Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-11-10
LEAGUE. DEFEAT HAS
WIDE SIGNIFICANCE.
UNCLE TED TALKS MATTERS OF
NATIONAL IMPORTANCE
WITH THE CHILDREN.

ooh! Please, Uncle Ted, tell us
about the bad men who were found
out" pleaded Ruth.
Il don't quite know what you
mean, Ruth" answered Uncle Ted,
as he put down his evening paper.
WELL" said Ruth, you told us
yesterday that no matter how good
IA person may appear, il he is wrong
at heart, he will be found out SOON
err or later. And then you said that
something had happened in politics
that made you think Of it,
ooh, / guess I know what you
mean, now" said Uncle Ted. 81 was
reminded of the truth of that saying
when / read OF the defeat OF the
Non-Partisan League in North Da-
kota."
What is the Non-Partisan
Lacquer" asked Jack.
cit is rather a long story" repli-
ed Uncle Ted, "but l will give you
some idea of what the league is and
what it tried to do in North Dakota.
Back in 1915 the farmers of that
state became impatient at tthe fail
ure of the state government to put
into practice certain theories that
they hoped would benefit them. In
particular they wanted the state to
undertake the erection and operation
of grain elevators and markets,
where the farmers could bring their
grain. They thought they could
sell their wheat and corn to the
state elevators at a higher price
than they were disposing of it, be-
cause the profits that the elevator
men now get would be cut out.
"Just about that time man by
the name OF townley came into the
state and organized the farmers into
the Non-Partisan League, so that
they could act together to get what
they wanted from state government.
In 1916 most of the farmers voted
together at the state election, and
succeeded in putting their candi-
date in the governors office, elect
ing about all the other state officers,
three justices of the supreme court,
and majority of the state legislat-
ors. The next year, 1917. they elect
ed a member of the national house
of representatives.
"You see, children, they had
things pretty much their own way in
North Dakota, and they proceeded
to enact laws according to the the
cries they believed to be for their
own best interests. They paid no
attention to the principles that had
divided the old democratic and re-
publican parties. but adopted what
amounted to a form of socialism.
Some of the things they tried to do
included the exemption of all farm
improvements from any form of
taxes; ownership by the state of
grain elevators at railroad termin-
ais, warehouses, flour mills, stock
yards, packing houses, and cold
storage plants. They even got the
state to insure their growing crops
against hail storms. They discour-
aged the production Of ore by put
ting tax upon it; that is, they tri-
ed to hold down other industries
while doing everything they could
think of for the benefit of them
selves, the farmers. They set up a
large number of country banks, most
OF which afterwards failed because
their officers were too generous in
making loans to farmers. A tax was
put on all unused land, so as to en-
courage the development of farms.
"About every one of those prin-
ciples are contrary to the best ex-
perience Of other state governments,
and the people soon found that they
had made a great mistake. One
law, however, that the non-partisan
league passed, proved the salvation
of the people of North Dakota. 1t
is known as the recall 1t was one
Of the pet measures of the non-par-
tisan league, but 1t never occurred
to the leaders and office holders of
the league that it would ever be us
ed against them. But the good
farmers of North Dakota resorted
to the recall law last month, and
proceeded to throw ont of power Mr..
Townley and all the other political
quacks who had deceived them,
caused them great losses, and had
brought disgrace to their state. The
people had learned their lesson in
the hard school of experience, and
profited by it.
What has occurred in North Da-
kota ought to be studied by every
citizen of the United States, espe-
cially those living in communities
where the doctrines of socialism
have won a place in the minds OF
the people. The people of the state
are as intelligent as those OF any
other. They tried their best to make
a success of the theories in which
they had been led to believe. Their
plau failed not because of any fault