movement through it's
various stages by recalling n few Of
the conspicuous facts which have
benn partly crowded out OF rccoliec-
ton by the rhpidity with which In
cidcnt has followed upon incident.
Early IN 1915 A. G. Townley. a So
ria1ist akitator and n business failure.
started n personal for MEM
hcrshipa In the league which has since
grown TO large proportions. Al the
otI'sst no adopted tho method since
followed by himself md his subor-
htnat"a. Of emphasizing every conceiv-
able point OF difference between the
farmers and those who are not farm
ers. seeking ~ create the impression
that tho population liz divided into
two groups whose interests are an
%taEonlstlc. and that those Of the non
farming class wcrc seeking to defraud
tho farmers III nil their dealings with
Thorn. THAT method has been followed
without variation ever since. and II
has been succeupful In that IT. has cre-
nted q spirit Of bitterness tcn-fold
moro Injurious than All tho %pecuniary
loss that has been cntaiied, enormous
ms thnt IL.
H. soon became evident that the
new movement waa capable OF being
made TO yteld good revenues to paid
workers. aud Tnwnloy Withdrew him
soft from, tho personal canvass and
employed for that work n small army
of solicitors. many Of them profess
si0rnl ngttators from tho great centers
OF Socialist, verscd In the pattor Of
their creed. and willing to work for
any cause that brought them good
pay. THESE me dtd their work thor
oushly. AMI found remarkably easy
pirking In North Dakota.
rho agitation at the beginning
conferred around the creation Of a
~dat"-owned terminal elevator sya-
tenn. but thu program was rapidly ex-
banded to include state ownership Of
Industrial aud commercial enterprises
or all kinds. These additions were
made from time To time as Mr.. Town
Icy aud his Immediate associates
thought proper. II were presented
as tho "farm"rs' program although
tho farmers themselves had had
nothing 10 do with preparing these
scvera, rianks.
The state constitution stood IN tho
way of the carrying out Of these
plans. therefore II was decree that tho
const tuition must be swept aalde.
At tho lcgtslattve session or 1917 MI
attempt was made to achieve this
through the enactment OF House Bill
A, which provided for the Amepl-
ment OF tho constitution In II man
Nor utterly unprecedented and I'M
uualtdedly illegal. That ht,l, passed
by tho league majority IN tho house.
was defeated by tho independent ma
tority IN the senate. The end desired
was accomplished later when the 60
c~ialists had gained control of the
senate. and was subsequently con-
t1rn,cd by the use OF the referendum,
Many people fni, to realise the eig.
n%incance OF what was done in adopt
Ing tho amendments which were hur.
rind through IN this manner. Many
suppose that the state OF North Dn-
kota has n constitution which pro.
vtdes effective guarantees for the sc
curity Of the individual III his persor
and his property, no matter what any
majority may say or do. It Is TRUE
that there remain on record provis.
ions ot this character. But to all in.
tents and purposes the constitution OF
tho state has been destroyed, for tina
which we call tho constitution ma,
he changed almost as quickly and
easily ~ that which we call the sAtu,
tory law. For whatever real pecur,
tts we have we are dependent, no Of
wv SVbtWItuNAVp VA b>efNu JpMAVN8 n
II now exists but on the constitution
OF the United states, which. forum.
ately, IL beyond the influence OF Mr.
TowAnles--1ust Yet.
Possessed OF cofnp,ete power Il
both branches OF the leeteaAtare, ant
Debating every act OF the executive
the Socialist Organization proceeded
to put its program into effect III,
mill and elevator plan vas put un,
der way a central state hank was or,
e1ntsedi the state launched into build,
ing and insurance enterprises.
But the Socialist activities had no.
been eonaned to operations directl,
related 10 the state government. IN,
campaigns tor members. had been ex,
pensAve ones, Workers wanted. and
recNvea. big salaries or lArss corn,
mia1AonM Immense SUNNI were col
Ilected In dueA but they. melted away
N fast AA they were collected. TAert
van need TOR more rnonAy 10 keep thu
pot boiitMe, and the fArMing popvsA,
zion OF Noeth loekotA ~ the rNsss.
vcir frosn which that money sAsss b
drawn. Pending ceMplste control .,
the governmental nAcAiasty 81 I'M
atAsN, Methols yh0a - NevsueA Il
srNtse more money directly rom tMs
rAssaera
rAs yscraasN~rs stores concern VA
essAseA. FARMERS were invited 10 ~
n